Scratch, DCP, and the IRS

[_Yoda]

But does BYU have an "understanding" with Dan in regard to apologetics? "Kill two birds with one stone", kind of thing. I'm playing "Devil's advocate" here, because as I've said before, even if that's true, I won't die of shock.

Then, that's the question you need to ask. ;)

Dr. Peterson, does BYU have an "understanding" with you in regard to apologetics?

[_Daniel Peterson]

The above that I've mentioned doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how much of an unstable nutjob you are. One poster told me via PM that s/he feared that you would seriously interfere with this person's private family life. To say that you are an utter disgrace and a base, disgusting human being is a real understatement.

Oh my.

Oh my.

Can it possibly get any richer than that?

Oh my.

I can scarcely see the screen through tears of laughter.

[Guest]

Nevertheless, given the nature of your job, it is entirely fair to say that your salary "covers" some of your Mopologetic activities---such as lectures.

My salary pays me to teach classes and to direct and edit METI.

It doesn't pay me to do lectures on Mormonism, and I would receive the same salary whether I gave another one or not.

Mopologetics merely because you don't report it. But, as is clear, your salary covers things which you don't necessarily list off for your year-end report. I doubt, for example, that you list "reading and grading papers" on your report, though that's obviously what you do.

Reading and grading papers is part of teaching classes. (I'm midway through grading 75 papers on contemporary Middle Eastern politics right now, from an assignment that I gave in my MESA 201 class [Middle East Studies/Arabic 201, "Introduction to Middle East Studies"].)

If I failed to read and grade papers, I would ultimately be fired.

If I never lectured on Mormonism again, I would not be fired.

I'm still a bit in the dark about this. Was it BYU who paid for this? I hope you don't mind the questions. If BYU paid for it, why would they be interested in sending a lecturer on Islam to Australia? Unless of course you were invited by Australian universities, which may be the case. If I read this in media reports, I've forgotten the details.

The costs were borne by various institutions in Australia and New Zealand. I don't know the details. All my expenses were covered, but I received no payment personally.

I understand all that, Dan. My earlier question was "when does DCP put on his apologetic hat, and when does he take it off?" Let's say, using a rough analogy, that you've completed assignments in your academic role in four hours in a given day, and you spend the rest of the day working on FARMS material. You are being paid, in effect, for time spent in apologetics. Would you agree, or disagree?

I would disagree. I'm paid to teach certain numbers of classes, perform certain university duties, and direct and edit METI. The university cares that I do those things. If I do other things, that's essentially irrelevant to the university, so long as my duties to the university are fulfilled.

[_Ray A]

The costs were borne by various institutions in Australia and New Zealand. I don't know the details. All my expenses were covered, but I received no payment personally.

Well that, I think, is a significant point. You mean, of course, Australian universities (?) paid all your expenses.

I would disagree. I'm paid to teach certain numbers of classes, perform certain university duties, and direct and edit METI. The university cares that I do those things. If I do other things, that's essentially irrelevant to the university, so long as my duties to the university are fulfilled.

I think that's fair enough.

[_harmony]

I understand that, Liz. But does BYU have an "understanding" with Dan in regard to apologetics? "Kill two birds with one stone", kind of thing. I'm playing "Devil's advocate" here, because as I've said before, even if that's true, I won't die of shock.

It's the difference between exempt and non-exempt. What he does outside of the task the university hires him to do is his own business; he's paid the same whether his university tasks take him 20 hours a week or 50. He could be shooting pictures for calendars, driving private limos, editing historical romance novels, or writing apologetics during the standard work time frame that he's paid by the university, as long as his assigned tasks are performed. It's called being exempt.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Well that, I think, is a significant point. You mean, of course, Australian universities (?) paid all your expenses.

My understanding is that Australian universities and other institutions paid some of my expenses. The Australia area presidency also picked up some of the costs. As I understand it, they have a program to bring BYU academics over every year, or every other year. Just before me, they had brought over the dean of the Marriott School of Management at BYU and a colleague of his, who spoke at various institutions about their research into business ethics and corporate malfeasance (which was a big topic at the time, in the wake of the Enron scandal, some analogous Australian case, etc.).

[_Daniel Peterson]

I understand that, Liz. But does BYU have an "understanding" with Dan in regard to apologetics?

My department and college tolerate my involvement in apologetics. Some other departments and colleges are more negative.

If I didn't do apologetics, I would still be in the good graces of my department, my college, and the university so long as I took care of my classes and of METI. (They might even prefer it.) If I didn't teach classes and attend to METI, I would be in serious professional trouble at the university, whether I did apologetics or not.

[_Ray A]

It's the difference between exempt and non-exempt. What he does outside of the task the university hires him to do is his own business; he's paid the same whether his university tasks take him 20 hours a week or 50. He could be shooting pictures for calendars, driving private limos, editing historical romance novels, or writing apologetics during the standard work time frame that he's paid by the university, as long as his assigned tasks are performed. It's called being exempt.

Which I've acknowledged. But it does no harm to ask genuine questions out of curiosity. Anyone who thinks I'm trying to point the finger at Dan and make unsubstantiated claims to defame him, has to be off their face. Because Scratch raises questions doesn't mean all of his questions are illigetimate. I don't share his conclusions, and I know what it's like to be scrutinised by Scratch. No one should be exempt from scrutiny, Scratch included, but we have too little information to go on to do that. So I do sense the imbalance here. I'm not defending Scratch, only following up on questions that I have myself.

[_harmony]

Have you apologized for being the source of that wrong notion? To me? To Harmony? To anyone else who was directly affected by the blog?

Any interaction between Jersey and I falls under the "That's none of your business, Scratch" column.

[_Ray A]

Dan, I know this may be a little off-topic, but can you elaborate a little about your meeting with the Muslim community in Sydney? In particular your impressions of Keyser Trad? I don't know if you're aware of this, but Trad is now encouraging the government to accept polygamy, and legalise it.

What was the Muslim community's general reaction to your visit?