Is KU liberal or are Kansans really conservative?

Kansas conservatives complained about the University of Kansas being liberal long before the current controversy regarding religion professor Paul Mirecki. But believe it or not, two national groups have recognized KU for being conservative and Republican.
The college edition of “Choosing the Right College,” a guidebook for conservatives, names KU “one of the best state-school educations.” And David Horowitz, president of the conservative Center for the Study of Popular Culture, recognized KU for having the only “elite” school of journalism in the nation that has more Republicans than Democrats on its faculty.
So is KU conservative only when compared with other universities? Or is it liberal only when compared with some Kansas conservatives?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

3 Comments

  1. Steven E.
    Posted December 4, 2005 at 6:59 am | Permalink

    I read an article about the KU school of journalism Republican question in, I think, the Washington Post. If I am remembering correctly, it is a simple majority — something like 9 Repubs to 8 Dems or some similar ratio. So, it is not like the Dept is a hot bed of conservatism, but rather may be more “fair and balanced” than some place like Fox News.

    On the Lawrence/KU question of being liberal. I think it is — which I do not see as being a bad thing at all. I have some friends who are from the Bay Area. The husband is Jewish and wife agnostic. They were unable for any number of reasons to make it here in South Central Kansas, but found Lawrence to be their home away from home. I think Lawrence and KU are resources all Kansas should want and should try to nurture.

  2. writerdog
    Posted December 4, 2005 at 3:04 pm | Permalink

    Man our Govenor is in the top five, KU is ranked high in a survey. Kansas could have a better image inspite of ourselves!

  3. Dubya
    Posted December 7, 2005 at 7:27 pm | Permalink

    Lets make Condi Guvenator of Kansas!

    SignedDubya