1 00:00:15,356 --> 00:00:27,396 Speaker 1: Pushkin, and the Emmy goes too, and the Oscar goes 2 00:00:27,556 --> 00:00:31,076 Speaker 1: to and the People's Choice Award goes. 3 00:00:30,876 --> 00:00:35,796 Speaker 2: To Thank you to the Academy for this incredible recognition. 4 00:00:36,316 --> 00:00:39,436 Speaker 3: I'm so honored. I'm so honored. 5 00:00:39,796 --> 00:00:42,996 Speaker 4: Everybody want to know what I would do if I 6 00:00:43,116 --> 00:00:43,796 Speaker 4: didn't win. 7 00:00:47,076 --> 00:00:47,996 Speaker 5: I guess we'll never know. 8 00:00:53,436 --> 00:00:58,636 Speaker 6: Everybody gets a prize in modern America, actors, writers, musicians. 9 00:00:59,276 --> 00:01:02,436 Speaker 6: But you know who doesn't get a fancy prize the 10 00:01:02,516 --> 00:01:09,036 Speaker 6: hard working administrators of America's elite colleges and universities. For years, 11 00:01:09,116 --> 00:01:12,276 Speaker 6: I've observed this oversight with what can only be described 12 00:01:12,356 --> 00:01:17,636 Speaker 6: as dismay, until I decided, damn it, if this country 13 00:01:17,716 --> 00:01:20,476 Speaker 6: wasn't gonna honor the beleaguered giants of the Ivy League, 14 00:01:20,836 --> 00:01:26,716 Speaker 6: then I would. My name is Malcolm Blackwell. You're listening 15 00:01:26,756 --> 00:01:31,236 Speaker 6: to Revisionist History, my podcast about things overlooked and misunderstood. 16 00:01:31,716 --> 00:01:35,396 Speaker 6: In this episode, we are pleased to inaugurate the first 17 00:01:35,756 --> 00:01:40,756 Speaker 6: annual Revisionist History Higher Education Award in honor of our 18 00:01:40,796 --> 00:01:55,476 Speaker 6: company's namesake. We're gonna call them the Pushkin Prizes. Folks. 19 00:01:55,836 --> 00:01:59,876 Speaker 6: These prizes are super prestigious. You can't see this because 20 00:01:59,876 --> 00:02:02,636 Speaker 6: this is audio but we have little gold statuettes of 21 00:02:02,716 --> 00:02:06,636 Speaker 6: Alexander Pushkin himself. You're gonna walk into the lobby of 22 00:02:06,676 --> 00:02:10,636 Speaker 6: your favorite eighteenth century ivy colored marble granite University Administration 23 00:02:10,716 --> 00:02:14,156 Speaker 6: building and they are in a glass case. Below the 24 00:02:14,196 --> 00:02:18,316 Speaker 6: tiffany chandelier is going to be a Pushkin. That is, 25 00:02:19,236 --> 00:02:24,076 Speaker 6: if you're lucky. I promise that over the next few years, 26 00:02:24,516 --> 00:02:28,156 Speaker 6: the giants of American academia will be graced with a 27 00:02:28,196 --> 00:02:33,796 Speaker 6: Pushkin statuette in recognition of one stupendous achievement or another. 28 00:02:34,956 --> 00:02:38,556 Speaker 6: And in this episode, we begin our awards program with 29 00:02:38,716 --> 00:02:44,596 Speaker 6: the mac Daddy of Pushkin Prizes, the George Santos Memorial 30 00:02:44,876 --> 00:02:49,436 Speaker 6: Pushkin Prize for egregiously Deceptive Self Promotion. 31 00:02:54,836 --> 00:02:57,156 Speaker 7: My parents came to this country in search of the 32 00:02:57,196 --> 00:03:01,396 Speaker 7: American dream. Today I live that American dream, only in 33 00:03:01,436 --> 00:03:07,556 Speaker 7: this country, only in this country. And the little boy 34 00:03:07,676 --> 00:03:10,556 Speaker 7: born in a basement apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens in 35 00:03:10,556 --> 00:03:14,676 Speaker 7: New York City, become a United States Congressman at thirty four. 36 00:03:19,276 --> 00:03:23,836 Speaker 7: It's a story of survival, of tenacity, of grit, as 37 00:03:23,836 --> 00:03:24,716 Speaker 7: we like to call it. 38 00:03:25,436 --> 00:03:28,956 Speaker 6: Actually, it's not a story of survival, tenacity and grit 39 00:03:29,356 --> 00:03:32,196 Speaker 6: as we like to call it the story of George Santos, 40 00:03:32,516 --> 00:03:35,316 Speaker 6: Congressman from Long Island, is the story of someone who 41 00:03:35,316 --> 00:03:39,636 Speaker 6: made up basically everything on his resume. And it is 42 00:03:39,756 --> 00:03:43,836 Speaker 6: that shamelessness that we seek to reward with the first 43 00:03:44,236 --> 00:03:45,796 Speaker 6: of the coveted Pushkin Prizes. 44 00:03:46,476 --> 00:03:49,716 Speaker 7: Good morning, Chabatsalom too, everybody. Thank you for being here, 45 00:03:49,796 --> 00:03:52,956 Speaker 7: Thank you for having me. We're no stranger to persecution. 46 00:03:53,516 --> 00:03:57,556 Speaker 7: My grandfather fleeing Ukraine in nineteen twenties to Belgium. 47 00:03:57,996 --> 00:04:01,516 Speaker 6: Turns out he's not Jewish. Santos said his mom was 48 00:04:01,516 --> 00:04:04,596 Speaker 6: a nine to eleven survivor. Turns out she wasn't even 49 00:04:04,716 --> 00:04:07,556 Speaker 6: in New York City during nine to eleven. He said 50 00:04:07,756 --> 00:04:10,076 Speaker 6: he worked at Goldman Sachs. It turns out he never 51 00:04:10,116 --> 00:04:13,596 Speaker 6: set foot in Golden Sex. And then there was this 52 00:04:14,636 --> 00:04:17,996 Speaker 6: tallest of tall tales, which I love so much. 53 00:04:18,796 --> 00:04:20,956 Speaker 4: Hey, you know what's funny, George. You go right to 54 00:04:20,996 --> 00:04:22,876 Speaker 4: the heart here of me. Sid and Bernie. 55 00:04:23,316 --> 00:04:25,876 Speaker 6: This is Santos on a local New York radio show 56 00:04:26,116 --> 00:04:29,116 Speaker 6: Sid and Friends in the Morning during his first congressional 57 00:04:29,236 --> 00:04:33,356 Speaker 6: run in twenty twenty, and the host Sid Rosenberg starts 58 00:04:33,396 --> 00:04:35,116 Speaker 6: talking about sports. 59 00:04:35,436 --> 00:04:38,676 Speaker 4: At the very end of your biography, It says in 60 00:04:38,756 --> 00:04:43,876 Speaker 4: his spare time, George Anthony enjoys volleyball and tennis. 61 00:04:44,156 --> 00:04:47,276 Speaker 6: Rosenberg says, that's funny because both his daughter and his 62 00:04:47,396 --> 00:04:51,636 Speaker 6: co host daughter are avid volleyball and tennis players. Then 63 00:04:52,196 --> 00:04:54,596 Speaker 6: Santo's response, you know, it's funny. 64 00:04:54,636 --> 00:04:58,036 Speaker 8: I actually went to school on a volleyball scholarship. 65 00:04:58,156 --> 00:04:59,876 Speaker 6: I did what I did. 66 00:04:59,956 --> 00:05:03,116 Speaker 8: Yeah, when I was in Beruke, we were the number 67 00:05:03,116 --> 00:05:03,756 Speaker 8: one volleyball. 68 00:05:03,756 --> 00:05:05,756 Speaker 4: Did you graduate from barok? Did you graduate from them? 69 00:05:05,876 --> 00:05:06,076 Speaker 5: Yeah? 70 00:05:06,116 --> 00:05:06,756 Speaker 4: So did I did? 71 00:05:06,756 --> 00:05:07,316 Speaker 8: I did so? 72 00:05:07,396 --> 00:05:07,636 Speaker 4: Did I? 73 00:05:07,716 --> 00:05:10,756 Speaker 8: Oh? Very cool cho great institutions. But it's funny that 74 00:05:10,916 --> 00:05:17,636 Speaker 8: we went to play against Harvard Yale and we play them. 75 00:05:18,036 --> 00:05:21,836 Speaker 8: We were champions across the entire Northeast corridor. Every school 76 00:05:21,836 --> 00:05:24,716 Speaker 8: that came up against us, they were shaking at the time. 77 00:05:24,876 --> 00:05:26,796 Speaker 8: And it's funny. I was the smallest guy and I'm 78 00:05:26,836 --> 00:05:29,836 Speaker 8: six two. We had on our block, on our on 79 00:05:29,916 --> 00:05:33,076 Speaker 8: our on our block alone, there were six seven sixty eight. 80 00:05:33,316 --> 00:05:35,716 Speaker 8: These guys weren't jumping, they were just stretching their arms up. 81 00:05:36,916 --> 00:05:39,036 Speaker 8: We were, we were and all of us could have 82 00:05:39,036 --> 00:05:41,836 Speaker 8: been playing basketball, but we chose volleyball because it was easier. 