The 20th-Century Idea of a Cultivated Man

Sep 11, 2019 · Martin Center Staff · No Comments

Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from the 1910 introduction to The Harvard Classics by Charles W. Eliot, a long-serving president of Harvard and an advocate of a liberal arts education. In light of its wisdom about the value of the liberal arts and Eliot’s goal in making the classics accessible to every American, the … Continue reading “The 20th-Century Idea of a Cultivated Man”

The Wisest of Counselors: The Western Canon and Those Who Would Defend It

May 24, 2017 · Jesse Saffron · 7 Comments

I attended an estate sale for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and a wave of unreality washed over me. It was bizarre to rummage the home of a recently deceased stranger, inspecting her various trinkets and belongings, hoping to strike treasure or find a deal. I watched others, who seemed to be … Continue reading “The Wisest of Counselors: The Western Canon and Those Who Would Defend It”

Did You Know? College Textbook Prices Have Increased 88% Since 2006 Dec 5, 2019
Among presidential candidates, many campaign platforms have a plan to lower college costs. There’s no question that college costs have increased, but textbook prices have seen the sharpest increase—88 percent since 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Textbook companies work the same as any other large corporation: They strive to maximize their profits. … Continue reading “Did You Know? College Textbook Prices Have Increased 88% Since 2006”
Cutting Tuition Prices So Students Can Borrow Less Dec 2, 2019
In the past few years, large public universities have garnered headlines by freezing tuition. Purdue University, the Pennsylvania State System, and every public four-year university in Virginia have all frozen tuition and fees. And three University of North Carolina schools—UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University, and Elizabeth City State University—have cut tuition to $500 per semester … Continue reading “Cutting Tuition Prices So Students Can Borrow Less”
A Conservative Definition of Diversity Nov 29, 2019
Are conservatives against the campus diversity administrative machine or are they opposed to diversity itself? The argument in favor of the former seems like an easy one. Ever since debates over affirmative action heated up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, conservative groups and publications—this Center included—have marshalled an impressive array of data, stories, and philosophical … Continue reading “A Conservative Definition of Diversity”

A New-Schools Strategy to Fix Higher Education Dec 4, 2019
It would be easy to conclude, after a quick look at some topline findings about higher education in recent years, that a set of misguided practices and policies has distorted college enrollment, completion, and costs. For example, a well-meaning college-for-all movement directed students into four-year institutions, but many of these young people were unprepared for … Continue reading “A New-Schools Strategy to Fix Higher Education”
Cutting Tuition Prices So Students Can Borrow Less Dec 2, 2019
In the past few years, large public universities have garnered headlines by freezing tuition. Purdue University, the Pennsylvania State System, and every public four-year university in Virginia have all frozen tuition and fees. And three University of North Carolina schools—UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University, and Elizabeth City State University—have cut tuition to $500 per semester … Continue reading “Cutting Tuition Prices So Students Can Borrow Less”
The Credibility Issue in Nutrition Science Is a Sign for All of Higher Ed Nov 27, 2019
In recent years, psychology has dealt with a legitimacy crisis. Many influential psychological studies could not be reproduced by other psychologists, discrediting some key insights and weakening academic faith in the entire field. Nutrition science has a similar problem. The loudest critics argue that the methodologies relied on by researchers give bad data that are … Continue reading “The Credibility Issue in Nutrition Science Is a Sign for All of Higher Ed”

Did You Know? College Textbook Prices Have Increased 88% Since 2006 Dec 5, 2019
Among presidential candidates, many campaign platforms have a plan to lower college costs. There’s no question that college costs have increased, but textbook prices have seen the sharpest increase—88 percent since 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Textbook companies work the same as any other large corporation: They strive to maximize their profits. … Continue reading “Did You Know? College Textbook Prices Have Increased 88% Since 2006”
A New-Schools Strategy to Fix Higher Education Dec 4, 2019
It would be easy to conclude, after a quick look at some topline findings about higher education in recent years, that a set of misguided practices and policies has distorted college enrollment, completion, and costs. For example, a well-meaning college-for-all movement directed students into four-year institutions, but many of these young people were unprepared for … Continue reading “A New-Schools Strategy to Fix Higher Education”
Cutting Tuition Prices So Students Can Borrow Less Dec 2, 2019
In the past few years, large public universities have garnered headlines by freezing tuition. Purdue University, the Pennsylvania State System, and every public four-year university in Virginia have all frozen tuition and fees. And three University of North Carolina schools—UNC Pembroke, Western Carolina University, and Elizabeth City State University—have cut tuition to $500 per semester … Continue reading “Cutting Tuition Prices So Students Can Borrow Less”