Topic: Governance

University Foundations: A Convenient Way to Bypass Oversight

Aug 13, 2018 · · No Comments on University Foundations: A Convenient Way to Bypass Oversight

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”

The McAdams Case Ends in Victory for Contractual Rights and Academic Freedom

Aug 8, 2018 · · No Comments on The McAdams Case Ends in Victory for Contractual Rights and Academic Freedom

At last, McAdams v. Marquette University is over, and the outcome is heartening for Americans who cherish free speech and adherence to contracts. Conversely, it has those who believe that speech that ofends any politically correct sensibilities must be punished gnashing their teeth. The Martin Center has been covering this case since it broke nearly … Continue reading “The McAdams Case Ends in Victory for Contractual Rights and Academic Freedom”

The New Racism, Part II: The Sociologist’s Toolkit: Justifying Racism Through Language

Aug 3, 2018 · · No Comments on The New Racism, Part II: The Sociologist’s Toolkit: Justifying Racism Through Language

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”

UNC Faculty Teaching Loads Report Is Insufficient for Making Policy

Jul 30, 2018 · · No Comments on UNC Faculty Teaching Loads Report Is Insufficient for Making Policy

Reliable information is a prerequisite for good management. How can you make intelligent decisions if you are basing them on shaky information? This has been an ongoing problem for the University of North Carolina system, in which many high-level decisions are made by a governing board composed of part-time members. The main problem is that … Continue reading “UNC Faculty Teaching Loads Report Is Insufficient for Making Policy”

After Janus: Vindication and Hope

Jul 25, 2018 · · No Comments on After Janus: Vindication and Hope

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”

A Monumental Question

Jul 23, 2018 · · No Comments on A Monumental Question

Today’s radical left has embarked on a quest to purge college campuses of their controversial histories. These “social justice warriors” not only believe themselves licensed to tear down statues—they view it as their sacred duty to rid universities of monuments that do not meet their standards of political correctness. But merely removing statues they deem … Continue reading “A Monumental Question”

The State of Private Higher Ed in North Carolina

Jul 15, 2018 · · No Comments on The State of Private Higher Ed in North Carolina

Private colleges and universities face challenges distinct from their public counterparts. For one, unlike public institutions, they are not the recipients of generous state funding. Instead, they rely heavily on revenue generated from tuition—as well as on the generous support of donors. Such a reliance on tuition revenue puts private institutions in a vulnerable position—especially … Continue reading “The State of Private Higher Ed in North Carolina”

College Students’ Disability Claims Show Unintended Consequences of ADA

Jul 13, 2018 · · No Comments on College Students’ Disability Claims Show Unintended Consequences of ADA

Twentieth-century American sociologist Robert Merton popularized a term that is now a part of our everyday vocabulary. “The Law of Unintended Consequences,” often cited but rarely defined, posits that actions of people—and most especially of government—always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended. Since our government is prolific at enacting sweeping legislation, there are countless … Continue reading “College Students’ Disability Claims Show Unintended Consequences of ADA”

The New Head of the Office for Civil Rights Charts a Very Different Course

Jul 11, 2018 · · No Comments on The New Head of the Office for Civil Rights Charts a Very Different Course

Last month, the Senate voted to confirm Kenneth L. Marcus as assistant secretary for civil rights in the Department of Education. The vote was 50-46, with not one Democrat supporting him—a point I will return to presently. In that position, he will head up the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This is the second … Continue reading “The New Head of the Office for Civil Rights Charts a Very Different Course”

A Worrisome Trend for Higher Education: Declining Enrollments

Jul 6, 2018 · · No Comments on A Worrisome Trend for Higher Education: Declining Enrollments

A specter is haunting higher education—the specter of declining enrollments. University and college enrollment has fallen nearly 9 percent since 2011, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, and no one is exactly sure why. The decrease is not that obvious yet because the decline follows many decades of tremendous growth in enrollment. On a website … Continue reading “A Worrisome Trend for Higher Education: Declining Enrollments”