Huntsville Shooter had killed before

[utvolpj]

UAH does have a pretty good engineering program I believe. But outside of that, yeah... seems odd.

I heard their basketball team is terrible though :whistling:

 

[lumberjack4]

Not demeaning the UAH, but why would a Harvard educated professor be teaching at such a low key college in Northern Alabama?

Harvard educated professors dont normally teach at schools like UAH. They are in high demand at schools known for their academics.

That alone should of been a big red flag for the UAH administration

It is apparent that you know nothing about UAH when you call it a low key college. I can only speak for the Engineering department as it is what I know. UAH is by far and away the best Engineering school in the state, and is across the street of the nation's 3rd largest research park. The entire engineering and science departments have contracts up the wazoo with the DoD and NASA. That being said I have no idea what the reputation of the biology department is which is what the shooter was a teacher of, but I can assure you if you look around there are Ivy League graduates teaching in community colleges, small colleges, and big colleges. Just because you went to Harvard doesn't mean you're worth anything. Just like if you didn't go to an Ivy League school doesn't make you a moron.

 

[volinbham]

Did they not do any background checks on this woman?

I've been involved in many faculty hirings including mine and have never seen any kind of background check.

Not demeaning the UAH, but why would a Harvard educated professor be teaching at such a low key college in Northern Alabama?

Harvard educated professors dont normally teach at schools like UAH. They are in high demand at schools known for their academics.

That alone should of been a big red flag for the UAH administration

LJ already answered but there's nothing unusual about that. UAH is strong in several areas. Likewise, UAB where I teach has faculty in some areas that are from the best in programs in the world and as a result those areas at UAB are world class.

 

[TennTradition]

Not demeaning the UAH, but why would a Harvard educated professor be teaching at such a low key college in Northern Alabama?

Harvard educated professors dont normally teach at schools like UAH. They are in high demand at schools known for their academics.

That alone should of been a big red flag for the UAH administration

I think that you are missing a few things in that argument. First, academic jobs are extremely hard to get and schools don't like taking people that aren't the best. In other words, if you aren't in the top 20% or so at Harvard, it is harder to get a job than if you came from a lower-rated university but rocked it there. Obviously you can't go too low and still have a great shot at the best jobs, but you get the idea.

Also, she is currently married, right? If he is a scientist as well, then Huntsville might have been a very big draw. Also, if he is a professor, then it can be very hard to get both husband and wife a job at the absolute best universities, so they then look for nice towns with solid universities. If UAH is very strong in his field, than that could have pulled them (assuming he is a professor...he may not be). Huntsville is a fairly academic town (high PhD per capita), and people like this woman are probably drawn down there fairly often (good academic pedigree, but probably not a rock star - and married to someone who is also looking for a position).

 

[Oldvol75]

I've been involved in many faculty hirings including mine and have never seen any kind of background check.


LJ already answered but there's nothing unusual about that. UAH is strong in several areas. Likewise, UAB where I teach has faculty in some areas that are from the best in programs in the world and as a result those areas at UAB are world class.

Are you kidding? You have to be finger printed and have background checks to teach K-12 in both Alabama and Georgia. But yet they don't do these for Colleges and Universities? Thats puzzling?

 

[volinbham]

Are you kidding? You have to be finger printed and have background checks to teach K-12 in both Alabama and Georgia. But yet they don't do these for Colleges and Universities? Thats puzzling?

We aren't dealing with children - that's probably the reason for the difference.

We verify credentials via transcripts but that's about it.

 

[volinbham]

Well - I didn't have all the facts.

I asked around and apparently we do background checks - it happens in HR and apparently it's a no news is good news type deal. The departments/schools (re: chair and Dean) don't hear anything about it unless there's a problem.

 

[Oldvol75]

Well - I didn't have all the facts.

I asked around and apparently we do background checks - it happens in HR and apparently it's a no news is good news type deal. The departments/schools (re: chair and Dean) don't hear anything about it unless there's a problem.

Thats alittle better. I just couldn't grasp how there could be back ground checks for one and not the other.