YAF’s Top Ten Academia Abuses of 2008
posted at 8:41 am on December 15, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The end of the year approaches, and with it the inevitable list-building that sells millions of magazines and launches dozens of TV specials. Young Americas Foundation and Jason Mattera have a list that will recall the highs and lows of 2008 … well, really just the lows, at least on college campuses. Jason has compiled the top ten abuses in Academia of political correctness, and I participated in one, at least in the end:
2. Transgendered activists in, pro-life speakers out. Liberal administrators at the University of St. Thomas, a Catholic institution in Minnesota, censored the appearance of prominent pro-life speaker Star Parker because campus officials felt “uncomfortable” and “disturbed” by previous conservative speakers at the school. The University’s mission statement claims it values “the pursuit of truth,” “diversity,” and “meaningful dialogue.” Except, not really—or better yet, as long as the said “pursuit” doesn’t offend leftist predilections. Meanwhile, within the past year, the same school hosted Al Franken, the bombastic liberal comedian, and Debra Davis, a transgendered activist who believes God is a black lesbian. Realizing they had a public relations disaster on their hands, the head honchos at St. Thomas eventually reversed the ban on Star Parker.
When Parker got banned from St. Thomas, I referred to the school as “the Zimbabwe of American higher education.” I attended Parker’s speech at the University of Minnesota and live-blogged it. By that time, St. Thomas had already reversed their decision under pressure from students and Catholics who expressed amazement that a pro-life speaker could get banned for her beliefs at a Catholic university. (And as an aside, bravo to the University of Minnesota for welcoming Parker.)
Jason and I agree that the only one that topped this incident was the the Yuba College decree that free speech could only take place on its campus for an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and only in the theater. But there are plenty more to enrage and amuse readers, including the recent story of a kindergarten class forbidden to make Pilgrim and Indian costumes for Thanksgiving, and the false accusations of racism against environmental activists protesting the construction of a new athletics facility. Just be sure to wear your ugly sweaters while wondering why Christmas is so threatening to Florida Gulf Coast University, and mull over the purpose of transgendered guest speakers at West Point.
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if Piazza has accidently waked to on a Professor and Student having sex in a Professors office – that probably would have been ok with him.
Tommy_G on December 15, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Real freedom of speech is where there is equal oportunity to state your case, which should be covered under their Freedom 101 class….????
DL13 on December 15, 2008 at 8:50 AM
Cute stories.
crr6 on December 15, 2008 at 8:53 AM
School administrations may discriminate heavily against certain types of activists…but anyone who’s actually sat in on an undergrad lecture in the last few years knows that indoctrination is far from academia’s #1 problem…its apathy. Any sort of message goes in one ear and out the other…be that transgender rights or pro life messages. Seriously, knowing the apathetic and complacent nature of college students these days, i wouldnt worry.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 8:54 AM
I can remember when America was a free country.
petefrt on December 15, 2008 at 8:56 AM
Academic “freedom” of “speech” certainly has its limits.
During the recent election campaign ANY criticism of Obama’s policy positions was met with admonishments from several teachers at my daughter’s college…”You can’t say that, it is racist!” was the usual retort.
When a Catholic college allows free rein for any liberal and leftist viewpoint, but silences any dissent…being anti-abortion, for example…then we have NO academic standards of so-called “free speech.”
Another generation of liberal lemmings in progress as this sort of academic mindset continues. Next? English 101 replaced with NewSpeak 101?
coldwarrior on December 15, 2008 at 8:57 AM
Yep.
crr6 on December 15, 2008 at 8:58 AM
What???
jgapinoy on December 15, 2008 at 9:01 AM
How do you know? I thought it was don’t-ask-don’t-tell.
jgapinoy on December 15, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Can I homecollege my children?
pannw on December 15, 2008 at 9:09 AM
I don’t know what you’re basing your view on, but as a college professor, I disagree. I concur that apathy and complacency are widespread among youth, but they are listening, and are rewarded for embracing the political views of their professors. I have heard enough discussion by my students of what is taking place in other classes to know that academic leftists (for the most part, a redundancy) are hell-bent on bending as many young minds to their wills as possible.