83 00:05:42,636 --> 00:05:45,716 Speaker 8: So it was a great time I look, I sacrificed 84 00:05:45,716 --> 00:05:49,076 Speaker 8: both my knees and got very nice knee replacements. Knee 85 00:05:49,076 --> 00:05:53,116 Speaker 8: replacements from Assa's playing volleyball. That's how serious I took 86 00:05:53,156 --> 00:05:53,516 Speaker 8: the game. 87 00:05:54,076 --> 00:05:56,596 Speaker 4: Well, that's how serious you're taking politics as well. Remember 88 00:05:56,636 --> 00:05:59,276 Speaker 4: this name, folks, George Santos out in the third district. 89 00:05:59,836 --> 00:06:03,196 Speaker 6: This is, to my mind, the gold standard George Santos fabrication, 90 00:06:03,596 --> 00:06:07,756 Speaker 6: a wedding cake of prevarication. The Washington posted a breakdown 91 00:06:07,796 --> 00:06:13,156 Speaker 6: to the tape, and here's what they found. Let's start 92 00:06:13,196 --> 00:06:16,796 Speaker 6: with the smallest lies and work backwards. Brooke didn't beat 93 00:06:16,836 --> 00:06:21,036 Speaker 6: Yale at volleyball because Yale doesn't have a varsity volleyball team. 94 00:06:21,356 --> 00:06:25,236 Speaker 6: Santels later said he played the position of striker. Volleyball 95 00:06:25,276 --> 00:06:29,436 Speaker 6: teams don't have strikers. That suck. Nor did Santos have 96 00:06:29,476 --> 00:06:32,756 Speaker 6: a volleyball scholarship at Baruque because Baruq doesn't give out 97 00:06:32,836 --> 00:06:36,516 Speaker 6: volleyball scholarships, and at six', two he would not have 98 00:06:36,556 --> 00:06:38,916 Speaker 6: been the shortest player in the team even if he 99 00:06:39,036 --> 00:06:41,836 Speaker 6: had been on the, team but he. Wasn't he never 100 00:06:41,876 --> 00:06:45,556 Speaker 6: played volleyball At, baruk maybe because he never Attended baruk at, 101 00:06:45,556 --> 00:06:48,356 Speaker 6: all which means his needs are perfectly, fine unless that, 102 00:06:48,476 --> 00:06:51,916 Speaker 6: is he blew them out playing some other imaginary. Sport 103 00:06:54,156 --> 00:06:56,596 Speaker 6: that's seven lies in a. Row and if you listen 104 00:06:56,636 --> 00:06:58,516 Speaker 6: to the, tape it's clear that he made up the 105 00:06:58,556 --> 00:07:02,356 Speaker 6: whole string on the. Fly the man is an. Icon 106 00:07:02,876 --> 00:07:05,636 Speaker 6: and with our First Pushkin, prize we ask What american 107 00:07:05,636 --> 00:07:09,996 Speaker 6: college came closest in the past year to this lofty. 108 00:07:10,396 --> 00:07:14,956 Speaker 6: Standard believe, me they were many, nominees all of them. 109 00:07:14,996 --> 00:07:23,276 Speaker 6: Worthy envelope, please and the winner Is Columbia. 110 00:07:23,916 --> 00:07:34,116 Speaker 2: University the big beginning when you heard when you, SAID 111 00:07:34,156 --> 00:07:37,196 Speaker 2: i want to Investigate columbia's rise to number, two did, 112 00:07:37,236 --> 00:07:38,916 Speaker 2: you in the back of your mind think there might 113 00:07:38,956 --> 00:07:40,236 Speaker 2: be something questionable going? 114 00:07:40,236 --> 00:07:42,516 Speaker 5: On, yes not even, no not in the back of my. 115 00:07:42,556 --> 00:07:43,916 Speaker 5: Mind at the front of my, mind. 116 00:07:43,836 --> 00:07:46,276 Speaker 6: You're listening to a math professor At columbia Named Michael, 117 00:07:46,316 --> 00:07:49,516 Speaker 6: thaddius fifties long. HAIR i went to see him in 118 00:07:49,556 --> 00:07:52,276 Speaker 6: his office on The columbia, campus full of books and, 119 00:07:52,356 --> 00:07:55,956 Speaker 6: strange captivating jottings on the. Wall my father was a. 120 00:07:55,956 --> 00:07:59,876 Speaker 6: MATHEMATICIAN i have great affection for the. Species if you Google, 121 00:07:59,916 --> 00:08:03,316 Speaker 6: thadius you'll find papers that begin with things like we 122 00:08:03,436 --> 00:08:08,036 Speaker 6: discuss sympletic cutting For hamiltonian actions of Non abelian compact. 123 00:08:08,076 --> 00:08:12,236 Speaker 6: Groups by using a degeneration based on The vinburg, monoid 124 00:08:12,476 --> 00:08:16,556 Speaker 6: we give in good cases a global quotient description of 125 00:08:16,596 --> 00:08:20,756 Speaker 6: a surgery construction introduced By woodward n mind, ranking and 126 00:08:20,836 --> 00:08:25,636 Speaker 6: show it can be interpreted in algebra geometric. TERMS i 127 00:08:25,676 --> 00:08:28,596 Speaker 6: have no idea what that, means But Michael thaddius, does 128 00:08:29,116 --> 00:08:31,236 Speaker 6: which is to say that when it comes to numbers 129 00:08:31,276 --> 00:08:34,836 Speaker 6: and statistics and, things he's someone to take very. Seriously 130 00:08:36,036 --> 00:08:39,436 Speaker 6: so one, day not long, ago he hears something that 131 00:08:39,556 --> 00:08:40,156 Speaker 6: doesn't seem. 132 00:08:40,276 --> 00:08:43,996 Speaker 5: Right SO i saw That columbia had risen to number. 133 00:08:43,996 --> 00:08:46,916 Speaker 5: TWO i think in, fact this was even mentioned by 134 00:08:46,916 --> 00:08:49,116 Speaker 5: our own dean at a faculty. MEETING i think that's 135 00:08:49,156 --> 00:08:50,156 Speaker 5: HOW i found out about. 136 00:08:50,156 --> 00:08:54,316 Speaker 6: It the dean announces to, EVERYONE i have amazing. News 137 00:08:54,876 --> 00:08:57,276 Speaker 6: columbia has just risen to number two in THE Us 138 00:08:57,276 --> 00:09:01,756 Speaker 6: News college, rankings just a hair Behind. Princeton everyone basks 139 00:09:01,796 --> 00:09:05,036 Speaker 6: in the glow of the school's extraordinary, achievement because you 140 00:09:05,116 --> 00:09:08,436 Speaker 6: know what a HIGH Us news rankings, means more alumni, 141 00:09:08,476 --> 00:09:14,156 Speaker 6: dollars more, prestige more, applications more excitement and desire from 142 00:09:14,276 --> 00:09:18,436 Speaker 6: neurotic upper middle class suburban. Parents for anyone With Ivy league, 143 00:09:18,516 --> 00:09:22,076 Speaker 6: dreams it's the holy. GRAIL i, mean if you have 144 00:09:22,116 --> 00:09:24,676 Speaker 6: a kid in high school and your kids, Said, MOM 145 00:09:24,796 --> 00:09:27,036 Speaker 6: i just got Into, columbia you will be over the. 146 00:09:27,036 --> 00:09:30,116 Speaker 6: Moon and why would you be over the Moon Because 147 00:09:30,156 --> 00:09:35,036 Speaker 6: columbia is number two in THE Us news. Rankings so 148 00:09:35,756 --> 00:09:40,036 Speaker 6: The dean makes for big, announcement But Michael, thaddeus the numbers, 149 00:09:40,076 --> 00:09:41,516 Speaker 6: guy isn't buying. 150 00:09:41,276 --> 00:09:45,676 Speaker 5: It and that just piqued my. Curiosity two is pretty high. 151 00:09:45,756 --> 00:09:49,396 Speaker 5: Ranking you, Know in, particular we were tied With harvard AND, 152 00:09:49,476 --> 00:09:54,236 Speaker 5: mit which are institutions that objectively have certain big advantages over. 153 00:09:54,356 --> 00:09:56,436 Speaker 5: Us they have much larger, endowments they have much more 154 00:09:56,476 --> 00:09:59,516 Speaker 5: space than we. Do AND i just you, Know i've 155 00:09:59,516 --> 00:10:02,516 Speaker 5: also over the, Years i've taken a greater and, greater 156 00:10:02,636 --> 00:10:06,036 Speaker 5: perhaps almost obsessive interest in facts and figures about the. 157 00:10:06,116 --> 00:10:08,396 Speaker 5: UNIVERSITY i look at a lot of websites where the numbers, 158 00:10:08,396 --> 00:10:13,116 Speaker 5: appear AND i just, wondered how Could columbia have performed 159 00:10:13,116 --> 00:10:16,476 Speaker 5: so well on this ranking as to be tied with 160 00:10:16,796 --> 00:10:19,596 Speaker 5: institutions that have these objective advantages over. It how do 161 00:10:19,636 --> 00:10:20,276 Speaker 5: the numbers break? 162 00:10:20,356 --> 00:10:30,036 Speaker 6: Down columbia started in these rankings at, eighteenth then began a, 163 00:10:30,076 --> 00:10:38,636 Speaker 6: steady dramatic climb Past, Cornell, washington Uw, Rice, Vanderbilt, Brown, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Duke, 164 00:10:38,676 --> 00:10:44,716 Speaker 6: Caltech Penn Johns, Hopkins university Of, Chicago, Yale. Stanford in 165 00:10:44,756 --> 00:10:48,436 Speaker 6: the past five years, alone they've gone from fifth to 166 00:10:48,596 --> 00:10:54,236 Speaker 6: third to, second shooting like a shiny asteroid past their glittering. 