This is another item that I am re-posting from Futility Closet (www.futilitycloset.com). It is re-posted with the permission of Greg Ross, who maintains the site. You can have daily updates from the site delivered to your e-mail each morning. ______________ The Rhinoceros Party of Canada claimed to have an appropriate mascot, as politicians by nature…
In a well-meaning article for The New York Times, Wharton professor Adam Grant proposes trifurcating tenure, slashing it apart, essentially, in order to save it. He ends by writing: Dividing tenure tracks may be what economists call a Pareto improvement: It benefits one group without hurting another. Let’s reserve teaching for professors with the relevant passion…
Testimony of Rudy Fichtenbaum, Ph.D. President of the American Association of University Professors Before the House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee Representative Su Ryden, Chair February 3, 2014 Good morning Chair Ryden, Vice Chair Salazar, Minority Caucus Chair Conti and distinguished Committee members. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify before your…
I have looked carefully at the backgrounds of the President’s two most recent nominees for upper-level positions related to higher education within the Department of Education. I have absolutely no personal animus against either of these nominees. In fact, they seem like well-intentioned individuals with a strong commitment to public service. But their backgrounds are…
An “On the Issues” Post from the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education [http://futureofhighered.org] _______________ In a recent article, Derek Bok, former President of Harvard University, pinpointed several misconceptions about higher education that are driving our national discussion and policy. He tackles, for instance, the almost exclusive emphasis on college as an agent of…
There has been a great deal of hand-wringing about the future of journalism in the U.S. Newspapers and general news magazines have been facing an ongoing financial crisis as their subscribers, and the majority of younger readers, look to digital sources for the news and as companies shift their advertising dollars from print media to…
We at StudentDebtCrisis.org have just launched a new petition on MoveOn.org. It’s in support of Rep. Frederica Wilson’s (D-FL) new bill, H.R. 3892 – The Student Borrowers’ Bill of Rights. Sign the petition here: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/restore-basic-consumer?source=c.url&r_by=5462310 The bill seeks to:
I subscribe to The Hill’s “Overnight” updates on more than a half-dozen areas of legislative concern. Last night’s updates were revealing in many respects. I’ll focus, in particular, on four of the updates. The “Energy” update described how a Senate committee is looking at the implications of the chemical spill that has affected the water…
Kurt Wimmer General Counsel Newspaper Association of America January 28, 2014 Chairman Goodlatte, Chairman Coble, Ranking Member Conyers, and members of the Subcommittee, good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to appear before you to discuss the scope of “fair use” under the Copyright Act. My name is Kurt Wimmer. I am privileged…
The attempt to punish academic groups that support a boycott of Israel is growing beyond New York, with a bill introduced in the Maryland legislature. The AAUP quickly issued a statement condemning these bills: “Legislative interference in academic decision-making and with the freedom of scholars to associate and exchange views with their peers is even…