Do not underestimate the danger of what is occurring on many–quite probably the majority–of campuses across the country. And, do not forget that these graduates are becoming teachers who are subjecting K-12 students to their toxic ideas.
DrMagnolias on December 15, 2008 at 9:10 AM
These true/false questions were on MTSU’s American Media final exam:
-
People who watch cable news are not well informed.
People who listen to NPR are well informed.
-
Guess how the professor wanted them answered?
Akzed on December 15, 2008 at 9:12 AM
“Freedom of speech” = Speech liberals approve.
It’ ain’t really free, ya know.
drjohn on December 15, 2008 at 9:15 AM
“Present.”
Josiah on December 15, 2008 at 9:17 AM
Freedom 101 has since been replaced on College Campuses with Queer Theory 101: Wearing Stilletos for Metrosexual Enlightenment.
BKennedy on December 15, 2008 at 9:24 AM
Well I can’t argue with your experiences…but i stand by the fact that regardless of what message is being sent, 99% of the students arent acting on it. If anything, the most activist students ive come across are found at small christian schools like concordia college going on and on about pro life matters. Sure you have crazy leftist professors that want their students to go on and on about BusHitler, but really, the students eating that up arent much of a danger. The number one issue, one that i think needs to be addressed way before the supposed “indoctrination” at our schools (which i dont buy, being a public university student in NYC currently) is apathy. They barely vote, they can’t point to idaho or iraq on a map, and we give a crap if they think bush is hitler?
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 9:29 AM
We disagree about indoctrination and whether it is taking place. I do agree with you that students consistently fail to vote (not a bad thing, considering their gross ignorance), and I share your concern about their apathy, particularly if you are discussing their apathy toward acquiring anything resembling knowledge. I am concerned, however, that these apathetic ignoramuses will participate in our electoral process just enough to vote for all sorts of goodies someone else will be expected to provide them. I am also concerned that what little “education” they do absorb will convince them that socialism is a great system, it just hasn’t been tried right yet, and that everyone in the world is really just swell but misunderstood. They will doom the United States, if that hasn’t happened already (sorry for the gloom–as I write this, I’m taking a break from submitting grades).
DrMagnolias on December 15, 2008 at 9:40 AM
Im all too familiar with that gloom, my girlfriend’s a teacher. I can’t be in the same room when shes grading or i’m liable to piss her off by breathing or looking at her the wrong way. But with regards to the whole indoctrination thing, it just seems a tad overblown…i mean, im in classes right now, ive taken islamic studies courses with lebanese activists who obviously doesnt appreciate zionists…but its an islamic studies course for christ sake, not a zionism 101 course. I’ve yet to really have a die hard socialist try telling me that we need socialism in the US…maybe in grad school they get that brazen but in my experiences its been at most a kind of rewarding students for certain answers in class type of deal…not one in which the classes are leaving with the manifesto in hand.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 9:44 AM
Yes, actually.
Aronne on December 15, 2008 at 9:49 AM
If I was fed the socialist, global warming, che cr@p foisted upon them I’d be apathetic too (I was an undergrad in the 70s).
ex-Democrat on December 15, 2008 at 9:53 AM
Th PC movement threatens to smother and choke out all dissent like ideological kudzu.
whitetop on December 15, 2008 at 9:55 AM
College for home schoolers:
Patrick Henry College (Virginia)
ex-Democrat on December 15, 2008 at 9:55 AM
As an current undergrad at an NYC public school…i’ve never once been fed any socialist, global warming, or che crap any more than ive been fed that teachers unions are the saving grace of mankind and that tuition must be lower…its a low level din of nonsense that most students just sorta waft through on their way to asking out that cute guy/girl in english class.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 9:56 AM
+1!
