I received an op-ed submission today from North Carolina Central University Chancellor James H. Ammons. It is an attempt to polish NCCU’s national image, such that it is, in the wake of the Duke lacrosse rape scandal. Ammons wants to correct what he suggests is a misunderstanding that Central is a lesser institution than Duke. Here is the second paragraph:

“As Chancellor of this great university, I want to address a few concerns that we-the NCCU family and friends-have about the portrayal of our university. References in news stories to North Carolina Central University as ‘scrappy and willful’ or ‘a poor cousin to Duke University’ create a picture of an institution that is financially strapped, lacks sophistication, and is devoid of excellence. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”

That last sentence pretty much undermines his entire premise. I bet Dick Brodhead knows the difference between further and farther.