167 00:10:54,316 --> 00:10:56,236 Speaker 6: Peers i'm a. 168 00:10:56,316 --> 00:10:56,676 Speaker 4: Runner you. 169 00:10:56,676 --> 00:10:59,556 Speaker 6: Know in the running, world the tell for whether someone 170 00:10:59,676 --> 00:11:05,876 Speaker 6: is doping is in an unexpected. Improvement you, know when 171 00:11:05,916 --> 00:11:11,356 Speaker 6: the twenty seven year old miler suddenly lops three seconds 172 00:11:11,436 --> 00:11:13,716 Speaker 6: off their personal. BEST i see you, say. 173 00:11:14,916 --> 00:11:18,756 Speaker 5: Sudden improvement is the tell sudden out of context. 174 00:11:18,836 --> 00:11:25,476 Speaker 6: Improvement oh. My the first Thing thadius did after the 175 00:11:25,516 --> 00:11:28,596 Speaker 6: faculty meeting is by a subscription to THE Us news. 176 00:11:28,716 --> 00:11:32,796 Speaker 6: Rankings he downloaded the Data columbia submitted for his, application 177 00:11:33,596 --> 00:11:37,956 Speaker 6: and his eye falls on class. Size columbia reported TO 178 00:11:38,076 --> 00:11:40,796 Speaker 6: Us news that eighty two point five percent of its 179 00:11:40,796 --> 00:11:45,676 Speaker 6: classes had less than twenty. Students thaddius looked at that 180 00:11:45,756 --> 00:11:46,956 Speaker 6: number and, thought. 181 00:11:47,796 --> 00:11:51,396 Speaker 5: Huh anyone who was taught here AS i have for 182 00:11:51,436 --> 00:11:54,036 Speaker 5: the last twenty five, years knows that our class sizes 183 00:11:54,076 --> 00:11:57,156 Speaker 5: are not particularly small for an elite, university and that 184 00:11:57,196 --> 00:12:00,956 Speaker 5: they have been steadily. Growing i'm teaching, calculus OR i 185 00:12:00,956 --> 00:12:03,996 Speaker 5: have just finished teaching a calculus course that had about 186 00:12:03,996 --> 00:12:06,916 Speaker 5: seventy six, students and that's typical for a course of that. 187 00:12:07,076 --> 00:12:12,636 Speaker 5: NATURE Us news said that what was it? AGAIN i 188 00:12:12,676 --> 00:12:16,276 Speaker 5: think eighty two point five percent of all classes enrolled 189 00:12:16,316 --> 00:12:20,076 Speaker 5: below twenty, students and that just did not square with 190 00:12:20,156 --> 00:12:21,436 Speaker 5: my experience at. 191 00:12:21,436 --> 00:12:25,476 Speaker 6: All so he decided to fact Check columbia's. Claim he 192 00:12:25,556 --> 00:12:28,396 Speaker 6: went to the university's class catalog and pulled out the 193 00:12:28,476 --> 00:12:31,596 Speaker 6: data on all thirty thousand of the school's. 194 00:12:31,596 --> 00:12:37,156 Speaker 5: CLASSES i took THE html code of those, pages downloaded 195 00:12:37,196 --> 00:12:41,316 Speaker 5: the source, code concatenated all the. Files THEN i used 196 00:12:41,356 --> 00:12:45,196 Speaker 5: a text, Editor emacs to edit the resulting gigantic file 197 00:12:45,316 --> 00:12:47,076 Speaker 5: in such a way THAT i turned it into a 198 00:12:47,876 --> 00:12:53,716 Speaker 5: database comma separated database with the course, names, numbers, enrollments 199 00:12:54,036 --> 00:12:55,316 Speaker 5: and THEN i opened it up In. 200 00:12:55,356 --> 00:12:59,676 Speaker 6: Excel he analyzed the, data double checked his, math and 201 00:12:59,796 --> 00:13:02,156 Speaker 6: realized his pokey feeling was. 202 00:13:02,356 --> 00:13:06,116 Speaker 5: JUSTIFIED i was able to arrive at an estimate it 203 00:13:06,156 --> 00:13:09,236 Speaker 5: was more like sixty two to sixty eight, percent a 204 00:13:09,276 --> 00:13:10,436 Speaker 5: far cry from eighty three. 205 00:13:10,476 --> 00:13:15,036 Speaker 6: Percent now he's getting. Suspicious he picks another. Number THE 206 00:13:15,116 --> 00:13:18,116 Speaker 6: Us news rankings penalizes the school if it has too 207 00:13:18,116 --> 00:13:22,156 Speaker 6: many part time. Faculty columbia TOLD Us news that it 208 00:13:22,356 --> 00:13:25,796 Speaker 6: only had one hundred and thirty seven part, timers but 209 00:13:25,876 --> 00:13:28,476 Speaker 6: that has found that the school also had to report 210 00:13:28,476 --> 00:13:30,316 Speaker 6: the statistic to The department Of. 211 00:13:30,396 --> 00:13:33,156 Speaker 5: Education the number reporter of the government was over one, 212 00:13:33,156 --> 00:13:36,276 Speaker 5: thousand AND i think that that's the more accurate number to, 213 00:13:36,316 --> 00:13:39,956 Speaker 5: me this is a really important figure that the balance 214 00:13:39,996 --> 00:13:43,876 Speaker 5: between full time and part time faculty is a crucial 215 00:13:43,916 --> 00:13:46,596 Speaker 5: matter for the future of intellectual life and the future 216 00:13:46,636 --> 00:13:50,796 Speaker 5: Of american. Universities if we just casualize our, faculty we 217 00:13:50,836 --> 00:13:53,676 Speaker 5: switched to the sort of gig economy model where most 218 00:13:53,676 --> 00:13:57,516 Speaker 5: people are working contingentally at part. Time that's going to 219 00:13:57,516 --> 00:14:00,156 Speaker 5: be disastrous for the quality of. Education it's going to 220 00:14:00,156 --> 00:14:03,716 Speaker 5: be disastrous for the quality of intellectual. Life and so 221 00:14:03,756 --> 00:14:08,156 Speaker 5: we need to have, honest reliable figures about. This and 222 00:14:08,236 --> 00:14:10,436 Speaker 5: yet we have these two figures From columbia that differ 223 00:14:10,516 --> 00:14:11,156 Speaker 5: by a factor of. 224 00:14:11,156 --> 00:14:14,716 Speaker 6: Eight he kept, GOING Us news wants to know what 225 00:14:14,836 --> 00:14:18,276 Speaker 6: percentage of your faculty has a terminal degree in their. Field, 226 00:14:18,396 --> 00:14:21,956 Speaker 6: basically do they have a PhD or. Not columbia reported 227 00:14:21,956 --> 00:14:25,156 Speaker 6: the highest terminal degree number of any college in the entire, 228 00:14:25,196 --> 00:14:28,836 Speaker 6: country ninety nine point five, percent WHICH Us news rounded 229 00:14:28,916 --> 00:14:32,996 Speaker 6: up to one hundred. Percent that's. Everyone So thadius goes 230 00:14:33,036 --> 00:14:35,676 Speaker 6: through the faculty directory and looks to see if there's 231 00:14:35,716 --> 00:14:39,076 Speaker 6: anyone teaching At columbia who only has a bachelor's degree 232 00:14:39,636 --> 00:14:43,836 Speaker 6: and finds dozens and dozens of faculty with no more 233 00:14:43,876 --> 00:14:44,716 Speaker 6: than A ba to their. 234 00:14:44,796 --> 00:14:47,556 Speaker 5: Name and that was enough that there was no way 235 00:14:47,596 --> 00:14:49,436 Speaker 5: that the percentage could have been ninety nine point. 236 00:14:49,516 --> 00:14:52,916 Speaker 6: Five columbia says it's student faculty ratio is six to. 237 00:14:52,956 --> 00:14:56,036 Speaker 6: One it's. Not it's more like eleven to. One on 238 00:14:56,836 --> 00:14:57,676 Speaker 6: and on. 239 00:14:58,356 --> 00:15:02,596 Speaker 5: Every single figure that WHERE i could check it, INDEPENDENTLY 240 00:15:03,276 --> 00:15:06,756 Speaker 5: i found a significant discrepancy between what was reported TO 241 00:15:06,876 --> 00:15:08,716 Speaker 5: Us news and WHAT i could confirm. 