Comments on: Impressive

By: Concerned Alum

Concerned Alum — Tue, 26 Oct 2004 12:59:01 +0000

I am troubled by the fact that Morty is on the board of Marsh. This company has shown an incredible lack of ethics and principles and is an another of example of business ethics taking a backseat to greed. My biggest concern today is the lack of respect for principle and values that the young people have in the way they conduct their lives. If we are not living our lives by principles and values then we can only by driven by our selfish interests which is a recipe for disaster in this country.

I am deeply concerned that the dean of Willams, who represents our college, is on a board of directors for a company that egregiously violated business ethics. As a small business owner, I disdain the fact that powerful companies feel they are above the law and principles that capitalism is based on. Marsh and McClennan is an example of a big company using paybacks, bribes and threats to line their pockets at the expense of unsuspecting small businesses.

Morty needs to tell the Williams College community, and especially the current students, if he was aware of these busines practices. If his lawyers advise him not to talk he should tell us that. How he handles this situation with the Williams community should determine his future at Williams. If he doesn’t practice what he preaches on the subject of ethics then his future comments will fall on deaf ears.

By: Noah Smith-Drelich '07

Noah Smith-Drelich '07 — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 10:02:39 +0000

http://forbes.com/finance/lists/8/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=8&passYear=2004&passListType=Misc&uniqueId=950395&datatype=Misc

Is the appropriate link. I do agree–whoever compiled data about Williams was just plain wrong.

By: Reed Wiedower

Reed Wiedower — Sat, 23 Oct 2004 02:53:43 +0000

Um, has anyone checked out the Forbes ranking of Williams being un-wired?

It’s a total joke: half the items they say we don’t have, we do. Who is responsible for this craziness?

By: David Kane

David Kane — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:32:23 +0000

To Um:

The difference being that the faculty handbook prohibits more than “modest involvement” in outside paying activities, like membership on Marsh’s board. If you think that being on the board of Marsh is a modest responsibility, please say so. If you think that the faculty handbook should be modified, please argue that.

But since the faculty handbook has nothing to say about teacher conferences, volunteer work or mountain bike riding, you really should try to come up with a better analogy.

Good luck.

By: um

um — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 20:27:18 +0000

I bet Morty takes time off from “thinking long and hard about how to make Williams better” to go to his kids’ teacher’s conferences as well. Please spare us discussion of that outrage.

By: ephs for recreational use of money

ephs for recreational use of money — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 19:38:53 +0000

Morty is still the bomb. Granted, maybe he bit off more than he could chew. He may not be making any guest appearances at the Leadership Winter Study any time soon. Still, in a job (at Williams) that is basically grand pooh-bah of schmoozing, he does right to keep his profile high in the world of corporate ner-do wells. His style is pretty direct. I always like that about him.

Although at odd moments I get this reflexive feeling… this guy has definitely not made the limits of the purple bubble the limits of his life, as most Williams undergrads do for some brief period.

Still, I’d rather have him getting dirty in the trenches of funding the purple cow feed — which remains why I think he keeps that sharp look on his face, and his handshake firm, so the corporate types know who’s the smart Dude of Williams College — than otherwise. He is our high-paid one-man dairy farmer. And from time to time he gets some shit on his shoes.

(This cow, for one, is well aware that one day I too will get milked. (Willingly. Sigh))

By: Editorial Observer

Editorial Observer — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 18:29:30 +0000

Although Morty’s board membership is perhaps more exciting (maybe he’ll get a subpoena!) I think he’s got more of a right to be on a board, by virtue of him being an administrator, really a CEO. I think Roseman has far less business sucking the St. Paul/Traveler’s teat, and that appointment seems far more grace-and-favour than Morty’s admittedly less than meritorious position. Clearly, Williams administrators are not above using the power and connections of their office to line their personal nests. Maybe this should be bothersome. Maybe David, we should garnish Morty’s salary; he doesn’t need to be paid 4 large if he’s making another large moonlighting on company time.

By: Ida Tarbell

Ida Tarbell — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 18:16:55 +0000

David Kane, I do proclaim, you really remind me of myself. Not that you are as precocious or famous as myself, but my word, you are a true muckraker, though and through.