Nah, only his preferred POTUS candidate can vote present. His students are forced to lie to pass his tests. This is known by liberals as integrity.
Akzed on December 15, 2008 at 10:00 AM
I find your posts quite heartening. It should mean that those students will have at least a chance to make their own minds up when they finally become fully functioning adults.
OldEnglish on December 15, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Well the question remains, will they ever become fully functioning adults. Sometimes id rather they cared deeply about socialism than only caring about booze.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 10:03 AM
You don’t have to ask… you can tell.
nolapol on December 15, 2008 at 10:13 AM
A question, if I may. During their more lucid moments, how affected are your fellow students by the PC doctrine of academia?
OldEnglish on December 15, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Wow! The fascist dorm indoctrination program at the University of Delaware didn’t even make the top ten? Things are pretty bad.
progressoverpeace on December 15, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Well if theres one thing im fairly certain my age group ISNT…its PC. But again, i go to a university thats 20th in the world in size (3rd largest in the country) with no dorms…so its not the cultural environment you’d find at say…UCal or even the ivies. But i will say that the largest contingent of socially active students in my experience, outside of the pro lifers at concordia and iona and fordham, are the hispanics who see things like gentrification as evil. If anything, the white man riching up spanish harlem and the south bronx is the number one thing the real looney toons characters tend to harp on about. other than that…its booze and sex.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 10:22 AM
“ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 10:03 AM”
The problem starts before college. The less we challenge children in K through 12, the less they care.
NotCoach on December 15, 2008 at 10:22 AM
One of these days the sheltered academics will be pulled kicking and screaming from their ivory towers into the real world.
TooTall on December 15, 2008 at 10:27 AM
I totally agree…my girlfriend teaches the 7th grade and I’ve seen the curriculum…its pretty shocking. There are even some real new age schools that dont do “memorization” in their school…so if a teacher wants to…you know…teach their kids the multiplication tables…shes gotta close the door and make sure the kids dont tell their parents. One parent actually went back to the teacher and said “if i wanted my kid to memorize, id send her to public school”…::sigh::
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Thanks, ernesto, I appreciate your reply. There’s hope yet.
OldEnglish on December 15, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Might I suggest the Mao method for this task.
Laura in Maryland on December 15, 2008 at 10:43 AM
How insecure must liberals be in their beliefs that they can’t stand dissenting voices?
Paul-Cincy on December 15, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Acedemia itself is the abuse.
notagool on December 15, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Great post and comments. My crystal ball sees Nancy Pelosi sponsoring an Academia
SuppressionFreedom of Speech Act that would make George Orwell proud.Mark30339 on December 15, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Hopefully the students will rise up against the Left-Wing Establishment, kind of like the Hippies did against the establishment during the 60’s, and demand truth, freedom and equality for all. The pendulum is due to swing in the oposite direction….
New slogan ideas:
Do not trust any Left Wing elitist!
Power to the Hard Working and Successful!
Truth and Integrity over Lies and Slime!
Down with the “Filtered Man’s Thinkers” of the Left.
What if they had Money Redistribution and nobody came?
DL13 on December 15, 2008 at 11:29 AM
If your kids aren’t smart enough to make decisions for themselves and are influenced by Academia’s bias, then college might be a pointless venture because your kid doesn’t possess the basic critical thinking skills required for life, let alone college.
LevStrauss on December 15, 2008 at 11:43 AM
I think that explains your experience. Colleges with a lot of commuters (in your college that would be everyone, I guess), tend to not have a lot of activism in general, and the people tend to be more apathetic as well. They tend to see school as just something to get through rather than an experience to enjoy. There’s no real loyalty to the school and no real reason to stay on campus after class.
I went to both types, and the one with dorms had far more leftist activism (and it was a Baptist college). The teachers were also heavy on the indoctrination, almost as if they just wanted to rebel against the socially conservative nature of the school.