242 00:15:08,716 --> 00:15:11,916 Speaker 6: Elsewhere then he sat down and wrote up a massive 243 00:15:11,916 --> 00:15:17,436 Speaker 6: analysis of his findings, charts, graphs computer, analyzes pages upon. 244 00:15:17,596 --> 00:15:20,956 Speaker 6: Pages he puts it up on his faculty web, page 245 00:15:21,116 --> 00:15:25,436 Speaker 6: and there it sits for weeks and weeks, until for 246 00:15:25,476 --> 00:15:29,436 Speaker 6: some strange, reason someone posts a link To thaddeus's manifesto 247 00:15:29,716 --> 00:15:33,196 Speaker 6: on the message board of the running Website let's run dot. 248 00:15:33,236 --> 00:15:36,596 Speaker 6: Com if you are unfamiliar with the message boards Of Let's, 249 00:15:36,676 --> 00:15:40,836 Speaker 6: run here are some typical. Threads two he runs crazy 250 00:15:40,916 --> 00:15:43,916 Speaker 6: four to twenty three anchor leg FOR Nc, state but 251 00:15:43,956 --> 00:15:48,396 Speaker 6: still not enough for d mr. Or at twenty, SEVEN 252 00:15:48,716 --> 00:15:52,436 Speaker 6: i finally realized every tattoo anyone has is for attracting 253 00:15:52,476 --> 00:15:58,036 Speaker 6: a mate Or Rip, spencer the official dog of The Boston, 254 00:15:58,036 --> 00:16:01,996 Speaker 6: marathon has. Died now how DO i know about? This 255 00:16:02,436 --> 00:16:05,716 Speaker 6: Because Let's run is one of my favorite. WEBSITES i 256 00:16:05,756 --> 00:16:08,516 Speaker 6: am one of those people dutifully reading The Let's run message. 257 00:16:08,556 --> 00:16:11,436 Speaker 6: Boards SO i see a link and click on. It 258 00:16:11,476 --> 00:16:13,676 Speaker 6: because you know HOW i feel about THE us news. 259 00:16:13,756 --> 00:16:17,356 Speaker 6: Rankings i'm obsessed with. Them i've lost track of how 260 00:16:17,356 --> 00:16:21,236 Speaker 6: many revisionist history episodes have been devoted to testifying to their. 261 00:16:21,276 --> 00:16:25,476 Speaker 6: STUPIDITY i don't understand why college administrators care so much about, 262 00:16:25,516 --> 00:16:28,876 Speaker 6: them why parents and their college bound teenagers go nuts about. 263 00:16:28,876 --> 00:16:32,556 Speaker 6: Them when law schools and medical schools began dropping out 264 00:16:32,596 --> 00:16:35,196 Speaker 6: of THE us, RANKINGS i walked around the streets Of 265 00:16:35,196 --> 00:16:38,956 Speaker 6: New york pounding on my chest LIKE i was personally. 266 00:16:38,996 --> 00:16:43,316 Speaker 6: Responsible do you see What i'm? SAYING i was the 267 00:16:43,356 --> 00:16:46,796 Speaker 6: target audience for The thaddeus Expose. 268 00:16:46,356 --> 00:16:49,716 Speaker 5: AGAIN i salute. You you were serre of the tipping, 269 00:16:49,716 --> 00:16:52,036 Speaker 5: point AS i, SAID i, mean but when you started 270 00:16:52,116 --> 00:16:53,996 Speaker 5: tweeting about, it that was when the rest of the 271 00:16:54,036 --> 00:16:56,316 Speaker 5: world started to take. Notice So i'm grateful for. 272 00:16:56,356 --> 00:17:00,196 Speaker 6: That, oh the first nice thing anyone has ever said 273 00:17:00,196 --> 00:17:05,196 Speaker 6: about My. Twitter so the story goes. Everywhere colombia goes 274 00:17:05,236 --> 00:17:09,156 Speaker 6: into a defensive, crouch and THE Us news reanalyzes the 275 00:17:09,196 --> 00:17:16,516 Speaker 6: situation and Downgrades columbia back to. Eighteen, oh how the 276 00:17:16,636 --> 00:17:29,716 Speaker 6: mighty have. FALLEN i know what you're. Thinking The Pushkin 277 00:17:29,796 --> 00:17:34,596 Speaker 6: prize is a highly prestigious. Award those statuettes are. Coveted 278 00:17:35,196 --> 00:17:38,516 Speaker 6: so how can we be sure That columbia meets the 279 00:17:38,756 --> 00:17:44,516 Speaker 6: elevated standard set by our Namesake George? Santos very good. 280 00:17:44,676 --> 00:17:48,996 Speaker 6: Question please join me as we break it. Down to my, 281 00:17:49,116 --> 00:17:52,076 Speaker 6: mind there are three Criteria columbia needs to meet to 282 00:17:52,236 --> 00:17:58,076 Speaker 6: rise To santos level. Deception the first is. Gratuitousness that's 283 00:17:58,116 --> 00:18:01,156 Speaker 6: the power of The santos bit about his volleyball career At. 284 00:18:01,156 --> 00:18:05,076 Speaker 6: Baruk this was a lie fundamentally different from his claims 285 00:18:05,076 --> 00:18:08,276 Speaker 6: to Being, jewish working At Golden sachs and running a 286 00:18:08,356 --> 00:18:11,396 Speaker 6: charity for unwanted. Pets SORRY i left that one out. 287 00:18:11,436 --> 00:18:14,596 Speaker 6: Before those were all lies that helped his case with 288 00:18:14,596 --> 00:18:17,676 Speaker 6: the voters Of Long. ISLAND A jewish investment banker who 289 00:18:17,716 --> 00:18:21,436 Speaker 6: loves domestic animals is pretty much The Long island equivalent 290 00:18:21,996 --> 00:18:25,316 Speaker 6: Of George. Clooney but no one was going to vote 291 00:18:25,316 --> 00:18:27,756 Speaker 6: for him because he blew out two knees battling as 292 00:18:27,796 --> 00:18:31,356 Speaker 6: the shortest man on The barut volleyball. Squad he had 293 00:18:31,396 --> 00:18:36,516 Speaker 6: them A Jewish Goldman sachs and abandoned. Kittens the volleyball 294 00:18:36,596 --> 00:18:40,036 Speaker 6: lie was pure gilding the, lily and that's what makes 295 00:18:40,116 --> 00:18:44,116 Speaker 6: it so. Heroic santos lied when it wasn't even in 296 00:18:44,236 --> 00:18:50,316 Speaker 6: his interest to. Lie now Does columbia meet this? Standard 297 00:18:50,876 --> 00:18:55,196 Speaker 6: was their deception? Gratuitous in order to answer this, QUESTION 298 00:18:55,556 --> 00:18:59,756 Speaker 6: i turned To Revisionist history's resident data, Scientist Lauren. Lavelle, 299 00:19:01,076 --> 00:19:06,716 Speaker 6: Lauren Lauren, Lauren, Hey, malcolm we ride. Again some of 300 00:19:06,756 --> 00:19:10,276 Speaker 6: you may Remember lauren from The Project dillard episdisode Of Revision's. 301 00:19:10,356 --> 00:19:13,716 Speaker 6: HISTORY a group of undergraduates that read college hacked their 302 00:19:13,756 --> 00:19:16,636 Speaker 6: way into THE Us news, algorithm which gave them a 303 00:19:16,676 --> 00:19:20,676 Speaker 6: computer model that can test any hypothesis about a school's. 304 00:19:20,756 --> 00:19:24,476 Speaker 6: Rankings SO i Asked, lauren who studied statistics At, read 305 00:19:24,836 --> 00:19:27,636 Speaker 6: to use the model to figure out how a historically 306 00:19:27,676 --> 00:19:31,436 Speaker 6: black college could rise in THE Us news. Rankings you 307 00:19:31,436 --> 00:19:34,636 Speaker 6: may recall her. Answer it was the best way for 308 00:19:34,676 --> 00:19:37,236 Speaker 6: a college full of black students to rise in THE 309 00:19:37,356 --> 00:19:40,316 Speaker 6: Us news rankings was to let in lots of white. 310 00:19:40,316 --> 00:19:42,036 Speaker 4: Students AND i. 311 00:19:42,156 --> 00:19:46,276 Speaker 3: Can't emphasize enough that this model was built by undergraduate 312 00:19:46,316 --> 00:19:49,396 Speaker 3: students for a class. Project they did a great, job 313 00:19:49,436 --> 00:19:53,276 Speaker 3: and this model works. Amazingly you, know it wasn't some 314 00:19:53,676 --> 00:19:57,516 Speaker 3: super prestigious data scientists getting paid millions of dollars to 315 00:19:57,596 --> 00:20:01,996 Speaker 3: do this for some super prestigious university like it's. 316 00:20:02,036 --> 00:20:05,796 Speaker 6: Students in other, words the barriers to manipulation are. Low, 317 00:20:06,116 --> 00:20:09,476 Speaker 6: Yes SO i said To, lauren let's use the Trusted 318 00:20:09,556 --> 00:20:13,356 Speaker 6: read college model to get at this question of. GRATUITOUSNESS 319 00:20:13,996 --> 00:20:16,596 Speaker 6: i send her a list of questions starting with tell 320 00:20:16,636 --> 00:20:20,476 Speaker 6: me which Of columbia's whoppers mattered the, most and her 321 00:20:20,556 --> 00:20:22,236 Speaker 6: conclusion was a. 322 00:20:22,276 --> 00:20:26,756 Speaker 3: Shocker the thing that really making the biggest difference is 323 00:20:26,796 --> 00:20:31,196 Speaker 3: the faculty resources. Category so for faculty, resources we have 324 00:20:31,236 --> 00:20:33,836 Speaker 3: our class, size our percent of our faculty that are 325 00:20:33,876 --> 00:20:35,716 Speaker 3: full time and our student to faculty. 