Hugo Kijne

The Doghouse Administrator Hugo Kijne

The Doghouse Administrator describes how Martin Noordhof, a mid-level administrator at a large state funded university on the east coast of the US, gets into a conflict with his immediate superior, Harry Moscovitch, a senior administrator with an academic background in neuroscience. Gradually it becomes clear that Moscovitch attempts to thwart every project Noordhof manages, forcing the latter, while unaware of his superior's motives, to engage in a battle of wills and minds. Next to the actual conflict that is the thrust of the book, it contains insights on current topics in education such as continuing education and distance learning, grant funded programs and adult learners. Other topics that are addressed are the Holocaust, WW II in the Netherlands and Poland, Konrad Lorenz' ethology, the events of 9/11/2001 and corruption in municipal politics.