Five SFF Stories Set in Academia

Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
afford university educations.

https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>
> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> afford university educations.
>
> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/

Mutant Corps member Laury Marten, the daughter of Anne Sloane and Ralf
Marten, poses as gifted Arkonidin medical student Arga Silm, near the
start of the Atlan and Arkon Zyklus.

"Arga," said Gege Moge angrily, pointing excitedly at the
creature on the examination table, "don't you see that once
again we're dealing with an anaphylactic shock? How often do
I have to tell you that these violent reaction symptoms should
appear under no circumstances during the preliminary tests? Now
the entire preliminary test series has been rendered questionable!
Have this binn sent over to Dissection and tell them I want to
know why he's allergic to his own blood serum. Why can't the
U-Lf54 Serum, which is taken from binns, be used on intelligence
levels below C? And does it have the best results when used on
levels B and G? Make it clear to the Dissection Department that
I must have their findings tomorrow morning! Now get going and
see that everything's taken care of!"
With an angry look the Ara doctor watched the Arkonide girl,
a medical student named Arga Silm, leave. Then he turned his
attention to the dead binn, a late member of a species no one
could accurately classify. A binn was a sort of halfway point
between the plant and animal kingdoms. Carrying on respiration
after the fashion of plants, it ate and drank in a distinctly
animal manner. The binns were indeed neither plant nor animal
but living things possessing intelligence, even if that particular
attribute was rather limited and rated at Level C.

"51 Hunting for Life"

Danke,

--
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telltale tall tail /, _.. \ _\ (`._ ,. Walk humbly with thy God.
tells tall tales.. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.' Make 1984 fiction again.

In article <20221018a@crcomp.net>, Don <g@crcomp.net> wrote:
>James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>>
>> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
>> afford university educations.
>>
>> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
>
>Mutant Corps member Laury Marten, the daughter of Anne Sloane and Ralf
>Marten, poses as gifted Arkonidin medical student Arga Silm, near the
>start of the Atlan and Arkon Zyklus.
>
> "Arga," said Gege Moge angrily, pointing excitedly at the
> creature on the examination table, "don't you see that once
> again we're dealing with an anaphylactic shock? How often do
> I have to tell you that these violent reaction symptoms should
> appear under no circumstances during the preliminary tests? Now
> the entire preliminary test series has been rendered questionable!
> Have this binn sent over to Dissection and tell them I want to
> know why he's allergic to his own blood serum. Why can't the
> U-Lf54 Serum, which is taken from binns, be used on intelligence
> levels below C? And does it have the best results when used on
> levels B and G? Make it clear to the Dissection Department that
> I must have their findings tomorrow morning! Now get going and
> see that everything's taken care of!"
> With an angry look the Ara doctor watched the Arkonide girl,
> a medical student named Arga Silm, leave. Then he turned his
> attention to the dead binn, a late member of a species no one
> could accurately classify. A binn was a sort of halfway point
> between the plant and animal kingdoms. Carrying on respiration
> after the fashion of plants, it ate and drank in a distinctly
> animal manner. The binns were indeed neither plant nor animal
> but living things possessing intelligence, even if that particular
> attribute was rather limited and rated at Level C.
>
> "51 Hunting for Life"
>
>Danke,
>

