Among some of my faculty colleagues in New York, NYU Abu Dhabi and the recreation of NYU as a Global Network University remain controversial, if not downright undesirable, projects. Some of my colleagues have gone so far as to engage in e-mail diatribes against those of us who are involved in NYU Abu Dhabi, accusing us of having our “hands nicely tucked into the Sultan’s pockets.”

I want, here and now, to set the record straight. I have never had anything to do with a Sultan’s pockets.

I do, however, sleep with a Sultan. Or, rather, on a Sultan.

And you can, too, and you don’t have to come all the way to the United Arab Emirates to do it!

All you have to do is go to your local …

where you’ll find a wide variety of Sultans for sale:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=sultan

My particular Sultan has memory foam. And with that Sultan underneath me at night, I sleep very, very well, thank you very much.