Very sadly, the chancellor of UCSC
jumped from the roof of a rather tall, 43-story building yesterday.
Last January, Denton attended the conference about women in science and engineering and she was one of the more moderate critics of Summers - nevertheless, her articles and proclamations helped to increase the heat at Harvard.
One month later, last February, she became the boss of UCSC with the task to reconcile the old UCSC made out of feminist studies and social justice with the new UCSC of astrophysics, molecular biology, and "non-technology" as the author of the previous link calls it.
Journalists speculate that criticism over her female effective spouse's new job at UCSC and criticism over some seemingly irrelevant but still controversial investments such as campus perks or her dog's $30,000 dog run could be behind the decision.
Such frustrating news often shake the world. Denton can no longer run for the U.S. president. Prof. Lawrence Summers, despite the difficult year+, can still run in 2008, although probably on the G.O.P. ticket only.
Being a chancellor is unfortunately no recipe for a universal happiness, especially if you have to send several death announcements per month. On the other hand, there is a clear recipe what one must do when he or she is knocked down.
My deep condolences to the family and the campus.