Jela stood behind and slightly to the right of Scholar
tay'Nordif, which gave him a clear sight of the combat zone,
and also of a command room situated about halfway up the
wall directly opposite his position. The observation port
was opaqued, but Jela felt certain that command of one sort
or another was present.
The mass of scholars rippled, murmured--and stilled, as a
yellow-haired woman marched out onto the floor, the tapping
of her tile-braided hair clearly audible in the sudden
silence.
Deliberately, she stepped into the rectangle, pulled the
blade from its place in her sash and brandished it dramatically
over her head.
"I, Leman chi'Farlo, Seated Scholar and Third Chair of the
Department of Interdimensional Statistics, challenge Kel
Var tay'Palin to defend his Thesis Number Twenty-Seven, in
which he avers that the value of Amedeo's Constant as
reflected in N-space is a contingent process and is not an
ordered process." Her voice echoed weirdly, which Jela took
to be an affect of a wide-area amplifier.
"What's this?" a scholar some places to Jela's right whispered
to the scholar next to her. "She challenges him on work he
published before he was seated?"
"It's allowable," her mate whispered back. "Bad form, but
allowable."
The first scholar sighed lightly. "Well, it is chi'Farlo,
after all."
"Come forth, Kel Var tay'Palin," a voice boomed across the
hall--likely originating, Jela thought, in the shielded
command room. "Come forward and defend your work."
And here came the lean figure of the Prime Chair, walking
carefully, his knife held business-like. It was, Jela saw,
a well-kept weapon, the edge so sharp it shone like an
energy blade. He stepped into the rectangle, and bowed
slightly to his opponent. She returned the courtesy, lunging
out of it low and vicious, going for the belly.
Prime Chair twisted; his opponent's blade sliced robe, and
in the moment it was fouled, he chopped down at her exposed
neck. Unfortunately, the yellow-haired scholar was more
nimble than she looked; she tucked and dove, freeing her
knife with a wrist-wrenching twist. There was a clatter of
tiles as a severed braid hit the floor.
Scholar tay'Palin spun, a trifle ragged, to face his opponent
as she came to her feet and danced forward, knife flashing,
pressing him fiercely.
And that tactic, Jela thought, was likely a winner, given
that knife fights were never certain. No question tay'Palin
was the better fighter, but he was wounded and weary while
she was fresh and energized, and that more than balanced
her relative lack of skill.
The blonde woman thrust, tay'Palin twisted--and went down
to one knee. She pressed her advantage, going for his eyes
now, his throat, his face, working close, giving him no
opportunity to gain his feet.
Still, he fought on, grimly, blood showing now on his
sleeve--which was, Jela thought, the old wound, torn open
again--and down the front of his robe from his numerous
cuts.
All at once, the woman twisted, feinting; the scholar on
his knees realizing the deception too late--and that quickly
it was over, the blonde woman's knife was lodged to the
hilt in tay'Palin's chest.
Exuberant, she turned, raising her hands above her head.
And as she did, the mortally wounded scholar raised his
arm, reversed his blade--and threw.
The victor staggered, mouth opening in a silent scream--and
fell all at once, blood streaming. Scholar tay'Palin lay
on his side, eyes open and empty, his blood pooling and
mixing with that of his opponent.
"Scholar tay'Palin," the disembodied voice announced, into
the absolute silence of the lobby, "has successfully turned
the challenge. Let his grudents amass his work and publish
it wherever scholars study. Let his name be recorded on the
Scholar's Wall."
There was a murmur of approval from the assembled scholars.
"Scholar chi'Farlo," the voice continued, "is found to have
wrongly issued challenge. Let her office be purged, her
files wiped and her name struck from our rolls."
"Well deserved," whispered the scholar to the right.
"We have an administrative announcement." the voice said
briskly. "Effective immediately, Scholar Ala Bin tay'Welford,
formerly Second Chair, will serve the Department of
Interdimensional Statistics as Prime Chair."
The Mercy Bell rang.
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 10:05:06 AM UTC-4, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>
> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> afford university educations.
>
> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/

I enjoyed Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber in which faculty wives cast spells to help their husbands get tenure. A bit dated.
I also read The Big U by Neal Stephenson

On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 3:05:06 PM UTC+1, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>
> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> afford university educations.
>
> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
> --
> My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
> My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
> My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
> My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll
I can add "Academic Magic" by Jones - academic politics with talking squirrels and other magic. Reasonably entertaining, but I was not impelled to buy the other books in the series.

I had a three-year degree paid for by the UK government, complete with (just sufficient) living allowance. I also got two correspondence course MScs at almost nominal cost. Alas, the UK government went to a loan model as the trade-off for a massive expansion of university places, so we are now much closer to the US system, although my impression is that our university courses are bargains compared to the US equivalent, possibly even for foreign students.

In article <db2d8b89-a896-4a21-a229-74675a4447a1n@googlegroups.com>,
Andrew McDowell <mcdowell_ag@sky.com> wrote:
>On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 3:05:06 PM UTC+1, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>>
>> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
>> afford university educations.
>>
>> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/

>I can add "Academic Magic" by Jones - academic politics with
>talking squirrels and other magic. Reasonably entertaining, but I
>was not impelled to buy the other books in the series.
>
>I had a three-year degree paid for by the UK government, complete
>with (just sufficient) living allowance. I also got two
>correspondence course MScs at almost nominal cost. Alas, the UK
>government went to a loan model as the trade-off for a massive
>expansion of university places, so we are now much closer to the
>US system, although my impression is that our university courses
>are bargains compared to the US equivalent, possibly even for
>foreign students.

Ontario rather dickishly requires (or at least used to) foreign
grad students to pay into OHIP without giving them access, and
charged all non-Canadians extra to attend uni here.