Because eventually most of them will vote even if they never grow out of what was fed to them in college. In fact, most college grads vote Democrat. I’d guess this stuff might have something to do with that.
Esthier on December 15, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Well then I guess the closed off communities of dorm schools breed more of that looney toons stuff…but really, even if one were to insist that real indoctrination is going on…how to remedy it? Instill an academic fairness doctrine? As it stands there are no clearly defined consequences or solutions to the current state of affairs. What to do then?
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 11:58 AM
godless cretins
kirkill on December 15, 2008 at 12:01 PM
The purpose of college is to develop an intellectual and philosophical framework through which to judge what we encounter. Your idea seems contradictory to the nature of the student/professor relationship, in which professors are reasonably expected to know more than students. Students should not have to sort through what information is good or bad from someone whose role is present the truth as best he can.
DrMagnolias on December 15, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Good question. I’ve long thought that just exposing them would be enough, but here we are one documentary and several articles later and no progress.
A fairness doctrine shouldn’t be necessary. I think teachers should be able to express their opinions and don’t really cross the line until they expect their students to regurgitate their opinions.
So then what? Maybe another version of the ACLU would be helpful, one that specifically focuses on students and helps them when they’re threatened with legal action or expulsion and one that aims to inform students of their rights.
If gross suspensions of First Amendment freedoms are met with appropriate legal action (and possibly a loss of federal funding), maybe schools will begin to see that suppressing free speech isn’t lucrative.
Esthier on December 15, 2008 at 12:16 PM
The BSL department at USMA is known for being the touchie feely-ist. I’m curious as for what specific class…the person was speaking to.
BohicaTwentyTwo on December 15, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Not being able to point to Idaho is not apathy. It is ignorance. Why didn’t anyone ever teach you that Idaho and Iraq are capitalized?
What clear thinking person wants college kids to vote? We can just be thankful that so few do.
snaggletoothie on December 15, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Thats just the thing…those sorts of scenarios are so very rare. Theres a difference between some faculty council that has control over guest lecturers being pains the in the neck and only inviting hard lefties and some activist student getting expelled. Im positive all students can go into a classroom an express an opinion without being expelled. Even if that opinion is “gays are immoral and going to hell.” In fact, were the class a religious studies course, that sort of statement would probably be encouraged, if for no other reason than a starting point for further discussion…but lets be clear here…there are no mass expulsions of conservative students going on in colleges across the nation…just lefty academics hoarding what little power over curriculum or scheduling they have left. If anything, support your local public university board of trustees…they’re almost always at odds with faculty…often over the same sorts of labor issues we find ourselves discussing here…let alone ideological differences.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 12:23 PM
I don’t know about that. Evan Maloney came up with plenty of examples, ones that were fairly egregious.
Without an organization keeping track of all of these abuses of power, how do we really know how common this is?
And I don’t doubt that most students can voice their opinions. I know that was my own case in college. However, I know students who were punished with bad grades if their opinion didn’t line up with the professors. Maloney even came up with a case where a student was expelled from school because of his opinion on a paper that was given an A-. He only got back in through legal intervention.
While I don’t want to claim all colleges are indoctrination camps, I think these offenses are more common than you believe them to be.
Esthier on December 15, 2008 at 12:44 PM
I’d call them chimps, since the behavioral patterns match.
Vashta.Nerada on December 15, 2008 at 12:48 PM
They may be…in that case we all need to brush up on our public systems. Who’s on the board of trustees, who are the faculty leaders, and how can we hold them accountable. I know in CUNY (where I attend college), the board and the unions are at odds so often the union protests at board meetings constantly. Luckily for us, the board meetings are televised, so we see just how uncooperative the unions really are. Ally with trustees…they’re there to represent the will of the community, not the faculty, and in systems like CUNY can throw out college presidents.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Spoken like a teacher who doesn’t want funding to go down. Those boards will get my support when they return results that deserve support.
snaggletoothie on December 15, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Dr-yes they have to. They will always have to. I have to.
