Letters
Welcome to the real world, Chicago.

Self-congratulation
Thumbing through the February/04 issue, I came upon this opening of a letter to the editor: “At times, when after a martini I feel too content with life as it is, I pick up a copy of the University of Chicago Magazine. Its constant air of self-congratulation provides a never-failing antidote.”

I wasn’t surprised to see the letter was from Studs Terkel, PhB’32, JD’34. I chuckled in agreement but laughed out loud at this item later in the issue: “Another business school award: The University tied for fourth place in the Financial Times 2004 ranking of full-time MBA programs, published in its January 26 issue. Chicago ranked fifth last year.”

Since when is a fourth-place finish an award? Is it the award for “leading all schools with lower rankings except the one we were tied with”? And the use of the word another is classic. It looks as if Mr. Terkel is more correct than he realizes. I do not begrudge the GSB its success. However, until the GSB actually receives an award, I would suggest a headline such as, “GSB moves up one spot in the FT rankings” if you want to do something about “the constant air of self-congratulation.”

Hugh C. Resnick, AM’94
Greenwood, Indiana

The University of Chicago Magazine welcomes letters on its contents or on topics related to the University of Chicago. Letters for publication must be signed and may be edited for space and clarity. To ensure the widest possible range of views and voices, we ask readers to limit their correspondence to 300 words or less.

Please send letters to: Editor, University of Chicago Magazine, 5801 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637. E-mail: uchicago-magazine@uchicago.edu.