Let’s Improve Student Engagement
Undergraduate student engagement is on the decline. That’s according to the publishing and research firm Wiley, which, in February, released a “State of the Student” survey indicating that student engagement…
“Social-Emotional Learning” Is a Dangerous Fad
Last year’s “CRT” is this year’s “SEL.” For those normal folks who don’t obsessively follow education news, “social-emotional learning” (SEL) is the latest progressive fad in schools to ignite the…
The University of Chicago Isn’t Living Up to Its “Principles”
Much has been made of the “Chicago Principles,” formal statements by the University of Chicago concerning the institutional inclusion of opposing political viewpoints. Articulated in 2015, the principles seek to…
The General Assembly’s Long Higher-Ed Reach
Last week, the North Carolina General Assembly marked a special occasion: crossover. May 4, the official “crossover deadline,” was the last day on which bills could pass out of the…
Are English Departments Really Dying?
In an earlier millennium, yours truly undertook graduate studies in history and persisted a couple of years before getting cold feet. Some new PhDs could not find academic positions; some…
Restoring Real Debate on College Campuses
I don’t sleep much after chairing a Braver Angels college debate. There’s a surge of excitement that reverberates for hours after I guide the collision of highly charged, diverse viewpoints…
Higher Education and the Law of Diminishing Returns, Part II
Recently, I argued in a Martin Center article that the fourth year of study for the bachelor’s degree is probably relatively unproductive and that enormous resources could be saved by…
Accreditation Reform Is Alive in North Carolina
On April 10, three N.C. senators filed a bill to reform college and university accreditation in North Carolina. Though the bill was recently pulled from this week’s legislative calendar, its…
A Title VI Complaint at George Washington University
In early January, news broke of a Title VI discrimination complaint filed against the George Washington University on behalf of an anonymous Jewish student. The allegations within the complaint were…
Will UNC Libraries Toss Their Books?
If you’re of a certain vintage you might recall diminutive octogenarian Clara Peller barking the signature line on a Wendy’s commercial: “Where’s the beef?” And if you are in that…