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Martin Center Staff

Articles by Martin Center Staff

Jun 16, 2005 ·

Grade Inflation at Ohio University

Over the past four decades, grade inflation has become a hallmark (pun intended) of American higher education. A significant body of literature now exists which suggests that grade inflation is a serious social problem; part of which Callahan calls The Cheating Culture. Nearly everyone involved in higher education is now complicit in grade inflation one way or another, including professors, administrators, governing boards (of trustees, regents, etc.), students, their parents and their envetual employers, politicos and the public they serve. The immorality of this complicity speaks for itself and does not bode well for America.

Jun 16, 2005 ·

Differences exist in House, Senate plans

RALEIGH – With House leaders approving its version of the $17 billion state budget early Thursday morning, members will now work towards ironing out the several differences that exist between the two documents.

Those differences also include funding for programs with the University of North Carolina system. House leaders approved a budget that cuts several proposed spending initiatives approved in the Senate budget, while also including new appropriations as well.

Jun 6, 2005 ·

Study: Gov. should select BOG members

RALEIGH – The governor should appoint members to the UNC Board of Governors, according to a report released Monday by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni and commissioned by the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy.

The independent study made five key recommendations to improving the Board of Governors with the gubernatorial appointment the most prominent of the recommendations. Other recommendations included retaining the Board of Governors, delegate more powers to the individual campuses’ board of trustees, ensure a more proactive Board of Governors, and reduce the board’s size from 32 to 15.

May 27, 2005 ·

Diversity Mania Gets More Costly

East Carolina University recently announced the hiring of a new administrator with the title Assistant to the Chancellor for Institutional Diversity. ECU’s choice, Sallye McKee, currently associate vice provost for urban and educational outreach at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, begins her duties at ECU July 1.

According to ECU, the Assistant to the Chancellor for Institutional Diversity “will play a principal role in crafting and articulating a vision of East Carolina University as a diverse and inclusive institution of higher learning.” More specifically, this administrator “will contribute to the institution’s diversity efforts through honest, open dialogue and collaborative networking with administrative, faculty, staff and student colleagues in the development and evaluation of campus diversity programs, policies, and practices.”

Apr 22, 2005 ·

Women’s groups against Title IX changes

CHAPEL HILL — A group of female college administrators has begun a grassroots effort to overturn a recent Title IX clarification that makes it easier for college and universities to comply with Title IX regulations regarding athletics.

According to NCAA News, the National Association of Collegiate Women’s Athletics Administrators has sent an email to its members asking them to contact their congressmen and other political leaders to get the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights decision overturned. The Women’s Sports Foundation is also joining in the effort.

Apr 21, 2005 ·

Community college audit released

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Community College System does not have supporting documentation “to ensure appropriate internal controls” are in place regarding the system’s College Data Accounting System Application, according to an audit released Wednesday by State Auditor Les Merritt.

A similar finding was found in last year’s audit. There were no financial statements in the audit.

Apr 20, 2005 ·

Audit: UNC-Chapel Hill has $2.2 billion in assets

CHAPEL HILL – UNC-Chapel Hill reported net assets for the 2004 fiscal year of $2.2 billion, an increase of $216 million, according to an audit recently released by State Auditor Les Merritt.

That same audit also cited reporting violations at UNC-Chapel Hill regarding the institution’s noncompliance with the state’s daily deposit and reporting law. In spite of these minor auditing violations, the report states that the school’s financial position “remained solid.”

“Management’s view is that the [u]niversity is well positioned to continue demonstrating excellence in teaching, discovery, and public service,” the audit states. “Management believes that, although national and [s]tate economic conditions have affected resources in prior years, fiscal year 2003-2004, demonstrated an improved fiscal condition.”

Mar 18, 2005 ·

Teaching – Or Thought Control?

Colleges and universities are supposed to teach students, opening their minds and getting them to think critically about the world around them. Often they do, but not always. A recent case is illustrative of the problem of thought control masquerading as education.

Mar 2, 2005 ·

Speaking a different language

After spending a prolonged period of time at the University of North Carolina, people often begin to speak a language different from that of the rest of the state. Many teachers and students use words in ways not prescribed by the dictionary. So, when a person that adheres to the Webster’s dictionary meets a “UNC-speaker,” the conversationalists often misunderstand each other and dialogue can become hostile.

The first problems with communication at UNC arise in the form of false-cognates; words that sound the same but have different meanings.