Universities are in dire need of reform. They are too expensive; the classwork is too easy; the curriculum too unfocused. Too many students drop out or don’t care. Indeed, many of today’s universities have strayed so far from their original purpose that creating a path for reform and renewal seems impossible. But a new book … Continue reading “Beauty and Wisdom: Renew the Culture by Restoring the Liberal Arts”
Online education, especially as it has been implemented in the past year, isn’t for everyone. But it has had one unexpected benefit: transparency. Across the country, parents have had a chance to see for themselves what their children are learning. At the K-12 level, it’s been eye-opening. But college students need less supervision. So, even … Continue reading “What Are Students Learning? Make Syllabi Public”
Last week, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees came under fire for “viewpoint discrimination” over its decision not to offer tenure to Nikole Hannah-Jones, who will join UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism in July. An anonymous source reported that the decision was “a very political thing.” But politics needn’t have come into … Continue reading “It’s Not About ‘Politics’—The Brouhaha over Nikole Hannah-Jones”
The University of North Carolina system includes 16 universities, from large campuses with high research activity to small liberal arts institutions. They differ in many ways, from location to student body to the classes they offer. They also differ in state funding—from $7,760 per student at Appalachian State University to $31,969 per student at the … Continue reading “Did You Know? Not All UNC Students Get the Same Funding”
Over the past decade, American moral culture has changed. The evidence of those changes has been especially apparent on college campuses, where new concepts such as microaggressions, safe spaces, trigger warnings, and bias response teams were first tested. But this new “victimhood culture” is devastating to its adherents, disempowering them and dooming them to disappointment. … Continue reading “1776 Unites: An Alternative to Campus Victimhood Culture”
All students enrolled in UNC system institutions are required to have health insurance coverage. They also pay a Health Services Fee to their university. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield, The UNC System endorses a cost-effective Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) that covers additional health care expenses not included in the Student Health Fee. This … Continue reading “Did You Know? North Carolina Students Pay For Health Services Twice”
Last week, Congress approved the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, a $2.4 trillion spending package that includes $23 billion in aid for public and non-profit colleges and universities. The relief package will provide about $286 million in new Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding (HEERF) to UNC system schools. Of that amount, almost $90 million is … Continue reading “Did You Know? UNC Schools Will Get Millions in COVID-19 Funding”
One of my favorite projects at the Martin Center is the cultivation of our higher education library. So far, we’ve collected nearly 700 books about higher education and educational philosophy. Even before COVID-19, books were a respite from the pressures of daily life, the 24/7 news cycle, and the acrimony of politics. Now, with gatherings … Continue reading “10 Books We’d Like to Find Under the Christmas Tree in 2020”
Three universities in North Carolina host chapters of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, a group with ties to the Chinese government. According to a May article in Campus Reform, Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NC State all have chapters. The website of the Chinese Students & Scholars Friendship Association at NC State states that … Continue reading “Did You Know? Chinese Government Influence at North Carolina Colleges”
North Carolina spends more on its university students than most other states. Recent data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System show that universities in only three other states and the District of Columbia receive more revenue per student from state appropriations than universities in North Carolina. In the UNC system, the average revenue per … Continue reading “Did You Know? NC Subsidies for Colleges Top 5 Nationally”