I have fond memories of the run-up to the most recent Quebec
referendum and conversations with a Quebecois student who
was absolutely certain independent Quebec would still have
full access to the benefits of Confederation, including
Quebec students not being treated as cash cows by Ontario.
In fact, ISTR there were one or two things he expected post-
independence that Quebec students didn't get from Ontario
back in 1995...
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

In article <jr7verFg8u3U1@mid.individual.net>,
ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) wrote:

> In article <20221018a@crcomp.net>, Don <g@crcomp.net> wrote:
> >James Nicoll wrote:
> >> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
> >>
> >> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> >> afford university educations.
> >>
> >> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
> >
> >Mutant Corps member Laury Marten, the daughter of Anne Sloane and Ralf
> >Marten, poses as gifted Arkonidin medical student Arga Silm, near the
> >start of the Atlan and Arkon Zyklus.
> >
> > "Arga," said Gege Moge angrily, pointing excitedly at the
> > creature on the examination table, "don't you see that once
> > again we're dealing with an anaphylactic shock? How often do
> > I have to tell you that these violent reaction symptoms should
> > appear under no circumstances during the preliminary tests? Now
> > the entire preliminary test series has been rendered questionable!
> > Have this binn sent over to Dissection and tell them I want to
> > know why he's allergic to his own blood serum. Why can't the
> > U-Lf54 Serum, which is taken from binns, be used on intelligence
> > levels below C? And does it have the best results when used on
> > levels B and G? Make it clear to the Dissection Department that
> > I must have their findings tomorrow morning! Now get going and
> > see that everything's taken care of!"
> > With an angry look the Ara doctor watched the Arkonide girl,
> > a medical student named Arga Silm, leave. Then he turned his
> > attention to the dead binn, a late member of a species no one
> > could accurately classify. A binn was a sort of halfway point
> > between the plant and animal kingdoms. Carrying on respiration
> > after the fashion of plants, it ate and drank in a distinctly
> > animal manner. The binns were indeed neither plant nor animal
> > but living things possessing intelligence, even if that particular
> > attribute was rather limited and rated at Level C.
> >
> > "51 Hunting for Life"
> >
> >Danke,
> >
>
> Jela stood behind and slightly to the right of Scholar
> tay'Nordif, which gave him a clear sight of the combat zone,
> and also of a command room situated about halfway up the
> wall directly opposite his position. The observation port
> was opaqued, but Jela felt certain that command of one sort
> or another was present.
>

You should have identified this excerpt from chapter 8 of _Crystal
Dragon_ by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (2nd title in the Great Migration
Duology which ended with the founding of Liad 14 centuries before the
events of _Agent of Change_).

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

On 18/10/2022 11.59, James Nicoll wrote:

> I have fond memories of the run-up to the most recent Quebec
> referendum and conversations with a Quebecois student who
> was absolutely certain independent Quebec would still have
> full access to the benefits of Confederation, including
> Quebec students not being treated as cash cows by Ontario.

This sounds similar to the way many Brits viewed Brexit.

--
Michael F. Stemper
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

In article <timvvj$3q7s3$1@dont-email.me>,
Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 18/10/2022 11.59, James Nicoll wrote:
>
>> I have fond memories of the run-up to the most recent Quebec
>> referendum and conversations with a Quebecois student who
>> was absolutely certain independent Quebec would still have
>> full access to the benefits of Confederation, including
>> Quebec students not being treated as cash cows by Ontario.
>
>This sounds similar to the way many Brits viewed Brexit.
>
I think people often assume the way they want things to work
out is the way they must work out. E.g. King Cotton.

--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

On 10/18/2022 1:19 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <timvvj$3q7s3$1@dont-email.me>,
> Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 18/10/2022 11.59, James Nicoll wrote:
>>
>>> I have fond memories of the run-up to the most recent Quebec
>>> referendum and conversations with a Quebecois student who
>>> was absolutely certain independent Quebec would still have
>>> full access to the benefits of Confederation, including
>>> Quebec students not being treated as cash cows by Ontario.
>>
>> This sounds similar to the way many Brits viewed Brexit.
>>
> I think people often assume the way they want things to work
> out is the way they must work out. E.g. King Cotton.
>
Well feces! That applies to most politics too!

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 10/18/2022 9:05 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>
> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> afford university educations.
>
> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/

I may have read the Joe Haldeman and Vonda McIntyre books.

There is a University as part of the "Dies the Fire" series in Oregon
that plays a vital part of the recovery from the event.

Lynn

James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>

Jack Vance's _The Languages of Pao_ gives new meaning to senior staff
going Emeritus.

James Nicoll wrote:

>Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>
>Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
>afford university educations.

I'll quibble with the statement about college vs. university in the
USA. The institutions themselves have general practices regarding how
they are named.

The former is generally smaller and awards no higher than a bachelor's
degree. The latter will have graduate programs, and might have more
than one "college" or "school" within.

My brother is a Physics professor at a liberal-arts college. They have
a fairly wide range of programs, but to get an advanced degree at all
the student has to do it through a partnership program with a
university.

In common use, Americans rarely say that they went to "university". I
went to college at a branch of the University of Missouri.