326 00:20:35,796 --> 00:20:39,756 Speaker 6: RATIO Us news grades all universities on a scale of 327 00:20:39,876 --> 00:20:43,236 Speaker 6: zero to one, hundred So princeton at number one is one. 328 00:20:43,316 --> 00:20:47,436 Speaker 6: Hundred columbia is a close second at ninety. Six according 329 00:20:47,476 --> 00:20:51,676 Speaker 6: To lauren's, analysis fiddling with just those three variables Gave 330 00:20:51,756 --> 00:20:56,276 Speaker 6: columbia an eight point. Boost and the reason that's unexpected 331 00:20:56,556 --> 00:21:00,196 Speaker 6: is because faculty resources only count for a tiny amount 332 00:21:00,436 --> 00:21:05,476 Speaker 6: in the OVERALL Us news ranking. Algorithm you tinker with those, 333 00:21:05,556 --> 00:21:07,076 Speaker 6: variables you get a massive. 334 00:21:07,116 --> 00:21:11,756 Speaker 3: Payoff exactly when you change just one or two of, them, 335 00:21:11,796 --> 00:21:13,796 Speaker 3: again it's only like a one or two, Point but 336 00:21:13,836 --> 00:21:15,956 Speaker 3: when you put all three of them, together it's the 337 00:21:15,996 --> 00:21:21,276 Speaker 3: synergies between these variables that create these big. Jumps, wait 338 00:21:21,356 --> 00:21:22,036 Speaker 3: so on. 339 00:21:22,196 --> 00:21:26,076 Speaker 6: Apausitives, yeah this is really interesting because this supports the 340 00:21:26,116 --> 00:21:31,876 Speaker 6: notion that this was not an accidental happening At. Columbia 341 00:21:31,356 --> 00:21:34,916 Speaker 6: this suggests there was some significant thought behind, this because 342 00:21:35,236 --> 00:21:38,476 Speaker 6: what you told me is something that's not. Intuitive. RIGHT 343 00:21:38,756 --> 00:21:42,396 Speaker 6: i would have thought that you could identify one whiz 344 00:21:42,476 --> 00:21:44,796 Speaker 6: bank that would have given us a massive. Payoff we 345 00:21:44,796 --> 00:21:46,996 Speaker 6: wouldn't have had to do anything. Else but what you're 346 00:21:47,036 --> 00:21:50,276 Speaker 6: saying is, no You, actually it's an unexpected area gives 347 00:21:50,316 --> 00:21:53,036 Speaker 6: you a huge. Payoff and also if you want to 348 00:21:53,076 --> 00:21:56,716 Speaker 6: get a twelve point, swing you have to tinker with 349 00:21:56,956 --> 00:21:57,476 Speaker 6: a lot of. 350 00:21:57,556 --> 00:22:00,436 Speaker 3: Variables, absolutely, Absolutely. 351 00:21:59,916 --> 00:22:02,636 Speaker 6: And there's there's some kind of thing greater than the 352 00:22:02,716 --> 00:22:04,436 Speaker 6: some of its parts that's that work here that you 353 00:22:04,476 --> 00:22:07,076 Speaker 6: could only stumble on if you went behind the scenes 354 00:22:07,116 --> 00:22:09,836 Speaker 6: and sort of tried to figure out a murky black 355 00:22:09,876 --> 00:22:10,676 Speaker 6: box that is us. 356 00:22:10,796 --> 00:22:15,716 Speaker 3: News, yes that is exactly What i'm. Saying so can 357 00:22:15,756 --> 00:22:17,956 Speaker 3: we do screen share on? Here is that a? Thing 358 00:22:18,116 --> 00:22:19,436 Speaker 3: CAN i show you my? 359 00:22:19,596 --> 00:22:22,516 Speaker 6: Code can? You can you tilt your camera to just 360 00:22:22,556 --> 00:22:25,596 Speaker 6: show me the thing IN i? See, oh oh it's 361 00:22:25,636 --> 00:22:29,836 Speaker 6: on your? Screen can you screen share an? Emo, Lauren 362 00:22:29,836 --> 00:22:31,956 Speaker 6: i'm fifty nine years. OLD i barely know how to 363 00:22:31,956 --> 00:22:36,116 Speaker 6: work a. Computer, sorry this went on for a. Bit 364 00:22:36,436 --> 00:22:38,516 Speaker 6: this is what happens when a data scientist tries to 365 00:22:38,556 --> 00:22:45,716 Speaker 6: communicate with a boomer over. Zoom lauren laps into geek 366 00:22:45,716 --> 00:22:50,396 Speaker 6: mode for like twenty, minutes talking about unexpected. Nonlinearities her 367 00:22:50,476 --> 00:22:53,556 Speaker 6: point was that the way to climb the rankings is not. 368 00:22:53,876 --> 00:22:57,356 Speaker 6: Obvious it's a laundry list of nips and tucks that 369 00:22:57,476 --> 00:23:01,436 Speaker 6: an unexpected combination give you a. Facelift if you tried 370 00:23:01,476 --> 00:23:04,396 Speaker 6: to do it just by eyeballing the criteria THAT Us 371 00:23:04,436 --> 00:23:08,516 Speaker 6: news makes, public you'd fail to go back to the 372 00:23:08,556 --> 00:23:12,636 Speaker 6: POINT i was, saying to my, mind this argues powerfully 373 00:23:12,756 --> 00:23:17,836 Speaker 6: for some kind of premeditation on the part Of. COLUMBIA i, 374 00:23:17,876 --> 00:23:19,596 Speaker 6: mean we have no idea what they, did so it 375 00:23:19,716 --> 00:23:22,516 Speaker 6: is all in the realm of. Speculation but they basically 376 00:23:22,596 --> 00:23:28,476 Speaker 6: manufactured a twelve point. Swing and it's very hard to 377 00:23:28,516 --> 00:23:32,676 Speaker 6: imagine how you could manufacture a twelve point swing by 378 00:23:32,716 --> 00:23:34,316 Speaker 6: the seat of your, pants because it's not. 379 00:23:34,356 --> 00:23:41,036 Speaker 3: INTUITIVE i, agree there's probably some dirty play happening, Somewhere. 380 00:23:41,436 --> 00:23:44,436 Speaker 6: Lauren they hired someone like, you that's what they. Did 381 00:23:46,076 --> 00:23:49,636 Speaker 6: somewhere out, there there is some brainy twenty six year 382 00:23:49,676 --> 00:23:50,716 Speaker 6: old with blood on their. 383 00:23:50,756 --> 00:23:55,756 Speaker 3: HANDS i, mean, maybe to. 384 00:23:55,676 --> 00:23:58,356 Speaker 6: Be, CLEAR i don't know that they hired someone Like 385 00:23:58,436 --> 00:24:02,676 Speaker 6: lauren to coordinate. This but here's the crucial fact that 386 00:24:02,836 --> 00:24:07,796 Speaker 6: Puts columbia In George santo's. Territory lots Of columbia's inventions 387 00:24:08,156 --> 00:24:11,756 Speaker 6: don't have much of a, payoff, like for, instance their 388 00:24:11,796 --> 00:24:15,916 Speaker 6: most spectacular nonsense of all The Big kahuna concerns something 389 00:24:15,956 --> 00:24:20,156 Speaker 6: called instructional resources the more money you spend on, teaching 390 00:24:20,596 --> 00:24:23,316 Speaker 6: the MORE Us news rewards. You and the number Of 391 00:24:23,356 --> 00:24:27,276 Speaker 6: columbia claim to spend on teaching was hilariously, large just 392 00:24:27,436 --> 00:24:31,676 Speaker 6: over three billion. Dollars that he has spent a huge 393 00:24:31,716 --> 00:24:33,916 Speaker 6: amount of time trying to figure out just where that 394 00:24:33,996 --> 00:24:37,836 Speaker 6: preposterous number came, from before he realized they just added 395 00:24:37,836 --> 00:24:39,916 Speaker 6: in the one point two billion they spend every year 396 00:24:39,956 --> 00:24:44,556 Speaker 6: on patient care At columbia's medical. Center they're pretending that 397 00:24:44,596 --> 00:24:48,236 Speaker 6: the person getting an Appendect toby is a, student which 398 00:24:48,276 --> 00:24:55,356 Speaker 6: is completely and utterly. Bananas now what difference did this 399 00:24:55,636 --> 00:24:58,476 Speaker 6: particular outrageous bit Of shenanigan. 400 00:24:58,596 --> 00:25:03,036 Speaker 3: Make let's, SEE i have a graph. Somewhere, Okay So 401 00:25:04,076 --> 00:25:09,116 Speaker 3: columbia reported that it spends about three billion dollars on an. 402 00:25:09,116 --> 00:25:13,316 Speaker 3: Instruction this is for fiscal year twenty twenty, two and 403 00:25:13,436 --> 00:25:20,156 Speaker 3: it's consolidated financial. Statements they report for instruction and educational 404 00:25:20,196 --> 00:25:23,156 Speaker 3: administration about two billion. Dollars. 405 00:25:23,956 --> 00:25:26,156 Speaker 6: Oh the reason we know this is a lie is 406 00:25:26,196 --> 00:25:30,356 Speaker 6: that on its official financial, statements which are audited by actual, 407 00:25:30,396 --> 00:25:32,596 Speaker 6: professionals the school doesn't pull the same. 408 00:25:32,596 --> 00:25:37,516 Speaker 3: Stunt so that's a billion dollars extra that they're reporting TO. 409 00:25:37,636 --> 00:25:41,476 Speaker 3: Us news, basically and when that works out on a 410 00:25:41,516 --> 00:25:46,436 Speaker 3: per student, basis you, know it's a lot of money 411 00:25:46,476 --> 00:25:49,956 Speaker 3: that they're kind, of you, feel playing around with Their. 