I went to 3 colleges-Bellevue Community College in Bellevue, WA-I had no experiences one way or another with bias. I was well taught there.
UWYO in Laramie,WY-the geology dept. was safe from politics. We were interested in real science. We never discussed politics except one time Global Warming was brought up & many of the professors said “don’t you believe it”.
Dickinson State University, Dickinson,ND-this is where I first encountered liberal bias. Some moron professor from MN, I believe, delighted in calling me a “cow farmer” in his microbiology class. He blatantly would tell us how stupid farmers & ranchers were & how he wanted to infest all available farm & ranchland with prairie dogs so he could buy it up cheap. He treated us rural folks with contempt & disdain. Our opinions were uncouth & uneducated.
He teaches my daughter now & he is still a moron, according to her.
ernesto – the apathy problem is a cancer in this country. Apathy is the hidden “sin” of man. Remember the quote about how evil will prevail when good men stand about and do nothing?
America is approaching ruination bcs of apathy. Look at the voting turnout.
Young people need to be taught to care-by their parents.
We have given public school permission to feed our children in the morning, teach them starting at 3-4 yo, parent them in after-school programs-why would anyone need to be a parent to their children with stuff like this?
I am a rancher & a public school teacher. Even in rural ND PC is here-but not very bad.
We still have X-mas programs with baby Jesus & God in our songs. We have kids reading the bible for enjoyment on our reading days.
I pray we can continue this way.
Most of the kids I teach are skeptical of govt & I teach them in my science class how to disseminate all the info that’s coming at them. I teach them how to see what’s true & what’s not.
I am teaching them critical thinking skills, not just science facts.
That’s what people really need-critical thinking skills. These closely mirror common sense (which you can’t teach).
Badger40 on December 15, 2008 at 12:56 PM
You obviously arent familiar with the CUNY board, or with the fact ive been saying im an undergrad all day. And in terms of results…CUNY’s board has brought serious results to the city. Grades are up, graduation rates are up, retention is up, tuition is stable. Mind you, all the reforms that got us there were fought tooth and nail by the unions. I am the furthest from a supporter of teachers unions you will ever meet…its them and their cronyism, their me first attitude towards standards and funding that creates the most trouble for colleges, and that breeds the sort of mentality that leads to an overly leftist set of professors.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Certainly, and that’s great on a small level. Apathy has also led to these abuses. If more students and parents would address these issues head on, these incidents would be less likely to happen again.
I just don’t think that does much on a larger level, and I think the tendency of a person in a position of authority (especially over kids who are living on their own for the first time and really don’t yet know how to take care of themselves, for the most part) to abuse that authority is too common to be fixed that way.
Esthier on December 15, 2008 at 12:59 PM
I read it and it doesn’t surprise me, sorry to say. Parents home school your children and let them get their degrees from online colleges, just keep ‘em away from those wackos.
Done That on December 15, 2008 at 1:31 PM
This is a basic function necessary for living, let alone learning. Do you assume that the MSM is giving you 100% unaduterated truth? If students cannot sort good information from bad, then they have no critical thinking skills and should not bother going to college. This is part of the problem, now the bad apples aren’t getting weeded out in the college acceptance process because the Feds give out loans to anyone with a pulse and the colleges want that cash to expand their campuses. Too many idiots are going to college is the problem, not that those idiots cannot think for themselves and might be influenced by professors.
LevStrauss on December 15, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Also this is foreign to me since, on the question of politics and in a political science class, being that we saw differently I didn’t assume he knew more or I knew more. Then I debated him after class and realized that I was more up to snuff than him. These academia liberals are just like libs in big cities, they live around a single minded dominant ideology and they don’t work hard and learn and understand how to defend their views in a hostile environment. The best thing for conservatives is an academia that is a hostile environment because it makes you more agile against your foe.
