American Studies: A Sad Tale of Academic Decline
My academic field, American Studies, is the interdisciplinary study of American cultures, past and present. Once it was a vibrant and useful discipline. Today, I’m sad to report, it is…
Articles
Articles
Your Generosity Is Helping to Improve Higher Education
As each year comes to a close, I take some time to review what the Pope Center accomplished during the previous 52 weeks, to analyze what challenges we still face,…
Merry Christmas!
In his new video “Just Say ‘Merry Christmas,’” Dennis Prager argues that efforts to replace “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” are misguided. In the name of “inclusivity,” he says, we…
The Department of Education De-Accredits an Accreditor
The final year of the U.S. Department of Education in the Obama administration is noteworthy for all its carnage. In September, the large ITT Tech chain of schools, which had…
The “Snowflake” Generation: Real or Imagined?
When universities institute things such as “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings,” they often justify doing so in the name of protecting students’ mental health. Critics, on the other hand, argue…
Student Loan Forgiveness: Uncle Sam’s Generosity Will Cost Much More than Previously Estimated
When politicians and Education Department bureaucrats began designing policies to lessen college students’ federal loan burdens, they weren’t concerned much with the cost to the taxpayers. Their imperative was coming…
New Diversity Initiatives Hurt the University of Wisconsin’s Campus Climate
At the school where I taught for almost 35 years, the University of Wisconsin—Madison, campus leaders continue their rush to respond to the BlackOut demands put forth by black student…
The Higher Education Establishment’s Self-Interest Goes Unchecked—Again
Recently, a legislative proposal aimed at improving graduation rates at the University of North Carolina system’s 16 institutions was nixed due to vehement opposition from university leaders. In its place…
The Novel A Theory of Nothing Says Something
The college novel is a staple of Anglosphere literature; academia is an especially target-rich environment for social critics and satirists. Yet, the best-selling college novels usually aim at a relatively…
When a University Regent Tries to Blow the Whistle: The Wallace Hall Case
Like all public universities, the University of Texas has a governing body that is supposed to oversee its management—the Board of Regents. Trouble can arise when a member of such…