412 00:25:49,876 --> 00:25:51,676 Speaker 6: Are you telling me long that a billion dollars is 413 00:25:51,676 --> 00:25:52,756 Speaker 6: a lot of money in your? 414 00:25:52,796 --> 00:25:56,836 Speaker 3: Book, yeah imagine, That like this number that's so large 415 00:25:56,876 --> 00:26:03,316 Speaker 3: the human brain literally can't even. Understand. Imagine and yet 416 00:26:05,356 --> 00:26:08,636 Speaker 3: when we drop that three billion down to two billion, 417 00:26:08,716 --> 00:26:15,076 Speaker 3: dollars we're still only seeing like a three point drop 418 00:26:15,236 --> 00:26:17,796 Speaker 3: in the, score two or three. Points so from about 419 00:26:17,956 --> 00:26:21,516 Speaker 3: ninety six to about a ninety four or ninety three three. 420 00:26:21,556 --> 00:26:25,956 Speaker 6: Points that's. It if they were only going to cheat 421 00:26:26,276 --> 00:26:31,556 Speaker 6: by inflating their student instructional expenditures by a, billion they 422 00:26:31,596 --> 00:26:35,196 Speaker 6: only get a three point jump. Exactly, okay, right it's 423 00:26:35,236 --> 00:26:35,556 Speaker 6: good to. 424 00:26:35,516 --> 00:26:39,476 Speaker 3: Know which sounds, crazy, Right like that's a lot of 425 00:26:39,516 --> 00:26:42,116 Speaker 3: money to not really make a big difference in your. Score. 426 00:26:42,396 --> 00:26:44,396 Speaker 6: Yeah so if you're the president Of columbia AND i 427 00:26:44,476 --> 00:26:46,716 Speaker 6: come to you AND i say we can drop an 428 00:26:46,756 --> 00:26:50,796 Speaker 6: imaginary billion into this and we're only getting three, points you're, Saying, 429 00:26:51,156 --> 00:26:54,156 Speaker 6: okay But i'm. Not it's not floating your. 430 00:26:54,156 --> 00:26:57,156 Speaker 3: Boat, yeah it doesn't seem like a very high return. 431 00:26:57,276 --> 00:26:59,196 Speaker 3: Rate you know What i'm, saying it's. 432 00:26:59,316 --> 00:27:04,156 Speaker 6: Gratuitous it's just Like George santos And baruke volleyball in. 433 00:27:04,196 --> 00:27:08,556 Speaker 6: Retrospect that was their, error wasn't. It they shouldn't have 434 00:27:08,596 --> 00:27:10,876 Speaker 6: done the bill. Done the billion dollar thing was so 435 00:27:11,756 --> 00:27:15,796 Speaker 6: obvious to At, regis and it gave them such a small. Payoff, 436 00:27:16,196 --> 00:27:18,596 Speaker 6: yeah why if you're trying to get away with some, 437 00:27:18,636 --> 00:27:19,796 Speaker 6: shenanigans would. 438 00:27:19,596 --> 00:27:26,596 Speaker 3: You it's a ridiculous, overstatement like it's more than it's 439 00:27:26,716 --> 00:27:30,716 Speaker 3: larger than the corresponding figures For, Harvard, yale And princeton. 440 00:27:30,876 --> 00:27:35,796 Speaker 3: COMBINED i, know, Bananas like it's so. 441 00:27:35,956 --> 00:27:39,796 Speaker 6: Bananas here's my you know what my interpretation. Is so 442 00:27:40,756 --> 00:27:45,156 Speaker 6: there's like some dude man or woman is charged with 443 00:27:45,356 --> 00:27:47,956 Speaker 6: coming up with a strategy and that that's the one 444 00:27:47,996 --> 00:27:51,236 Speaker 6: they do. Last so it's like it's It's monday morning 445 00:27:51,276 --> 00:27:54,356 Speaker 6: at three. Am they got a hand in their proposal 446 00:27:54,436 --> 00:27:57,196 Speaker 6: for hacking THE Us. News by nine, am they've been 447 00:27:57,276 --> 00:27:59,516 Speaker 6: up for forty eight. Hours they've done all the hard, 448 00:27:59,556 --> 00:28:02,476 Speaker 6: stuff and they're, like f let's just throw it an 449 00:28:02,476 --> 00:28:04,636 Speaker 6: extra bill on this they why. 450 00:28:04,556 --> 00:28:06,636 Speaker 3: Not throw in a few extra? 451 00:28:06,756 --> 00:28:12,996 Speaker 6: Zeros the bar set By George santos was very. High 452 00:28:13,676 --> 00:28:23,316 Speaker 6: The Pushkin prize committee Believes columbia met it okay criteria number. 453 00:28:23,316 --> 00:28:26,796 Speaker 6: Two the second thing our, Namesake George santos teaches us 454 00:28:27,196 --> 00:28:30,276 Speaker 6: is that you have to show as little remorse as. 455 00:28:30,316 --> 00:28:33,396 Speaker 6: Possible when the furer over his lies was at its, 456 00:28:33,396 --> 00:28:34,596 Speaker 6: peak he was. 457 00:28:35,276 --> 00:28:40,236 Speaker 7: UNRUFFLED i don't understand where these allegations come. From, Oh 458 00:28:40,316 --> 00:28:43,196 Speaker 7: George santels lives in a fantasy world or whatever it 459 00:28:43,236 --> 00:28:45,516 Speaker 7: is that they're trying to elude, there because it's just 460 00:28:45,876 --> 00:28:48,156 Speaker 7: people who know me know that that's just not the. 461 00:28:48,156 --> 00:28:52,876 Speaker 6: Case people who know, me which is, hilarious, right because 462 00:28:52,876 --> 00:28:55,636 Speaker 6: the whole reason there was a controversy Over George santos 463 00:28:55,876 --> 00:28:58,316 Speaker 6: is that he wouldn't tell us who he. Was at some, 464 00:28:58,436 --> 00:29:03,196 Speaker 6: point some enterprising journalists counted seven different names That santos 465 00:29:03,196 --> 00:29:07,356 Speaker 6: has used over the years For Pushkin prize. Consideration we 466 00:29:07,476 --> 00:29:11,956 Speaker 6: need that kind of. Morselessness let me give you WHAT 467 00:29:11,996 --> 00:29:16,756 Speaker 6: i think is a relevant. Counterexample it Concerns Temple university's 468 00:29:16,836 --> 00:29:20,436 Speaker 6: Online Business. School the story goes the dean of the 469 00:29:20,436 --> 00:29:23,716 Speaker 6: b school, there a man Named Mosha, pori was upset 470 00:29:23,756 --> 00:29:27,036 Speaker 6: about his school's LOW Us news, ranking so he sends 471 00:29:27,076 --> 00:29:30,476 Speaker 6: several of his underlings To, washington D. C to complain 472 00:29:30,636 --> 00:29:33,916 Speaker 6: to THE Us news rankings, team and in the course 473 00:29:33,956 --> 00:29:36,956 Speaker 6: of that, MEETING Us news let slip that they don't 474 00:29:36,996 --> 00:29:40,036 Speaker 6: actually check any of the data that schools send. Them 475 00:29:40,356 --> 00:29:43,836 Speaker 6: so the underlings report this back To, mosha And mosha's, like, 476 00:29:44,076 --> 00:29:47,156 Speaker 6: GREAT i guess there's no state troopers on this stretch 477 00:29:47,156 --> 00:29:50,476 Speaker 6: of the university Prestige. Highway so he hires a data. 478 00:29:50,516 --> 00:29:54,276 Speaker 6: Scientist they figure out that what really matters for online 479 00:29:54,276 --> 00:29:57,996 Speaker 6: business schools is what percentage of the school's incoming class 480 00:29:58,276 --> 00:30:02,796 Speaker 6: has taken THE. Gmat In temple's, case it's something like nineteen. 481 00:30:02,836 --> 00:30:07,396 Speaker 6: Percent So mosha changes that number to one hundred, percent 482 00:30:07,956 --> 00:30:13,236 Speaker 6: And Vola temple's Online business school faults to number one 483 00:30:13,636 --> 00:30:18,316 Speaker 6: in THE Us News online B school. Rankings now you 484 00:30:18,356 --> 00:30:21,196 Speaker 6: hear that story and you say to, yourself why Wasn't 485 00:30:21,316 --> 00:30:24,436 Speaker 6: mosha up for a pushkin? Price and believe, me we 486 00:30:24,556 --> 00:30:27,756 Speaker 6: thought long and hard about his. NOMINATION i, Mean mosha 487 00:30:27,916 --> 00:30:30,956 Speaker 6: was convicted of fraud and sentenced to fourteen. Months he 488 00:30:31,076 --> 00:30:32,076 Speaker 6: committed a. 489 00:30:32,156 --> 00:30:38,116 Speaker 9: Crime the charges Against parat were not just simply that 490 00:30:38,236 --> 00:30:44,436 Speaker 9: he DEFRAUDED Us News, rankings but that he defrauded applicants 491 00:30:44,476 --> 00:30:47,876 Speaker 9: to the, school students at the, school and, donors all 492 00:30:47,916 --> 00:30:50,596 Speaker 9: of whom look at the rankings and making their decision 493 00:30:50,596 --> 00:30:52,516 Speaker 9: about where to direct their. 