Lawrence University Archives — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

This University President Can’t Take a Joke

Aug 9, 2017 · Ted Balaker · 18 Comments

A university president recently addressed his campus community about an incident that had shaken his Wisconsin school. “The last few days have been painful ones for many members of our community, as they have also been for me,” wrote Lawrence University’s Mark Burstein. “The event and its aftermath have left many students wondering whether the … Continue reading “This University President Can’t Take a Joke”

The University of Virginia in an Uproar Again—Over a Single Faculty Hire Aug 17, 2018
With the memory of last August’s violent alt-right protest and counter-protest still raw, the University of Virginia is again under siege. The new invasion actually began a few weeks ahead of schedule. “As grim anniversary nears,” the Chronicle of Higher Education began its coverage in late July, and Inside Higher Ed also emphasized “the approaching … Continue reading “The University of Virginia in an Uproar Again—Over a Single Faculty Hire”
‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas Aug 15, 2018
The latest racket in higher education, evident at my alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, is the disturbing proliferation of “social justice” as a degree program, a course topic, an academic emphasis, and even as a prerequisite in campus job descriptions. “Social justice” is a seemingly innocuous term with no established definition. Many … Continue reading “‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas”
No, the World Doesn’t Need More Humanities PhDs Aug 10, 2018
In May, The Chronicle of Higher Education asked four academics from across the country to weigh in on the “adjunct crisis.” The results were predictable, with most of the blame directed at the usual suspects: bean-counting administrators, complacent, tenured faculty members, tight-fisted state legislators, and, of course, those evil Republicans. Solutions generally involved pressuring colleges and universities to fork … Continue reading “No, the World Doesn’t Need More Humanities PhDs”

The University of Virginia in an Uproar Again—Over a Single Faculty Hire Aug 17, 2018
With the memory of last August’s violent alt-right protest and counter-protest still raw, the University of Virginia is again under siege. The new invasion actually began a few weeks ahead of schedule. “As grim anniversary nears,” the Chronicle of Higher Education began its coverage in late July, and Inside Higher Ed also emphasized “the approaching … Continue reading “The University of Virginia in an Uproar Again—Over a Single Faculty Hire”
‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas Aug 15, 2018
The latest racket in higher education, evident at my alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, is the disturbing proliferation of “social justice” as a degree program, a course topic, an academic emphasis, and even as a prerequisite in campus job descriptions. “Social justice” is a seemingly innocuous term with no established definition. Many … Continue reading “‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas”
The New Racism, Part II: The Sociologist’s Toolkit: Justifying Racism Through Language Aug 3, 2018
Editor’s note: Part I of The New Racism can be read here. The best way to grasp how sociology has managed to make color-blind racism (CBR) seem believable is to study its Newspeak (to continue the Orwell theme). Whiteness To many modern sociologists, color blindness is a racist weapon that works, somehow, through whiteness, a … Continue reading “The New Racism, Part II: The Sociologist’s Toolkit: Justifying Racism Through Language”

The University of Virginia in an Uproar Again—Over a Single Faculty Hire Aug 17, 2018
With the memory of last August’s violent alt-right protest and counter-protest still raw, the University of Virginia is again under siege. The new invasion actually began a few weeks ahead of schedule. “As grim anniversary nears,” the Chronicle of Higher Education began its coverage in late July, and Inside Higher Ed also emphasized “the approaching … Continue reading “The University of Virginia in an Uproar Again—Over a Single Faculty Hire”
‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas Aug 15, 2018
The latest racket in higher education, evident at my alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, is the disturbing proliferation of “social justice” as a degree program, a course topic, an academic emphasis, and even as a prerequisite in campus job descriptions. “Social justice” is a seemingly innocuous term with no established definition. Many … Continue reading “‘Social Justice’ is Overrunning the University of Texas”
University Foundations: A Convenient Way to Bypass Oversight Aug 13, 2018
As public institutions funded by taxpayers, state colleges and universities are limited in the kinds of commercial activity in which they can participate. This is particularly so when it comes to university land or property. However, through the use of institutionally affiliated—but still private—non-profit “foundations,” universities have found a convenient way to bypass these restrictions … Continue reading “University Foundations: A Convenient Way to Bypass Oversight”