LevStrauss on December 15, 2008 at 1:38 PM
You make some very good points. I agree that there are far too many students in college who do not belong, and that part of college is learning to think well and stand up for your ideas. Nevertheless, students should be able to count on their professors providing the best information possible, and much of the academy teaches what they wish were true (and, assuming you are not a college prof, let me tell you how dreadful the textbooks are–they are loaded with inaccuracies and simply bad information, because guess who writes them?) Most students simply don’t have the wherewithal (knowledge, time to verify virtually everything, etc.) to withstand a constant onslaught.
DrMagnolias on December 15, 2008 at 1:56 PM
My husband and I have been affiliated with 11 colleges and universities across the country, first as students, then (in my case) as a researcher, faculty member, and administrator. Based on those experiences, the thing that concerns me the most is not the hosting of politically-radical speakers or the handful of really leftist professors, it is the way that conservative viewpoints are simply dismissed and marginalized in Higher Ed.
With the exception of our time as students (where, admittedly, we were so focussed on getting degrees in the sciences that we would not have noticed much anyway), every place we’ve worked has been to some extent intolerant of conservative viewpoints. And, by “conservative” I just mean typical, run of the mill Republicans or conservative Democrats.
How this manifests itself at the faculty ranks is that faculty who are conservative generally remain in the closet, particularly before they get tenure but even after. The effect is that the majority of the faculty operate as if conservatives do not exist. If you assume that all educated/intelligent people are liberal, it will color the asides, examples, and jokes you use in your lectures; the things you say to alumni, prospective faculty, or visitors; and every other interaction you have with the community, students, administration, and colleagues. So the liberalism becomes magnified.
On top of that, since many faculty have a bit of a Peter Pan complex and they think that most students lean to the left, they are motivated to show how hip they are by expressing their political views openly in class and on campus. All semblance of decorum and professionalism are lost.
The sad thing is that most science and engineering faculty really would be able to focus on their disciplines and leave politics at home if they weren’t positively reinforced to join in on the conservative bashing and if they were required by the administration that they maintain a professional code of conduct at work. But they aren’t. The powerful university administrators — Deans, Provosts, Presidents — usually rise from the faculty ranks, often from the humanities, so they have the same bad professional habits as the faculty they are supposed to supervise.
So, now we’re experiencing a backlash, manifested in part by large segments of the public mistrusting all academics and their work. Whatever the weaknesses are with climate change research, for example, I am concerned that people want to eliminate all research in this area without understanding the benefits that it produces.
I’ve read here and elsewhere that people want reduce funding or not send their kids to college at all. If that happens, the folks who will be disproportionately affected are the science and engineering faculty and, ultimately, their students. Research programs will be cut off when the funding is cut and the faculty will take higher paying jobs in industry. (My lab, which was pretty small, had an annual budget of about $250K. I’m guessing a poetry professor can get by on about $10K a year for travel and publication costs.)
As a result, our kids will be taught by less-qualified people — folks who were probably good students, but who never made a discovery that lead to knowledge in the textbooks from which they are teaching our kids. And, a great deal of important basic research about how the world works will be left undone. I don’t see how that is good for our country.
Y-not on December 15, 2008 at 2:10 PM
This was my mother’s experience at law school. She told me professors would often come up and talk to her and her friends and talk as though they both agreed with him that Bush was horrible, etc.
Grades are subjective there, so none of them corrected the professors.
Esthier on December 15, 2008 at 2:31 PM
ernesto
Sorry for accusing you of being a teacher. But the results I want from the trustees are to allow free speech and a free exchange of ideas on their campuses. And that just is not happening in most schools in America. I suspect it would mean the end of tenure. That would be a hell of a fight. But worth it. If they don’t care enough to do what would make genuine education possible on their campuses they should resign and let someone who cares about education have the job.
snaggletoothie on December 15, 2008 at 3:15 PM
you a) overestimate the power of trustee boards and b) underestimate the power of the unions in these matters.
in all fairness the boards cant take ownership of the various departments and mandate school activities/lecture schedules. you are simply asking too much.
what i suggested was that people understand their systems better…find out what they are and arent capable of, and work to those ends. not set some ultimatum that isnt achievable…even if you packed the board with people who “care about education” which i assure you these people do.
