St. John’s is undoing what makes it good

Briarwood: As a double alumnus (B.S., 1975, M.S., 1977), I’m writing in regard to St. John’s University’s decertification of the two faculty unions, ostensibly for “flexibility” and “alignment with a Catholic and Vincentian mission.” The bottom line is actually unilateral policy decisions without faculty input into bargaining contracts, focusing on a profit-driven corporatist model.

Monies are to be allocated to non-educational programs such as basketball, where the men’s head coach earns a $6.5 million annual salary, and a slew of online degree programs in business administration. I see no enhancement of Catholic programs, such as a Ph.D. program in philosophy or a doctorate of sacred theology program. The Institute for Advanced Studies in Catholic Doctrine (circa 1975) is defunct without having received pontifical recognition. Outright scandal plagued the Asian Studies Center with extortion and faux honorary degrees for Taiwanese political and business figures, and the embezzlement and suicide of a university dean with presidential malfeasance. Also, the recent border enforcement institute to assist President Trump’s illegal ICE actions at the university is disgusting.

This is a Catholic charade for corporatism in modus operandus, and secularism in educational mission, plain and simple. A critical rethinking is in order for the Vincentian founders and sponsors of my alma mater. The motto is “Educatio Christiana Animae Perfectio” (Christian Education Perfects the Soul). Basketball doesn’t! Joseph N. Manago

More whoppers

Woods Cross, Utah: Some new and doozy presidential statements for the record: “The U.S. military is looking forward, actually, to its next conquest.” Yep, hopefully some nation will resist arrest by Police Chief Donald J. Trump, and he can then unleash the military on them. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.” I guess Trump is so admired in the Vatican that the cardinals wanted to flatter him by hoisting up the first American pope. “If I pulled up stakes right now [in Iran], it would take them 20 years to rebuild their country.” I guess that’s the “help” Trump promised to send to Iranian protestors. Regarding a pilot shot down in Iran, “We leave no American behind.” Hmm, what about federal employees fired by DOGE, DEI participants, immigrants in process and Obamacare subsidy recipients?

Kimball Shinkoskey

Ill-advised visit

Box Hill, Victoria, Australia: King Charles might be advised to cancel his U.S. travel plan. There’d be the difficulties we all face at the moment, with the war in Iran making some flight paths unusable. There’s also the damage to the view of the monarch. Trump started a war and threatened to bomb a civilization to dust, a true war crime, and thus is not a person to be seen with. There’s also the domestic worries, with the Epstein files still a discussion point in many papers, and further contact with an Epstein associate would not read well. The prior insult to British soldiers — “They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines” — still needs a sincere apology. There’s little to gain from visiting a leader who changes his mind more often than his socks. There’s a lot to lose by association.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Head of the snake

Portsmouth, N.H.: Instead of weeding out all these unqualified cabinet members, why don’t we just go to the main stream and simply impeach Trump? It seems that every day, it’s a new idiot taking the door. Do we really have to wait for November to drain the swamp?

Elizabeth Smith

Untouchable abuser

Dartmouth, Mass.: With each career-ending sexual abuse scandal, it becomes clearer that only Trump has absolute immunity from prosecution, impeachment or forced resignation. A jury of peers, salacious comments, verified photographs and credible testimony have not caused Trump’s imprisonment, felony indictments or the disapproval of his MAGA base. The same constituents who immediately believe victims and clamor for accountability are seemingly deaf or unconcerned about Trump’s score of credible accusers. Sexual abuse is commonly understood to be a crime and morally repugnant. The reaction by millions of Americans to the Epstein abuse of young girls is indicative of the negative reaction to pedophiles or sexual predators, which is why it’s incredible that Trump retains millions of supporters in the face of verified and corroborated sexual allegations during his first administration and seemingly more disclosed and stonewalled during this one.

Betty Ussach

Holding out hope

East Windsor, N.J.: To Voicer Eric Wollman: Regarding the Saturday TV trivia, I could not agree with you more. It was definitely something to look forward to every weekend and will certainly be missed. I’m hoping it was just a one-off and will return. Fingers crossed.

Bob Grill

Ambiguous

Manhattan: I could not help noticing the WordWheel puzzle in Monday’s edition. The paper gave the solution as “deviated.” The solution could actually also be “detailed.”

Charles Adrian O’Connor

Eat green

Manhattan: Earth Day highlights the urgent need for evidence-based solutions to the climate and ecological crises. What most people don’t realize is the biggest impact we can make as individuals starts on our plates. Extensive research shows that animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, biodiversity loss and freshwater depletion. In contrast, plant-based food systems require significantly fewer natural resources and generate lower emissions, making them a more efficient and sustainable way to feed a growing global population. Adopting plant-based meals, even incrementally, can substantially reduce one’s environmental footprint while supporting a more resilient food system. This Earth Day, let’s align our daily choices with the science.

Nelson Yancy

Loss of heritage

White Plains, N.Y.: I grew up in Queens and have always been an avid Mets fan. Even when I married a Bronx boy and moved to Westchester County, I still wore my official Mets jacket despite receiving unwelcome remarks from strangers. Now Bill Madden reports that the team will no longer be having Jewish Heritage Night (“Fix it, or fail?” April 19). Are the Mets trying to convert me to a Yankees fan? Oy vey!

Randi Bernstein Feigenbaum

Peeping cops

Whitestone: It’s very disturbing when an NYPD sergeant is peeping on female officers in the police station. The deliberately drilled hole through the wall so male officers could ogle females while they got dressed for work or for home was deliberate and outrageous. This is what happens when you’ve lowered the standards of the hiring requirements of the NYPD. This is absolutely disgusting behavior, and these sergeants should all be disciplined. I would love to know what their scores were on the promotional exams.

Gene O’Brien