The Marquette Tribune’s coverage of the Vagina Monologues came out today, and included a concluding quote from an e-mail from University Provost Madeline Wake:
Provost Madeline Wake, one of the symposium’s key supporters, said in an e-mail that she was also pleased with the discussion the play generated.
“Important issues of humanness were addressed in Saturday’s program,” Wake said in the e-mail. “Such discourse is what a university stands for.”
What’s the problem? Alpha Sigma Nu president and Marquette senior Chris Acker confirmed by phone tonight that Provost Wake attended (and was in fact required to attend) the Jesuit honor society’s initiation ceremony on Saturday evening. Wake reportedly arrived just after the beginning of the 6:30 dinner and stayed through the ceremony, which ended at around 8:30.
The discussion of the Vagina Monologues began at approximately 7:10 and ended around 8:55. I noticed Provost Wake sitting near the back at the beginning of the performance but did not see if she re-entered for the tail end of the discussion.
Has the Tribune mistakenly reported her general comments about controversy surrounding the play? Perhaps the Tribune took her commentary out of context, but by all appearances she seems to be referring to the discussion which, at the least in its majority, she did not witness. Her obligation to attend the initiation ceremony is understandable and acceptable. However, missing the discussion negates the credibility of her analysis.
She may have seen issues of humanness raised, but was not a witness to how irresponsibly they were addressed afterwards.
Perhaps that’s why she offered such glowing feedback.
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She didn’t say she came back, and that excerpt says nothing about the discussion at the VM, but you’re right, I didn’t see her come back, either.
It would not be the first the Tribune miss quoted someone, but it does make for a sensational story if I do say so myself.