unbiased Archives — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

Losing Trust in Higher Education

Jan 15, 2014 · Harry Lewis · Comments Off

College leaders and professors who appear more interested in themselves than in education are doing great harm.

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”

Will Your College Degree be a Good Investment? Jan 12, 2022
From the 1960s until quite recently, the conventional wisdom in America was that going to college and earning a degree was a very good investment. The time and money that a student puts into it would be repaid very handsomely over his or her lifetime. College debt was called “good debt.” No need to worry … Continue reading “Will Your College Degree be a Good Investment?”
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”
Reform in 2022: Our Hopes for the New Year Dec 31, 2021
While the year 2021 wasn’t quite as tumultuous and unpredictable as 2020, the higher education landscape continues to look very different: overall enrollment continues to drop and countless institutions have issued vaccine mandates. At the same time, schools have become all the more emboldened in demanding ideological allegiance to the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” movement. … Continue reading “Reform in 2022: Our Hopes for the New Year”

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”
The Bell Tolls for Tenure? Jan 3, 2022
A bill making its way through the South Carolina legislature may have a tremendous impact on the state’s public higher education system. And if successful, it may prove as a model for other states looking to get a handle on their hard-to-control higher education systems. House Bill 4522—the “Cancelling Professor Tenure Act”—will end tenure for … Continue reading “The Bell Tolls for Tenure?”
Reform in 2022: Our Hopes for the New Year Dec 31, 2021
While the year 2021 wasn’t quite as tumultuous and unpredictable as 2020, the higher education landscape continues to look very different: overall enrollment continues to drop and countless institutions have issued vaccine mandates. At the same time, schools have become all the more emboldened in demanding ideological allegiance to the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” movement. … Continue reading “Reform in 2022: Our Hopes for the New Year”

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”
An Innovative Solution to the Failures of Peer Review Aug 13, 2021
Academics are growing wary of the peer review process amid mounting evidence that it is compromised by ideological biases and that it does not effectively or reliably ensure the quality of published research. Further, it is increasingly evident that the academic publishing industry’s primary reason for being is not to disseminate new knowledge to the … Continue reading “An Innovative Solution to the Failures of Peer Review”
How Can Professors Inspire Students to Want to Learn? Jun 23, 2021
COVID-19 has revolutionized how we think about online college teaching. Until last spring, two perspectives predominated. One argued that massively enrolled online classes presented by impressive teachers or prestigious universities would increase efficiency while preserving quality. The other worried about the quality of online classes, and that the gap between those able to afford in-person … Continue reading “How Can Professors Inspire Students to Want to Learn?”

“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”