Since the beginning of the 90s of the last century, being subject
“only to their own regulations”, has meant for university professors not only being invested with new tasks, but having to deal with
a different framework of “responsibilities”. After all, the distribution of responsibilities is an integral part of the democratic functioning of society and its articulations and the University is one of
these articulations. I have discussed this over time with De Fusco;
and in recalling to memory some fragments of those conversations
Irealize why, even though he wasthe embodiment of the traditional
professor (teacher and researcher) he never looked with contempt,
or even with disdain, at the “government tasks”. He wasn’t interested in doing it but he understood itsimportance: perhaps because
he linked it to the exercise of an indispensable critical function.
