The Next UNC? Bucknell’s Late Arrival to the Civil Discourse Trend.
Higher education is trying to remedy political polarization using campus democracy and dialogue initiatives. When Bucknell University announced its new Initiative for Dialogue & Democracy, administrators pitched the effort as…
The SCiLL I Know
The School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL). At UNC, students hear this name in one of a few ways. One is “eww, that uber-conservative program that’s a waste of…
When Academics Deny Reality
You’ve no doubt heard the expression, “That’s an idea so ridiculous only an academic could believe it.” It kept coming to mind as I read Professor John Staddon’s new book…
Universities Must Police Foreign Influence
On June 5, the Qatar Foundation International (QFI) announced that, after almost two decades of pursuing its stated mission of advancing Arabic language and cultural education, it would begin winding…
The Future of Race-Based Scholarships in Higher Education
It’s now been three years since the United States Supreme Court declared that race may never be used as a “negative” or operate as a “stereotype” in higher education. While…
The New Feudalism
In 2009, an anonymous university support staff member wrote to C.K. Gunsalus—a prominent academic who specializes in the study of higher education administration—looking for advice and, frankly, a little bit…
Bans on “Divisive Concepts” Risk Stifling Speech
The growing (though not unanimous) acknowledgement that academia has lost public trust may be increasingly uncontroversial. But identifying remedies to repair that broken trust is proving to be much more…
Suicide on Sociology Row
No state matches Florida in higher education reform. Its landmark Senate Bill 266, passed during the 2023 legislative session, abolished DEI offices. It also requires general education reform in state…
Rewriting the Rules of Accreditation
Shortly before Donald Trump’s second inauguration, I summarized for the Martin Center the possible reforms to collegiate accreditation his administration might adopt. I divided these conservative reforms into three broad…
Harvard Medical School Tries Healing Itself
Harvard Medical School (HMS) has just released the Report of the HMS Open Inquiry Working Group, which contains detailed recommendations for restoring liberty to the school. These recommendations, if put into…