494 00:30:52,876 --> 00:30:56,836 Speaker 6: Money That's Jennifer, williams who was in THE Us attorney's 495 00:30:56,836 --> 00:30:59,316 Speaker 6: office In philadelphia at the time of The temple. 496 00:30:59,396 --> 00:31:02,396 Speaker 9: Case and in, fact the, scheme as charged in the, 497 00:31:02,436 --> 00:31:06,036 Speaker 9: indictment was very. Successful not only did the rankings improve, 498 00:31:06,156 --> 00:31:10,716 Speaker 9: dramatically but the enrollment went way up and the total 499 00:31:10,716 --> 00:31:13,316 Speaker 9: amount of tuition That temple was able to get due 500 00:31:13,356 --> 00:31:17,156 Speaker 9: to the increased enrollment was almost forty million dollars over 501 00:31:17,196 --> 00:31:19,556 Speaker 9: the course of several. Years so that is the goal 502 00:31:19,596 --> 00:31:20,956 Speaker 9: of the. Fraud that's what made this a. 503 00:31:20,996 --> 00:31:25,756 Speaker 6: Crime so why Doesn't temple get The Sentos award, because 504 00:31:26,316 --> 00:31:29,676 Speaker 6: and this is, crucial the school has too much Remorse 505 00:31:30,436 --> 00:31:33,836 Speaker 6: when word leaks out About moshess. Shedanigans the school hires 506 00:31:33,836 --> 00:31:37,556 Speaker 6: a big name outside law, Firm Jones day to. Investigate 507 00:31:38,236 --> 00:31:41,396 Speaker 6: the university pays out millions of dollars in damages to 508 00:31:41,396 --> 00:31:44,316 Speaker 6: the students who enrolled thinking they were getting a degree 509 00:31:44,316 --> 00:31:46,796 Speaker 6: from the number one rank school in the. Country it 510 00:31:46,956 --> 00:31:52,116 Speaker 6: Was temple who turned In mosha to the. Authorities this 511 00:31:52,476 --> 00:31:57,676 Speaker 6: is not How columbia behaved at. All thaddeus releases his 512 00:31:57,756 --> 00:32:02,076 Speaker 6: report On february twenty, eighth twenty twenty, two And columbia 513 00:32:02,156 --> 00:32:07,316 Speaker 6: responds with a press release from the school's provost On june, 514 00:32:07,396 --> 00:32:14,516 Speaker 6: thirtieth months. Later i'm. Quoting columbia has long conducted what 515 00:32:14,636 --> 00:32:17,556 Speaker 6: we believe to be a thorough process for gathering and 516 00:32:17,636 --> 00:32:22,756 Speaker 6: reporting institutional, data but we are now closely reviewing our 517 00:32:22,956 --> 00:32:27,636 Speaker 6: processes in light of the questions. Raised the ongoing review 518 00:32:27,756 --> 00:32:31,396 Speaker 6: is a matter of. Integrity we will take no shortcuts 519 00:32:31,836 --> 00:32:35,996 Speaker 6: in getting it. Right temple, hired one of the world's 520 00:32:35,996 --> 00:32:40,236 Speaker 6: biggest law. Firms colombia launched a. 521 00:32:40,276 --> 00:32:44,396 Speaker 5: Review the approach has been just to say as little as, 522 00:32:44,396 --> 00:32:48,116 Speaker 5: possible try to attract as little, attention and wait for 523 00:32:48,196 --> 00:32:48,876 Speaker 5: the storm to blow. 524 00:32:48,916 --> 00:32:51,516 Speaker 6: Over you're saying that no member of the administration has 525 00:32:51,516 --> 00:32:52,876 Speaker 6: reached out to you since you published that. 526 00:32:52,996 --> 00:32:56,476 Speaker 5: Article Good. God, no, wait that's. Nuts that's. Nuts i'm 527 00:32:56,516 --> 00:32:58,996 Speaker 5: glad you think. SO i asked the question at a faculty. 528 00:32:59,036 --> 00:33:02,396 Speaker 5: Meeting did the review That columbia conducted explore the question 529 00:33:02,476 --> 00:33:05,876 Speaker 5: of intent about whether you know these falsehoods were provided? 530 00:33:05,916 --> 00:33:09,716 Speaker 5: Intentionally did anyone know that they were? False and if so, 531 00:33:09,836 --> 00:33:12,636 Speaker 5: who and the answer, was, well, no our review did 532 00:33:12,676 --> 00:33:15,916 Speaker 5: not look into that. Question so it's clear to me 533 00:33:15,956 --> 00:33:18,356 Speaker 5: that the review was not seriously intended to get to 534 00:33:18,396 --> 00:33:20,836 Speaker 5: the bottom of the. Matter was not a review. 535 00:33:24,556 --> 00:33:28,956 Speaker 6: Because The santos criteria are so. RIGOROUS i REALIZED i 536 00:33:28,996 --> 00:33:34,436 Speaker 6: needed to take further steps to see If columbia's remorselessness 537 00:33:34,796 --> 00:33:38,436 Speaker 6: remained in. Place, FIRST i waited to see whether they 538 00:33:38,436 --> 00:33:43,876 Speaker 6: would update The june thirtieth press. RELEASE i, waited waited 539 00:33:44,876 --> 00:33:48,836 Speaker 6: six months, past so THEN i DECIDED i needed to 540 00:33:48,836 --> 00:33:52,636 Speaker 6: contact them. DIRECTLY i sent an, email asked for an 541 00:33:52,636 --> 00:33:58,236 Speaker 6: interview with the. Provost, waited, waited, waited until finally someone 542 00:33:58,276 --> 00:34:01,436 Speaker 6: in the media relations department emailed me back with a 543 00:34:01,516 --> 00:34:06,476 Speaker 6: link to the press release Of june. Thirtieth we are 544 00:34:06,516 --> 00:34:10,356 Speaker 6: not commenting beyond the statements issued, BELOW i was. Told 545 00:34:11,196 --> 00:34:14,116 Speaker 6: SO i respond BECAUSE i don't want some blogger down 546 00:34:14,156 --> 00:34:17,356 Speaker 6: the line SAYING i rush to judgment on the remorselessness. 547 00:34:17,356 --> 00:34:22,396 Speaker 6: Criteria are you? SURE i write. BACK i talk About Michael, 548 00:34:22,396 --> 00:34:25,236 Speaker 6: THADDEUS i tell him About lauren and her computer. MODEL 549 00:34:25,556 --> 00:34:28,396 Speaker 6: i tell him About Jennifer williams talking about The temple. 550 00:34:28,436 --> 00:34:32,876 Speaker 6: Case are you? Sure for the university not to comment 551 00:34:32,996 --> 00:34:38,396 Speaker 6: under these, circumstances, will from your, perspective be. Problematic don't 552 00:34:38,436 --> 00:34:42,716 Speaker 6: you THINK a week, PASSES i get an email, Back 553 00:34:43,316 --> 00:34:47,596 Speaker 6: we're working on. IT a month. Passes finally get another, 554 00:34:47,636 --> 00:34:52,396 Speaker 6: email essentially restating the original press. RELEASE i print out 555 00:34:52,436 --> 00:34:55,676 Speaker 6: the statement and run around the office holding it. HIGH 556 00:34:55,836 --> 00:34:58,676 Speaker 6: i can't believe. It we have met the formal standard for. 557 00:34:58,796 --> 00:35:04,396 Speaker 6: Remorselessness one last part of. Me you have to be 558 00:35:04,516 --> 00:35:07,316 Speaker 6: reckless to win A pushkin. Prize your lines have to 559 00:35:07,356 --> 00:35:09,676 Speaker 6: put you in potential jeopardy if if you want to 560 00:35:09,716 --> 00:35:13,916 Speaker 6: win one of our coveted gold. Statuettes we have, gratuitousness 561 00:35:14,316 --> 00:35:23,676 Speaker 6: we have, Remorselessness but do we have? Recklessness we? Do 562 00:35:24,436 --> 00:35:27,036 Speaker 6: and to say, HOW i need to be serious for a. 563 00:35:27,076 --> 00:35:31,556 Speaker 6: SECOND i actually Love. COLUMBIA i think it's an extraordinary 564 00:35:31,596 --> 00:35:35,716 Speaker 6: place full of extraordinary. PEOPLE i can't tell you how 565 00:35:35,716 --> 00:35:38,476 Speaker 6: many Times i've sat in the office of some professor 566 00:35:38,476 --> 00:35:41,196 Speaker 6: At columbia and had the world opened up for. ME 567 00:35:42,156 --> 00:35:45,316 Speaker 6: i Love, columbia even THOUGH i Know columbia will never 568 00:35:45,396 --> 00:35:48,596 Speaker 6: Be princeton Or. Harvard they're never going to have fifty 569 00:35:48,716 --> 00:35:52,036 Speaker 6: billion dollars in the, bank and without fifty billion dollars 570 00:35:52,036 --> 00:35:54,516 Speaker 6: in the. Bank it's awfully hard to climb to the 571 00:35:54,556 --> 00:35:57,756 Speaker 6: top of THE Us news. Rankings but The president Of 572 00:35:57,836 --> 00:36:00,596 Speaker 6: columbia