Many commentators on what is undermining higher education have focused on administrative bloat, on the increasing allocation of revenues to non-instructional or administrative positions. Some have pointed to the increasing exploitation of adjunct faculty at most institutions, citing the very minimal compensation, the non-existent benefits, the general lack of staff support, and the complete lack…
When they opened, American colleges and universities offered a classical curriculum drawn from older education practice that balanced the needs of an agricultural economy–often deeply religious–with a small commercial class. The Industrial Revolution transformed higher education in the 19th century. Education served new masters as the demands of a growing, industrializing economy forced it to…
According to World Net Daily, the Far-Right news source for those who find FOX News and American Spectator too moderate, Ted Nugent is considering a run for the Republican nomination in 2016. In a news item titled “Ted, White, and Blue: Nugent Eyes the White House,” World Net Daily cites an item that appeared originally…
They are right. All of them. We are in the midst of a dismantling of the United States as we have known it for nearly a century, a dismantling sparked by those with less interest in sharing the wealth than in amassing as much as they can for themselves—to hell with the rest of them.…
In 1989, Oliver Stone released his second Vietnam War film, Born on the Fourth of July. Based on the autobiography of Ron Kovic, it begins with his boyhood, with his being raised with very conventional notions of patriotism and duty. Following high school graduation, he enlists in the Marine Corps, and during two tours of duty…
Much attention has been paid to the ballooning accumulation of student debt and its short- and long-term impact on the U.S. economy. As a response to the Great Recession, most states dramatically reduced their subsidies supporting public colleges and universities over a series of annual budgets. In the last year or two, some states have…
The GOP-dominated Ohio legislature has included in the state budget bill a series of amendments that together constitute one of the most restrictive sets of laws on abortion in the nation. In doing so, the state GOP has been very true to its publicly proclaimed principles, at least in terms of its stance on abortion…
Henry Reichman, chair of the AAUP’s Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure, issued the following statement on July 1, 2013. On June 20, the University of Colorado Board of Regents voted unanimously to conduct a survey to determine whether political or ideological discrimination exists on its Boulder campus. The survey, to be conducted this…
This is a re-post from the “On the Issues” blog of the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education [http://futureofhighered.org/on-the-issues/] I encourage you to become more involved in this national advocacy group. ******************** It’s almost a truism in many places today that colleges and universities ought to be run more like businesses. But should they? …
In the 1990s, the concept of “job sharing” was introduced to allow employees, an especially women with small children, to “share” the equivalent of a full-time position. Each of the employees receives a proportionate share of the salaries and benefits normally allocated for the position. On the plus side, studies have shown that the employees…