Synopses & Reviews
When Jay Keyser arrived at MIT in 1977 to head theDepartment of Linguistics and Philosophy, he writes, he "felt like a fishthat had been introduced to water for the first time." At MIT, acolleague grabbed him by the lapels to discuss dark matter; Noam Chomsky calledhim "boss" (double SOB spelled backward?); and engaging in conflictresolution made him feel like "a marriage counselor trying to reconcile aunion between a Jehovah's witness and a vampire."In
Mens et Mania, Keyserrecounts his academic and administrative adventures during a career of morethan thirty years.
Keyser describes the administrative side of his MIT life, not only as department headbut also as Associate Provost and Special Assistant to the Chancellor. Keyser had to run a department ("budgets were like horoscopes") and negotiate student grievances -- from the legality of showing Deep Throat in a dormitory to the uproar caused by the arrests of students for antiapartheid demonstrations. Keyser also describes a visiting Japanese delegation horrified by the disrepairof the linguistics department offices (Chomsky tells them "Our motto is: Physically shabby. Intellectually first class."); convincing a student not to jump off the roof of the Green Building; and recent attempts to look at MIT through a corporate lens. And he explains the special faculty-student bond at MIT: the faculty sees the students as themselves thirty years earlier.
Keyser observes that MIT is hard to get into and even harder to leave, for faculty as well as for students. Writing about retirement, Keyser quotes the song Groucho Marx sang in Animal Crackers as he was leaving a party -- "Hello, I must be going." Students famously say "Tech is hell." Keyser says,"It's been a helluva party."
This entertaining and thought-provoking memoir will make readers glad that Keyser hasn't quite left.
Review
“S. J. Keyser is a shrewd and insightful observer of academe. His experiences in three universities, Brandeis, UMass, and MIT, enrich his perspectives about the way universities work, and his exploration of the culture of MIT is brilliant.”
—Paul E. Gray, Professor and President Emeritus, MIT“MIT is one of the world’s great academic institutions and Jay Keyser presents an intimate insider’s view of how it actually works in the best of times and in the worst of times. Keyser writes with verve and great humor. His book will be an inspiration to anyone committed to preserving both the excellence and the humanity of American higher education.”
—Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor and Professor of Physics and Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley“Jay Keyser's report of his voyage through MIT's life is as riveting and important as de Tocqueville's report on life and social practices in the early 19th century United States. The reader will be struck by the energy, diversity, and creativity of the place and by the wit of Keyser's account.”
—John Deutch, Institute Professor, MIT
Review
MIT is one of the world's great academic institutions and Jay Keyser presents an intimate insider's view of how it actually works in the best of times and in the worst of times. Keyser writes with verve and great humor. His book will be an inspiration to anyone committed to preserving both the excellence and the humanity of American higher education. < b=""> John Deutch <> , Institute Professor, MIT
Review
S. J. Keyser is a shrewd and insightful observer of academe. His experiences in three universities, Brandeis, UMass, and MIT, enrich his perspectives about the way universities work, and his exploration of the culture of MIT is brilliant. < b=""> Robert J. Birgeneau <> , Chancellor and Professor of Physics and Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
Review
Jay Keyser's report of his voyage through MIT's life is as riveting and important as de Tocqueville's report on life and social practices in the early 19th century United States. The reader will be struck by the energy, diversity, and creativity of the place and by the wit of Keyser's account. The MIT Press
Synopsis
A memoir of MIT life, from being Noam Chomsky's boss to negotiating with student protesters.
When Jay Keyser arrived at MIT in 1977 to head the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, he writes, he "felt like a fish that had been introduced to water for the first time." At MIT, a colleague grabbed him by the lapels to discuss dark matter; Noam Chomsky called him "boss" (double SOB spelled backward?); and engaging in conflict resolution made him feel like "a marriage counselor trying to reconcile a union between a Jehovah's witness and a vampire." In Mens et Mania, Keyser recounts his academic and administrative adventures during a career of more than thirty years.
Keyser describes the administrative side of his MIT life, not only as department head but also as Associate Provost and Special Assistant to the Chancellor. Keyser had to run a department ("budgets were like horoscopes") and negotiate student grievances -- from the legality of showing Deep Throat in a dormitory to the uproar caused by the arrests of students for anti-apartheid demonstrations. Keyser also describes a visiting Japanese delegation horrified by the disrepair of the linguistics department offices (Chomsky tells them "Our motto is: Physically shabby. Intellectually first class."); convincing a student not to jump off the roof of the Green Building; and recent attempts to look at MIT through a corporate lens. And he explains the special faculty-student bond at MIT: the faculty sees the students as themselves thirty years earlier.
Keyser observes that MIT is hard to get into and even harder to leave, for faculty as well as for students. Writing about retirement, Keyser quotes the song Groucho Marx sang in Animal Crackers as he was leaving a party -- "Hello, I must be going." Students famously say "Tech is hell." Keyser says,"It's been a helluva party."
This entertaining and thought-provoking memoir will make readers glad that Keyser hasn't quite left.
Synopsis
A memoir of MIT life, from being Noam Chomsky's boss to negotiating with student protesters.
Synopsis
When Jay Keyser arrived at MIT in 1977 to head the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, he writes, he felt like a fish that had been introduced to water for the first time. At MIT, a colleague grabbed him by the lapels to discuss dark matter; Noam Chomsky called him boss (double SOB spelled backward?); and engaging in conflict resolution made him feel like a marriage counselor trying to reconcile a union between a Jehovah's witness and a vampire. In
Synopsis
When Jay Keyser arrived at MIT in 1977 to head theDepartment ofLinguistics and Philosophy, he writes, he felt like a fishthat had been introducedto water for the first time. At MIT, acolleague grabbed him by the lapels todiscuss dark matter; Noam Chomsky calledhim boss (double SOB spelled backward?);and engaging in conflictresolution made him feel like a marriage counselor tryingto reconcile aunion between a Jehovah's witness and a vampire.In Mens et Mania, Keyserrecounts his academic and administrative adventures during a career ofmorethan thirty years. Keyserdescribes the administrative side of his MIT life, notonly as department headbut also as Associate Provost and Special Assistant to theChancellor. Keyserhad to run a department (budgets were like horoscopes)andnegotiate student grievances -- from thelegality of showing Deep Throat in adormitory to theuproar caused by the arrests of students for antiapartheiddemonstrations.Keyser also describes a visiting Japanese delegation horrified by thedisrepairof the linguistics department offices (Chomsky tells them Our mottois: Physically shabby. Intellectually first class.); convincing a studentnot to jumpoff the roof of the Green Building; and recent attempts to look atMIT through acorporate lens. And he explains the special faculty-student bondat MIT: the facultysees the students as themselves thirty years earlier. Keyser observes that MIT ishard toget into and even harder to leave, for faculty as well as for students.Writingabout retirement, Keyser quotes the song Groucho Marx sang in AnimalCrackersas he was leaving a party -- Hello, I mustbe going. Students famously say Tech ishell. Keyser says,It's been a helluva party. This entertainingandthought-provoking memoir will make readers glad that Keyser hasn'tquiteleft.
About the Author
Samuel Jay Keyser is Professor Emeritus in MIT’s Departmentof Linguistics and Philosophy and Special Assistant to the Chancellor. Head ofthe Department of Linguistics and Philosophy from 1977 to 1998, he also heldthe positions of Director of the Center for Cognitive Science and AssociateProvost.Lawrence Bacow is President of Tufts University and the former Chancellor of MIT.