Derelict of the Year Offense

Sometimes members of our department take offense or express concerns over our Derelict tradition. Messages to calm the waters are reproduced on this page.

Wed, 3 May 2000

On behalf of the Derelict Committee, David Ropp sent the following e-mail. Note that the message was sent from the computer nick.math.arizona.edu. Without our Derelict Award, and Nick Ercolani's stallion performance in winning it, Ropp's e-mail could simply not have been sent from that machine!

From ropp@nick.math.arizona.edu  Wed May  3 01:15:11 2000
Return-Path: <ropp@nick.math.arizona.edu>
Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 01:12:49 -0700
From: David Ropp <ropp@grad.math.arizona.edu>
Message-Id: <200005030812.BAA08117@nick.math.arizona.edu>
To: all@math.arizona.edu

I just received a note from a member of our department.  
Here is an excerpt.

>I have always felt that the derelict tradition is one of our 
>identifying traditions.  I have also, I'm afraid, been on the 
>edge in worrying about unwanted consequences for nominees.  

I agree, and I seriously regret that I allowed some nominations
that were not in the good-natured spirit of this tradition.  
It was inexcusable of me, and I sincerely apologize.  I have 
revoked those nominations.  

That still leaves several fine and well-intentioned nominees
(one of whom, Mr. Alvarez, is actively campaigning), so please
do not let my gross error dampen this great tradition.

Yours, 
David Ropp