Prof. X: Foster School of Business Faculty Support Occupy Movement

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is coming to the Seattle Sheraton Hotel tomorrow night to speak at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business's "Business Leadership Celebration," and you're all invited to join protesters in welcoming Dimon to Occupy Seattle.

But just because the Foster School invited him to speak, doesn't mean everybody on the faculty is a fan of Dimon or the way his industry has operated in recent years. Indeed, one faculty member—I'll call him/her "Professor X" to protect his/her identity—called to complain about being "reluctantly compelled to attend" the event, and to express sympathy for the Occupy movement. So I asked Prof. X to elaborate via email:

First of all, let me say that the Occupy movement has been successful at getting the attention of some faculty members at the Foster School. I have heard unsolicited comments from faculty sympathizing with the general notion that there is something wrong with our economic system. For example, the Duke U study that MBA students emerge from their education less ethical than when they start it is deeply troubling to many of us. Also, because many of us have families and career aspirations that reduce our mobility and tolerance for sleazy landlords, many of us got hurt by the housing bubble. The problems that faculty face in supporting the movement are that a) there is not a clear idea of what can be done, and b) most are unwilling to risk their livelihood to make a statement. (See Lisa Simeone and Caitlin Curran, who wrote a wonderful essay on the situation for The Atlantic.) The Occupy movement would be much more effective by being clear about its goals and cleaning up its image. If that strategy was good for Harvey Milk, then it should be good for the young people driving the Occupy movement. Be radical, but be smart about it. Again, there are a lot of people in the system who sympathize. Good luck.

Prof. X was actually rather proud of the Foster School, repeatedly emphasizing that they send the bulk of their graduates to companies like Microsoft—companies that actually "create value"—rather than to Wall Street. The Professor was also highly critical of a higher education system that distorts graduates' career choices by leaving them with piles of debt. "It's a system that discourages meaningful entrepreneurship," Prof. X lamented during our conversation.

I also asked Prof. X to email me some free business school advice for the Occupy movement. Some interesting ideas, again, coming not from some dirty, fucking hippie, but from a faculty member at a prestigious business school:

- Demand a safe and fair banking system. Ban credit ratings shopping. Ensure that commercial banks can't put consumer bank deposits at risk. Make the beneficiaries of Wall Street gambling pay for the damage they do. - Demand a humane flat tax on all income, including capital gains and inheritance income. Unlike the proposals by Herman Cain and Rick Perry, a humane flat tax can be made highly progressive by employing a flat, robust cost of living write-off that covers all living expenses, including healthcare, education, and retirement costs. Corporations don't pay taxes on operating expenses so why should citizens? Look at Belize's new flat tax policy where everyone pays 25% after the first $20,000 of income as an example. - Demand that responsible homeowners be allowed to re-finance their homes even if they are underwater. - Demand a public education system that values creativity, critical thinking, innovation and entrepreneurship as well as rote math and reading learning. Demanding equality is not reasonable, but demanding equal opportunity is. Equal opportunity starts with a strong public education system that doesn't leave graduates with debt and does support citizens throughout their entire life. - Demand that foreign companies and governments abide by humane environmental standards, labor standards, and other fair trade practices. Didn't our government promise to do this when NAFTA passed? It's time to get tough with the cheaters. - Don't stop demanding universal basic health care. Health insecurity and burdens on small business are among the biggest impediments to entrepreneurship and innovation in America. Moreover, the mandate will likely be shot down in court. - Demand a fair and transparent political system. Ban PACs. Demand donor transparency for all issue advocacy groups. - Demand jobs now and a balanced budget later. Refusing to address long term unemployment now will make it harder to balance the budget in the long run. Alternatively, building infrastructure, worker retraining, and primary R&D support will have long-term economic benefits. Our government should not be afraid of deficit spending now to support these things that will help balance the budget in the long run.

See, the Occupy movement is beginning to change the conversation even within the halls of business schools. Now if only it changed the conversation enough to allow business school faculty members to feel comfortable enough to attach their names to their progressive comments.