faculty unions Archives — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

Making the Case Against Forced Union Representation

Mar 27, 2019 · Kathy Uradnik · Comments Off

It’s a simple principle, really: In a free society, government cannot force an individual to belong to any group. Instead, each of us chooses with whom we will associate, and under what conditions. What is the point of freedom of association, if not this? Almost all of us understand and accept this basic tenet of … Continue reading “Making the Case Against Forced Union Representation”

After Janus: Vindication and Hope

Jul 25, 2018 · Charles Baird · Comments Off

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court took a significant step toward restoring individual liberty for all government employees, including faculty in public universities and colleges, with its decision in Janus v. AFSCME. Faculty members will no longer be forced to pay any labor union any fee for any purpose as a condition of continued government … Continue reading “After Janus: Vindication and Hope”

Is Our Obsession with College Fueling a Mental Health Crisis? Aug 2, 2021
Long before Covid, mental health experts declared a different sort of pandemic—a precipitous decline in mental health on college campuses. One 2019 survey by the American College Health Association found that over the course of a year, 55.9 percent of students reported feeling hopelessness, 65.6 percent reported feeling very lonely, 70.8 percent reported feeling very … Continue reading “Is Our Obsession with College Fueling a Mental Health Crisis?”
Beauty and Wisdom: Renew the Culture by Restoring the Liberal Arts Jul 30, 2021
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”
Safe Spaces: Balancing Academic Freedom and Wokeness Jul 28, 2021
The following is adapted from an address given at a Martin Center luncheon on July 15, 2021. Finally, I come to my main argument: Safe spaces. I want to come out in favor of safe spaces. Not everywhere, or for all purposes, but in general I think there should be a strong presumption in favor … Continue reading “Safe Spaces: Balancing Academic Freedom and Wokeness”

Did You Know? New UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees Members Jul 29, 2021
There are six new members on the Board of Trustees at UNC-Chapel Hill. The new members are: Rob Bryan III Perrin Jones Malcolm K. Turner Ramsey White Marty Kotis Vinay Patel Patel was appointed by House Speaker Tim Moore, and Kotis was appointed by North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger. The other four members were … Continue reading “Did You Know? New UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees Members”
On Boiling Frogs And Forked Tongues: Alumni Fight Back at Davidson Jul 26, 2021
At Davidson College, the frog finally realized that it’s being slowly cooked alive. As the theory goes, if you put a frog into boiling water, it will immediately jump out, but if you put it in lukewarm water and gradually raise the heat, it will not realize what is happening until it’s too late. The … Continue reading “On Boiling Frogs And Forked Tongues: Alumni Fight Back at Davidson”
What Are Students Learning? Make Syllabi Public Jul 12, 2021
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”

Is Our Obsession with College Fueling a Mental Health Crisis? Aug 2, 2021
Long before Covid, mental health experts declared a different sort of pandemic—a precipitous decline in mental health on college campuses. One 2019 survey by the American College Health Association found that over the course of a year, 55.9 percent of students reported feeling hopelessness, 65.6 percent reported feeling very lonely, 70.8 percent reported feeling very … Continue reading “Is Our Obsession with College Fueling a Mental Health Crisis?”
Letter to the Editor: Davidson College has changed Aug 1, 2021
To the editor: I graduated from Davidson College nearly 50 years ago. Since that time, the College has maintained that the culture of the school has remained unchanged. The failure to adopt the Chicago Principles of Free Expression demonstrates to this graduate that this is simply not true. Thank you for your coverage of what … Continue reading “Letter to the Editor: Davidson College has changed”
Beauty and Wisdom: Renew the Culture by Restoring the Liberal Arts Jul 30, 2021
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”