Cultural Representations of Higher Ed, No. 2 I am working backwards through this list. Here are films 301 to 350, which are, again, generally ridiculous. The first post in this series, covering films ranked 351 to 400 is available at: https://academeblog.org/2013/07/09/400-films-about-higher-education-or-at-least-set-on-campuses-351-400/ The rankings are my own and in most cases somewhat arbitrary: that is, these are…
The union movement in the United States may not have begun in the coal fields, but it arguably became a major force in the American economy, in American politics, and in the national life of the United States because of the stands taken by pro-union miners in coal fields from the Appalachian Mountains to the…
Cultural Representations of Higher Ed, No. 1 I am working backwards through this list. Here are films 351 to 400, which are generally ridiculous. The rankings are my own and in most cases somewhat arbitrary. The descriptions of many of the films are paraphrases of summaries found in a half-dozen print and online film guides.…
Late on the afternoon of July 3, as San Franciscans were preparing for a four-day holiday weekend, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, which accredits two-year institutions in California, dropped a bombshell. The commission announced that it was revoking its accreditation of City College…
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…