ought to be able to stand up and, say 573 00:36:01,156 --> 00:36:03,636 Speaker 6: we are the pre eminent institution of learning in the 574 00:36:03,636 --> 00:36:06,196 Speaker 6: greatest city in the, world and if we have lots 575 00:36:06,236 --> 00:36:08,916 Speaker 6: of part time, faculty it's because we are drawing on 576 00:36:08,956 --> 00:36:12,316 Speaker 6: the resources of amazing people who spend their working days 577 00:36:12,316 --> 00:36:15,756 Speaker 6: On broadway Or Madison avenue Or Wall. Street and if 578 00:36:15,796 --> 00:36:18,916 Speaker 6: our classes are, large it just means that every student 579 00:36:19,196 --> 00:36:22,116 Speaker 6: has the privilege of rubbing shoulders with lots of other 580 00:36:22,236 --> 00:36:25,396 Speaker 6: curious and willing. Students and by the, way if you 581 00:36:25,476 --> 00:36:27,676 Speaker 6: are someone who believes at the best measure of a 582 00:36:27,796 --> 00:36:31,516 Speaker 6: university's intellectual vitality is how much money it has in the, 583 00:36:31,556 --> 00:36:35,476 Speaker 6: bank or what percentage of its faculty have, PhDs or 584 00:36:35,516 --> 00:36:38,676 Speaker 6: how many students are in its, classes Then columbia is 585 00:36:38,876 --> 00:36:43,036 Speaker 6: probably going to be wasted on. You The president Of 586 00:36:43,196 --> 00:36:46,356 Speaker 6: columbia ought to be able to stand up and explain 587 00:36:46,396 --> 00:36:49,956 Speaker 6: to the world What columbia is and what it stands. 588 00:36:49,956 --> 00:36:54,316 Speaker 6: For but he didn't do, that and his school got 589 00:36:54,356 --> 00:36:58,556 Speaker 6: consumed with succeeding at a rankings game that is morally 590 00:36:58,636 --> 00:37:03,756 Speaker 6: and intellectually bankrupt some jackass in The columbia. Administration AND 591 00:37:03,836 --> 00:37:05,916 Speaker 6: i have no idea who it, was BUT i hope 592 00:37:05,916 --> 00:37:07,996 Speaker 6: they are found out and made to do one thousand 593 00:37:08,036 --> 00:37:12,036 Speaker 6: hours of community service teaching arithmetic to some first. Grader 594 00:37:12,516 --> 00:37:16,236 Speaker 6: that jackass decided to cook the. Books and now what 595 00:37:16,276 --> 00:37:19,116 Speaker 6: do we have a school that has broken the most 596 00:37:19,116 --> 00:37:21,036 Speaker 6: fundamental of promises. 597 00:37:20,676 --> 00:37:21,396 Speaker 4: To its own. 598 00:37:21,916 --> 00:37:28,476 Speaker 6: Community let me quote to you from The Columbia University 599 00:37:28,476 --> 00:37:32,836 Speaker 6: code Of, conduct The Ethical. Standard columbia holds its own 600 00:37:32,996 --> 00:37:40,076 Speaker 6: students to, falsification, forgery or misrepresentation of information to any 601 00:37:40,196 --> 00:37:43,836 Speaker 6: university official in order to gain an unfair academic advantage 602 00:37:43,876 --> 00:37:48,116 Speaker 6: in coursework or lab work on any, application, petition or 603 00:37:48,196 --> 00:37:55,196 Speaker 6: documents submitted to the university is. Prohibited this, includes but 604 00:37:55,396 --> 00:37:59,516 Speaker 6: is not limited, to falsifying information on a, resume fabrication 605 00:37:59,636 --> 00:38:04,476 Speaker 6: of credentials or academic, records misrepresenting one's own, research and 606 00:38:04,716 --> 00:38:12,436 Speaker 6: providing false or misleading. Information ladies and, GENTLEMEN i give 607 00:38:12,476 --> 00:38:16,636 Speaker 6: you the winner of The Pushkin prize for, gratuitous, remorseless 608 00:38:16,796 --> 00:38:40,396 Speaker 6: and recklessly deceptive self. Promotion this episode Of Revisionist history 609 00:38:40,476 --> 00:38:44,516 Speaker 6: was produced By Kiara powell With Leemingestou Ben Adafh haffrey 610 00:38:44,516 --> 00:38:48,356 Speaker 6: And Jacob. Smith original scoring By Luis, skara fact checking 611 00:38:48,436 --> 00:38:52,196 Speaker 6: By Kishelle williams And Tolly. Emlin our showrunner Is Peter, 612 00:38:52,276 --> 00:38:56,756 Speaker 6: clowney mastering By Flaon, williams engineering By Nina, lawrence and 613 00:38:57,316 --> 00:39:02,196 Speaker 6: special things To columbia's Own Michael, fatius who not only 614 00:39:02,236 --> 00:39:05,716 Speaker 6: did the research that inspired this, episode but also made 615 00:39:06,076 --> 00:39:08,956 Speaker 6: a joke WHEN i was talking to him that inspired 616 00:39:09,236 --> 00:39:21,756 Speaker 6: name of our first Ever Santos Memorial. Prize there's a 617 00:39:21,756 --> 00:39:26,036 Speaker 6: PostScript to this. Story On june, sixth two days before 618 00:39:26,076 --> 00:39:31,516 Speaker 6: this episode, Aired Columbia university made an announcement they were 619 00:39:31,596 --> 00:39:35,676 Speaker 6: dropping out of THE Us News undergraduate, rankings becoming the 620 00:39:35,716 --> 00:39:39,396 Speaker 6: FIRST Ivy league school to abandon THE Us news methodology 621 00:39:39,716 --> 00:39:42,716 Speaker 6: that did so much to make THE Ivy league THE Ivy. 622 00:39:42,796 --> 00:39:46,316 Speaker 6: League the press, release like so many of the press 623 00:39:46,356 --> 00:39:50,076 Speaker 6: releases issued By columbia over the course of this, controversy 624 00:39:50,676 --> 00:39:53,236 Speaker 6: read like it was dictated by a room of ten 625 00:39:53,316 --> 00:39:56,996 Speaker 6: thousand dollars an hour attorneys on a zoom call from Midtown. 626 00:39:57,036 --> 00:40:01,116 Speaker 6: Manhattan in a, Statement columbia said that in response to 627 00:40:01,156 --> 00:40:05,676 Speaker 6: the allegations of, cheating it had, quote conducted an exhaustive internal, 628 00:40:05,716 --> 00:40:10,476 Speaker 6: review and where errors were, confirmed is shoot public corrections 629 00:40:10,836 --> 00:40:14,716 Speaker 6: and made changes to the collection methodologies that led to the. 630 00:40:14,836 --> 00:40:20,276 Speaker 6: INACCURACIES i got an email From Michael thaddeus almost. Immediately 631 00:40:21,196 --> 00:40:25,756 Speaker 6: this is completely, untrue he. Wrote columbia has never corrected 632 00:40:25,796 --> 00:40:28,996 Speaker 6: the false information it, provided probably over many, years TO 633 00:40:29,116 --> 00:40:32,876 Speaker 6: Us news about class sizes or about proportion of full time. 634 00:40:32,916 --> 00:40:36,436 Speaker 6: Faculty for. Example what it did was admit in a 635 00:40:36,516 --> 00:40:40,956 Speaker 6: general way to quote, outdated end or incorrect methodologies and 636 00:40:40,996 --> 00:40:45,796 Speaker 6: acknowledged that quote class sized data was previously reported incorrectly, 637 00:40:46,116 --> 00:40:50,996 Speaker 6: unquote but it never corrected the false, figures nor has 638 00:40:50,996 --> 00:40:54,716 Speaker 6: it even specified which figures were false or for how. 639 00:40:54,756 --> 00:40:56,076 Speaker 8: Long end of. 640 00:40:56,156 --> 00:41:01,076 Speaker 6: Quote oh and by the, way the school's, provost whose 641 00:41:01,116 --> 00:41:04,996 Speaker 6: office is responsible for its submissions TO Us, news suddenly 642 00:41:04,996 --> 00:41:08,996 Speaker 6: announced that she was resigning after an unusually short term. 643 00:41:09,236 --> 00:41:13,156 Speaker 6: Office we may have to do a follow, up don't 644 00:41:13,196 --> 00:41:19,596 Speaker 6: you Think if you're listening To revision's history on pushkim, 645 00:41:19,636 --> 00:41:22,636 Speaker 6: plus you already know the pleasure of hearing our shows 646 00:41:22,676 --> 00:41:25,876 Speaker 6: early and without. Ads if you're not part of, pushkimplus my, 647 00:41:25,916 --> 00:41:29,676 Speaker 6: friends you're missing. Out our season's really heating. Up you 648 00:41:29,756 --> 00:41:33,356 Speaker 6: will not regret. This get our new episodes two weeks, 649 00:41:33,396 --> 00:41:36,676 Speaker 6: early and listen to every episode of this your favorite, 650 00:41:36,676 --> 00:41:38,236 Speaker 6: show ad free