Victory at Virginia Tech: Good News Travels Fast

News of FIRE's victory for freedom of conscience at Virginia Tech has been spreading quickly—unsurprising, given the proposed "diversity" requirement's chilling implications for the academic freedom of the Virginia Tech faculty.

The Chronicle of Higher Education is among the publications to report on Virginia Tech President Charles Steger's decision to rescind the requirement, which had been roundly criticized by FIRE, the National Association of Scholars, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, and Virginia Tech's own student paper, The Collegiate Times, among others.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch should be pleased to hear the news as well, having published a good editorial over the weekend pointing out the obvious flaws of the requirement, which it regards as "an apparent attempt to mau-mau professors into toeing an ideological line." Elsewhere, John Leo reports the victory on Minding the Campus, as does Roger Clegg at Phi Beta Cons. The blog Discriminations, which has been following developments at Virginia Tech throughout, chimes in as well.  

There is certainly much work still to be done at Virginia Tech, but it's good to know so many sets of eyes are watching the administration to see how they continue to handle the controversy.