Brian

In article <tiqu8j$9nkq$1@dont-email.me>,
Default User <defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
>James Nicoll wrote:
>
>>Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>>
>>Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
>>afford university educations.
>
>I'll quibble with the statement about college vs. university in the
>USA. The institutions themselves have general practices regarding how
>they are named.
>
>The former is generally smaller and awards no higher than a bachelor's
>degree. The latter will have graduate programs, and might have more
>than one "college" or "school" within.
>
>My brother is a Physics professor at a liberal-arts college. They have
>a fairly wide range of programs, but to get an advanced degree at all
>the student has to do it through a partnership program with a
>university.
>
>In common use, Americans rarely say that they went to "university". I
>went to college at a branch of the University of Missouri.
>
>
>Brian

There was a bit of a kerfuffle some years ago when Francis Marion College
wanted to rename itself Francis Marion Universty without having a
graduate program, apparently just because it sounded cooler and would be
better for recruiting. As I recall, it turned out there was no state rule
against it, and they went ahead.
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 6:39:32 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> On 10/18/2022 9:05 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> > Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
> >
> > Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> > afford university educations.
> >
> > https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
> I may have read the Joe Haldeman and Vonda McIntyre books.
>
> There is a University as part of the "Dies the Fire" series in Oregon
> that plays a vital part of the recovery from the event.
>

Oregon State, in Corvalis, whose militia marches under a Beaver Flag.

https://fororegonstate.org/images/default-source/1.0-get-involved/events/football-2021/alumni_football_mobile_wallpaper-final-9.jpg?sfvrsn=f3d8337c_5

--
Kevin R

On Thursday, 20 October 2022 at 18:42:36 UTC+1, Kevrob wrote:
> On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 6:39:32 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > On 10/18/2022 9:05 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> > > Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
> > >
> > > Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> > > afford university educations.
> > >
> > > https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
> > I may have read the Joe Haldeman and Vonda McIntyre books.
> >
> > There is a University as part of the "Dies the Fire" series in Oregon
> > that plays a vital part of the recovery from the event.
> >
> Oregon State, in Corvalis, whose militia marches under a Beaver Flag.
>
> https://fororegonstate.org/images/default-source/1.0-get-involved/events/football-2021/alumni_football_mobile_wallpaper-final-9.jpg?sfvrsn=f3d8337c_5

Did Pendelton State University in _3rd Rock from the Sun_
have a beaver as its animal totem?

On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 10:05:06 AM UTC-4, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
>
> Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> afford university educations.
>
> https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
> --
> My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
> My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
> My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
> My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

"Operation Salamander" by Poul Anderson, the middle part of the fix-up novel Operation Chaos, is centered on life in academia.

ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan wrote:

>There was a bit of a kerfuffle some years ago when Francis Marion
>College wanted to rename itself Francis Marion Universty without
>having a graduate program, apparently just because it sounded cooler
>and would be better for recruiting. As I recall, it turned out there
>was no state rule against it, and they went ahead.

I hedged a bit because I was sure exceptions would crop up.

Brian

On Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 4:21:05 PM UTC-4, Robert Carnegie wrote:
> On Thursday, 20 October 2022 at 18:42:36 UTC+1, Kevrob wrote:
> > On Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 6:39:32 PM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > > On 10/18/2022 9:05 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> > > > Five SFF Stories Set in Academia
> > > >
> > > > Five stories from the long lost days when peasants could
> > > > afford university educations.
> > > >
> > > > https://www.tor.com/2022/10/18/five-sff-stories-set-in-academia/
> > > I may have read the Joe Haldeman and Vonda McIntyre books.
> > >
> > > There is a University as part of the "Dies the Fire" series in Oregon
> > > that plays a vital part of the recovery from the event.
> > >
> > Oregon State, in Corvalis, whose militia marches under a Beaver Flag.
> >
> > https://fororegonstate.org/images/default-source/1.0-get-involved/events/football-2021/alumni_football_mobile_wallpaper-final-9.jpg?sfvrsn=f3d8337c_5
> Did Pendelton State University in _3rd Rock from the Sun_
> have a beaver as its animal totem?

I think the PSU team were Badgers, a lazy rip from Dane
Oblast University #1.

--
Kevin R

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 4:23:39 AM UTC-4, Kevrob wrote:

[snip]

> I think the PSU team were Badgers, a lazy rip from Dane
> Oblast University #1.

Found an end-credits clip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UhZidTv3Fk&ab_channel=JamesPark

Weasels, muskrats or chipmunks would have been funnier.

--
Kevin R

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 3:33:10 AM UTC-5, Kevrob wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 4:23:39 AM UTC-4, Kevrob wrote:
>
> [snip]
> > I think the PSU team were Badgers, a lazy rip from Dane
> > Oblast University #1.
> Found an end-credits clip!
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UhZidTv3Fk&ab_channel=JamesPark
>
> Weasels, muskrats or chipmunks would have been funnier.
I was very disappointed to find out that the Mascot of UT Permian Basin wasn't a Dimetrodon.