The Strange World of “Citational Justice”
The latest fresh hell is citational justice. Which is quotas for footnotes. Now we’re supposed to track the group identity of the authors we cite and make sure there are…
Undoing “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” Requires Alumni Effort
An historic battle is waging over the future of higher education in the U.S. And the stakes couldn’t be higher. The presenting issues are critical social justice theory and freedom…
How Our College Leaders “Cull the Herd”
Every so often, one of our college leaders blurts out the truth about their feelings and beliefs. In their public pronouncements, they always try to appear reasonable, when they’re actually…
Biden vs. Religious Freedom on Campus
Despite a couple of recent, high-profile legal victories for religious freedom, the Biden administration is not abandoning its attacks on faith-based organizations—including religious colleges and universities, as well as religious…
The True Story of UNC-Chapel Hill’s New School
Last month, UNC-Chapel Hill faculty penned an open letter airing criticism of both the North Carolina General Assembly and the UNC Board of Trustees. Among their complaints was the allegation…
A Collegiate Renaissance?
Intelligent observers of American higher education know that colleges generally are in great trouble: falling enrollments, declining public and political support, often dubious outcomes, and excessive tuition and other costs.…
A Donor-Intent Controversy at Middlebury College
An unusual donor-intent controversy at Middlebury College has sparked more than the typical public attention. In September 2021, college officials announced that they had removed the name of former Vermont…
“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…
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…