This post is an essay by Ethan Ris that was recently published in Law and Political Economy Project. Here's a link to the original. He makes a very important and often overlooked point about the nature of the American system of higher education. It is highly stratified into a dizzying array of tiers: private ranks above … Continue reading Ethan Ris: The Colleges Are Alright
This post is a piece that is included in my newish book, Being a Scholar: Reflections on Doctoral Study, Scholarly Writing, and Academic Life. In it I focus on an issue that I’ve been thinking about for quite a while: How to understand the core business model that governs American universities. The answer is in … Continue reading Universities Give Away Knowledge and Sell Degrees
This post is an essay by David Brooks that was published in the Times on Jun 6. Here's a link to the original. He's addressing an issue that I've been exploring in my blog over the last few years, the way in which US higher education flipped the class dynamic. Top universities used to be … Continue reading David Brooks: The Sins of the Educated Class
This post is an essay by Eliot Cohen, which was published recently in the Atlantic. Here's a link to the original. He's making the argument that universities have no business taking stands on major issues of public policy and international affairs that are outside the scope of their institutional domain. It's in line the Chicago position … Continue reading Eliot Cohen — The Great Academic Squirm
This post is Gary Smith's modest proposal on "How to fix college finances." His answer: "Eliminate faculty, then students." It appeared as a guest essay recently in the Washington Post. Here's a link to the original. Enjoy this ride into the wonderful world of Jonathan Swift. How to fix college finances? Eliminate faculty, then students. By Gary … Continue reading A Modest Proposal
This post is an essay by Sara Weissman that appeared recently in Inside Higher Ed. Here's a link to the original. The title tells the story: More than Half of 4-Year College Grads Are Underemployed. That means they are in jobs that don't require a college degree. More than half of recent four-year college graduates, 52 percent, … Continue reading Sara Weissman — More than Half of 4-Year College Grads Are Underemployed
This post is an essay by Matthew Levey about why we should eliminate the college admissions essay, which was published in The 74. Here's a link to the original. He recounts the sordid backstory of the admissions essay, which first arose in order to keep Jews out of Harvard and other elite schools. It's still serving … Continue reading Matthew Levey — Get Rid of the College Admissions Essay
This post is a recent essay by David Deming, an economist at the Harvard Kennedy Center and Education School, about the use of SAT and ACT scores in college admission. It appeared in Atlantic. Here's a link to the original. He says data show that using these scores benefit some disadvantaged students, who have a chance … Continue reading David Deming: The Worst Way to Do College Admissions
This post is an overview of the book I published last spring. It’s available on Amazon both as an e-book and a paperback. The title is Being a Scholar: Reflections on Doctoral Study, Scholarly Writing, and Academic Life. Below is the book’s introduction, which provides the rationale for the book and summarizes the eleven pieces that you will … Continue reading Being a Scholar
This post is an essay by Len Gutkin that was recently published in the Chronicle Review. Here's a link to the original. The essay does a great job of capturing the essence of a new form of discourse on American university campuses he calls the "hyperbolic style" -- which he characterizes as "breathless, declaratory, at … Continue reading Len Gutkin — The Hyperbolic Style in American Academe
David Labaree on Schooling, History, and Writing 