A Further Sign of Academic Idiocy

I proposed a guest speaker for this semester. Our chair told me that I may not be able to extend the invitation. The University is exploring the possibility of charging for the use of rooms. I am reminded of Charles Davenant, one of the subjects of my new book, who wrote, "Everyone is on the scrape for himself, ... each cheating, raking, and plundering what he can, and in a more profligate degree than ever was known." Davenant 1701, pp. 300-301. At least the restrooms are still free for the moment.