An “On the Issues” Post from the Campaign for the future of Higher Education [http://futureofhighered.org] _______________ A recent report, “Separate & Unequal,” released by the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute, is introduced with a provocative statement: “The higher education system is more and more complicit as a passive agent in the systematic reproduction of white…
As the federal government has shut down because the President and the Senate Democrats would not accede to the demand by Tea-Party House Republicans that the Affordable Care Act be defunded on the eve of the enactment of its last major provisions, it is helpful, I think, to put this whole absurdly contrived melodrama into…
The purpose of the letters in this toolkit is to provide material that can be edited to be sent to listserves, to be posted on blogs or to be shared on social media sites, and to be submitted as op-eds to campus or community newspapers. Some of the letters may be too lengthy to be…
In New Ulm, Minnesota, a small town 85 miles southwest of Minneapolis, this Friday was supposed to be the opening night for a production of “Inherit the Wind,” the classic play written more than a half-century ago depicting a fictionalized version of the 1925 Scopes Monkey trial. Instead, the play has been shut down due to opposition…
Thanks to Aaron Barlow, Faculty Editor, and Academe for publishing this account of the early history of Writing Commons: “Open Textbook Publishing.” Academe. (Sept/Oct 2013): 40-43 < http://www.aaup.org/article/open-textbook-publishing#.UkXER1Oi9GY> Since this essay was printed, Writing Commons has continued to evolve. During September, traffic at Writing Commons hit new highs: over 194,870 users—i.e., 6495 visitors/day—visited 577,902 pages. Overall, the server logged 5,553,512 hits. It’s amazing to…
This is a guest post by Marjorie Heins, a contributor to the newest issue of the Journal of Academic Freedom. Professor Heins teaches “Censorship in American Culture and Law” at New York University and is a member of the AAUP’s Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure. In 2005, a coalition of Palestinian organizations issued a call…
All summer, various Far-Right organizations have been making money hand over fist by selling bumper stickers, t-shirts, coffee mugs, and all sorts of other paraphernalia usually associated with political campaigns but, in this instance, promoting three delusional political causes: (1) the impending impeachment of President Obama; (2) the impending confiscation of all guns from all…
This is a guest post by Jan Clausen, a co-contributor with Eva Swidler to the newest volume of the Journal of Academic Freedom. Professor Clausen teaches in the Goddard College Master of Fine Arts in Writing Program and serves as chair of the union bargaining team for the latest round of faculty contract negotiations. She is…
Freshmen move-in day is over. This year’s crop of students has begun classes. On college campuses, it’s already time to think about next year’s class. This means you. For prospective students, application season has begun. Here are some tips as you sit down and begin the application. Get started on them. Dream big dreams. Think…
What follows is an appeal from a coalition of diverse, progressive groups that are coming together to march for meaningful, bipartisan immigration reform. _________________________ On October 5, 2013 the broadest and most diverse movement, including our vast immigrant communities in America, as well as faith, labor, and civil rights groups, will join in marches and…