Author Profile

J.M. Anderson

J. M. Anderson received his Ph.D. in history from Syracuse University. He has taught at a community college, at two four-year colleges, at a state university, and at a for-profit university. He has written several articles and two books, The Honorable Burden of Public Office: English Humanists and Tudor Politics in the Sixteenth Century and The Skinny on Teaching: What You Don’t Learn in Graduate School. He is currently dean of the School of Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences at SUNY Cobleskill.

Articles by J.M. Anderson

How Academe Helped to Elect Trump

Mar 3, 2017 · J.M. Anderson · Comments Off

President Trump scares academe. Many feel threatened, under siege, rejected, aghast. Eric Klineberg, professor of sociology at New York University, summed up this anxiety a few days after the election: “My pulse raced and my blood pressure spiked when I realized that Donald Trump would be president. I felt afraid.” Trump’s victory, he adds, is … Continue reading “How Academe Helped to Elect Trump”

To Save the Humanities, Make Them More Hands On

Jul 8, 2016 · J.M. Anderson · Comments Off

The humanities may not be dead, but they are certainly moribund on many college campuses. Once the crown jewels of higher education, now they are valued about as much as knockoffs at a pawn shop. According to a recent study by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the humanities saw an 8.7 percent decline … Continue reading “To Save the Humanities, Make Them More Hands On”

The Case for Older Students

Feb 24, 2013 · J.M. Anderson · Comments Off

Fresh out of high school, many students aren’t mature enough to benefit from college studies.

Teaching Is a Liberal Art

Apr 6, 2012 · J.M. Anderson · Comments Off

The “Scholarship of Teaching and Learning” movement has not lived up to its promise.

No Wonder Johnny (Still) Can’t Write

Feb 10, 2012 · J.M. Anderson · Comments Off

Students don’t write well and professors don’t want to help them.

Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach Jan 14, 2022
The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and … Continue reading “Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach”
Did You Know? How North Carolina’s Institutions Rank Among the Nation’s Top Colleges Jan 13, 2022
How do North Carolina’s colleges rank amongst the nation’s top colleges? Do going to these schools make a big difference in earnings after graduation? Using both Forbes and the Wall Street Journal rankings of the top American schools, four schools in North Carolina are ranked in the top 100. Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, Davidson, and Wake … Continue reading “Did You Know? How North Carolina’s Institutions Rank Among the Nation’s Top Colleges”
Vocational Education Goes to College Jan 7, 2022
When the University of Georgia announced that “student success” would be heavily weighted in future tenure decisions, it opened the door to the possibility of a long-overdue change in college curricula. As long as students continue to say that a well-paying job ranks high in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, they will demand instruction … Continue reading “Vocational Education Goes to College”

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” to Be Embedded in NC Community Colleges Jan 17, 2022
It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has financially impacted the education system for almost two years. The North Carolina community college system (NCCCS), which had an enrollment drop of 11 percent in 2020, is no exception. With a reduction in enrollment comes a reduction in funding, putting a strain on the 58 community … Continue reading ““Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” to Be Embedded in NC Community Colleges”
From Hiring to Admissions, Universities Seek Ideological Conformity in Applicants Jan 10, 2022
Are you a freshly-minted Ph.D. holder interested in becoming a tenure-track computer science professor at UNC-Chapel Hill? First, you’ll have to submit a “diversity statement” describing your “commitment to diversity.” Candidates seeking to be an assistant professor at Boston University’s business school should include references to the “diversity contributions” they would bring in their cover … Continue reading “From Hiring to Admissions, Universities Seek Ideological Conformity in Applicants”
How the Woke Mob Captured Business Schools Jan 5, 2022
Business schools in the United States are fiercely competitive and, by and large, led by intelligent, careful individuals. The top schools’ nigh universal endorsement of progressive values—in word and in deed—sets the tone for the rest and stems neither from incompetence nor malicious intent. Rather, it stems from incentives dictated by rankings criteria and ideologically … Continue reading “How the Woke Mob Captured Business Schools”

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” to Be Embedded in NC Community Colleges Jan 17, 2022
It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has financially impacted the education system for almost two years. The North Carolina community college system (NCCCS), which had an enrollment drop of 11 percent in 2020, is no exception. With a reduction in enrollment comes a reduction in funding, putting a strain on the 58 community … Continue reading ““Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” to Be Embedded in NC Community Colleges”
Letter to the Editor: Restructure student loan payments Jan 16, 2022
To the editor: In reading the many points presented and disparity in socio- economic difference, why has no one ever merely looked at the repayment system and interest accrual on student loans. Re structuring students loans similar to house and car payments were once monthly payments are met additional funding can be applied to the … Continue reading “Letter to the Editor: Restructure student loan payments”
Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach Jan 14, 2022
The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and … Continue reading “Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach”