They Paid Thousands for a Caltech Boot Camp. Caltech Didn’t Teach It. – The New York Times (nytimes.com) I wrote the following in the comments. This started decades ago. By “this” I mean…Well, let one of America’s most revered observers of both America and higher education, explain it. “…advantage can still be taken of [students] […]
He sums up the problem as an inversion of authority: ‘The less wise, who are the students, rule over the more wise, the professors.’
June 1, 2024 by
This is quoted from an opinion piece in the WSJ. The essay focuses on the political orientation of universities, but for my purposes, I’m only interested in what 92 year old Prof. Mansfield has to say about the changes in higher education. If you read that section of the article, it’s clear that Prof. Mansfield […]
WSJ: Insight into High School
May 18, 2024 by
Here are some quotes. “He passed students so long as they tried, even if they hadn’t mastered the material. Now he teaches history…” [Oh good, just “try” at history, then go vote.] “One increasingly common approach is a minimum grade—often 50%—for each assignment, even if a student doesn’t turn it in.” “High-school grades have been […]
“Fake studies have flooded the publishers of top scientific journals, leading to thousands of retractions and millions of dollars in lost revenue. “
May 15, 2024 by
This from today’s WSJ article, Flood of Fake Science Forces Multiple Journal Closures – WSJ . That this is happening plays right into the grips of science deniers. That is bad news. In addition to keeping grifters out of education, we need to keep them out of science – or any legitimate intellectual endeavor. I […]
Excellent Quote From “How Fascism Works” by Yale Professor Jason Stanley
May 11, 2024 by
Intelligent debate is impossible without an education with access to different perspectives, a respect for expertise when one’s own knowledge gives out, and a rich enough language to precisely describe reality. When education, expertise, and linguistic distinctions are undermined, there remains only power and tribal identity. How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them
On Campus Protests
May 1, 2024 by
Other than higher education, I try to stay clear of expressing any political views on this blog. In this comment on the campus protests, I’m going to try to not take any political side while I am going to point out how the deplorable state of “higher” education is an important factor in producing the […]
Employers Less Likely to Hire From Ivy League Now Than Five Years Ago
April 29, 2024 by
“Some schools also seem confused about their fundamental academic mission.” David French, NY Times
April 28, 2024 by
Here is a link to his excellent piece. Opinion | How to Reboot Free Speech on Campus – The New York Times (nytimes.com) Here is part of the comment that I posted. No one could address the current problem better than did David Riesman, one of America’s most revered sociologists, when he wrote, in 1980, […]
Student Chimes in on How Hard Students Work – Good Read with Good Comments
Opinion | College students study plenty. What they need is more social life. – The Washington Post The title is misleading. It’s still a good view from a student. You can read my comment on the site.