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 […]
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
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 […]
“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, […]
Beware Ivy League Advertisements
April 27, 2024 by
Opinion | What Students Read Before They Protest – The New York Times (nytimes.com) I commented as follows. Beware. First, a large proportion of Columbia’s undergraduates are engineering majors. They don’t have to take all the courses. Second, some of the core courses aren’t what you might expect. (For example, there is “Game of Thrones”: […]
Insightful Piece by George Will in the Washington Post.
April 26, 2024 by
Here is a link to it. Opinion | Campus pro-Palestinian protests sap universities’ prestige. Good. – The Washington Post Here is what I posted. This nation’s most admired observer of higher education (and a revered sociologist) saw what was happening as early as 1980. the “wants” of students to which competing institutions, departments, and individual […]
Very Funny Opinion Piece in Wash. Post
April 23, 2024 by
Opinion | A modest proposal to save higher education – The Washington Post Here is my comment (that a professor didn’t like.) Great Idea! They’re already off to a running start. They got rid of “students” (a quaint word that is so pre-1980’s) a long time ago and replaced them with “customers”. Oh, and “professors”? […]
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.