People who get into education on the non-union, administrative side ARE the ones who care about education…but look what they’re up against.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 3:48 PM
How this manifests itself at the faculty ranks is that faculty who are conservative generally remain in the closet, particularly before they get tenure but even after. The effect is that the majority of the faculty operate as if conservatives do not exist. If you assume that all educated/intelligent people are liberal, it will color the asides, examples, and jokes you use in your lectures; the things you say to alumni, prospective faculty, or visitors; and every other interaction you have with the community, students, administration, and colleagues. So the liberalism becomes magnified.
This was my mother’s experience at law school. She told me professors would often come up and talk to her and her friends and talk as though they both agreed with him that Bush was horrible, etc.
Grades are subjective there, so none of them corrected the professors.
Esthier on December 15, 2008 at 2:31 PM
BINGO. That describes law school for me for three years. I used to say a conservative going to law school is like an atheist join the priesthood. You tell the others “I’m not down with socialism and liberalism” and they respond “then why are you here?”
Saltyron on December 15, 2008 at 3:48 PM
You’ve raised good points.
In my experience, Trustees are very powerful when it comes to allocation of resources (ie: they usually sign off on capital/building projects, major faculty appointments, and good trustees are major donors to the institution). Trustees are actually officers of the university (ie: they are accountable for the overall health of the institution), but they generally do not get involved in academic matters.
The challenge is coming to an agreement about what is an academic matter and what is something that extends beyond that (such as things that would damage the institution’s reputation).
In terms of unions, they are still (thankfully) pretty rare. Of the 11 institutions in my personal experience, only a couple had unions and those were for service and clerical workers, not the faculty and professional staff who really hold the power.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done to break down the barriers that separate from the academics from the “real world.” A good board of trustees partnered with a strong university president can do a lot, particularly if the institution is in a fundraising campaign. When a university is in campaign the professional staff are actively engaging alumni and the community — and teaching the faculty to do the same — so the institution is postured to “listen” and more open to change. But, rank and file faculty lead most of their professional lives without thinking about these things and, in fairness to them, they are not judged on how effectively they work with the community. That needs to change, but in a way that does not lead to a deterioration in the quality of their scholarship and teaching.
Y-not on December 15, 2008 at 4:10 PM
Well here in NY, we have the “Professional Staff Congress.” To them everything is an academic matter…but the board fights them day in and day out. Lately by appealing directly to student councils they’ve been able to disarm some tactics used by the unions. Im sure there are student governments out there who arent happy that well to do students are being harassed over opinions…and when spoken to like adults those student councils can be vital allies in fighting overbearing faculty and department chairs. This is a fight, however, that must go on at the local level…know your trustees, know your faculty leaders, know your student leaders, know your budget process and give a damn about your state’s public university system.
ernesto on December 15, 2008 at 4:35 PM
I think the whole thing could be solved if part of the resume for college professors is 10 years in a business/profession/ etc where you have run a business, had to pay taxes for an employee etc. I say business, but it could be any profession.
The big problem with professors is they go through elementary, jr hi, high school, undergrad, graduate, and phd non stop and have never worked in the real world. Same with some of our congress people.
My husband teaches in a University and the number one comment by his students is “it’s nice to have a professor who has been out in the real world and knows what he’s talking about.”
Bambi on December 15, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Investigate this organization. I donate to it regularly and receive its newsletter. They do not email me with a lot of spam. It is a great organization and they are doing a great job blocking the indoctrination of our college students. They stand up for 1st Amendment rights and really take it to colleges and universities.
http://www.thefire.org/
Neocon Peg on December 16, 2008 at 9:19 AM
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