Topic: Commentary
Happy Thanksgiving!
How Higher Education is Going to Change
Predictions that American higher education is on the verge of great change have been heard for quite a few years, but so far the system doesn’t look much different than it did twenty years ago. Perhaps the prognostications were wrong. I have never doubted that higher education was on an unsustainable path and after reading … Continue reading “How Higher Education is Going to Change”
Did You Know? Americans’ Views of College Professors
Americans’ trust in higher education is wavering. Back in 2018, a Pew Research Center survey found that about 61 percent of Americans think that the higher education system is going in the wrong direction. And a Gallup poll from the same year revealed that only 48 percent of Americans have a “great deal” or “quite … Continue reading “Did You Know? Americans’ Views of College Professors”
Getting Serious About a Parallel University System
We have reached a critical juncture in our nation’s history. As once hallowed institutions decay before our eyes, parallel structures struggle to arise. Cryptocurrencies, Fintechs, and private equity funds hedge against financial system collapse. Private security continues to grow in the face of police defunding crusades. And in K-12 education, charter, parochial, and private schools … Continue reading “Getting Serious About a Parallel University System”
Did You Know? Some UNC Institutions Are Inefficient
At the September meeting of the UNC Board of Governors, the Budget Committee received an important presentation: UNC System Workforce Trends Part II. The report included detailed data about the growth of university personnel expenditures compared to changes in enrollment and degree completion. Overall, the UNC System spent 18 percent more on salaries in FY … Continue reading “Did You Know? Some UNC Institutions Are Inefficient”
The “Permanent Crisis” of the Humanities
“Part of the story of why the humanities are always in crisis is that we have needed them to be in crisis.” This provocative declaration was made by Chad Wellmon, German studies and history professor at the University of Virginia, during a speech he gave on June 23, 2021, as part of a lecture series … Continue reading “The “Permanent Crisis” of the Humanities”
Letter to the Editor: Subjectivity of peer review
To the editor: Peer reviews are always suspect because the peers usually have have their own subjective opinions and are therefore inclined to bias. Review should only address factual integrity. Rockne Hughes Enid, Oklahoma
Did You Know? Student Math Grades Vary in UNC System
Entry-level math courses such as college algebra and introductory statistics are required in most universities, regardless of major. Math courses are required because they are a crucial part of every student’s education—even if a student is not majoring in mathematics or engineering. The skills and cognitive development acquired through math classes are essential to any … Continue reading “Did You Know? Student Math Grades Vary in UNC System”
Derek Bok’s Higher Expectations – Our Colleges Should Accomplish More
Former Harvard president Derek Bok has long lamented that our institutions of higher education largely underperform in their missions. He has now written another book making that argument. His Higher Expectations is a coolly rational analysis of what needs to be done to improve American undergraduate education. He uses as his frame a study by … Continue reading “Derek Bok’s Higher Expectations – Our Colleges Should Accomplish More”