America's national obsession with raising our "educational attainment" level leads politicians and bureaucrats to focus on the silliest of things. Lately, that has been college accreditation.
Published: Monday, January 11th, 2016 @ 12:16 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
They say "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions," but that doesn't really describe the whole mechanism. The reason that good intentions can cause so many problems is because they lead to actions with unintended consequences.
Published: Wednesday, September 2nd, 2015 @ 3:46 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
About 25 years ago, American higher education was swept up in the identity studies fad. A great many colleges and universities created courses, departments, degree programs, and related administrative posts in Women's Studies, African-American Studies, Latina/o Studies, Queer Studies, and others.
Published: Sunday, April 19th, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
I'm writing this during a very cold, snowy day in central North Carolina, but will imagine that instead it's one of our summer heat waves. For several days in a row, the temperature has hit 99 degrees, and someone comments, "Well, this certainly ought to shut those global warming skeptics up!"
Published: Saturday, February 28th, 2015 @ 4:17 am
By: John William Pope Center
|
When we speak about "academic freedom" what, exactly, do we mean? How far should academic freedom extend? How do we know when someone claiming it has actually abused it?
Published: Monday, January 26th, 2015 @ 6:17 am
By: John William Pope Center
|
Veteran Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews writes mostly about K-12 education, but he is also interested in the results for students after they've graduated and enrolled in college. He's also a self-professed college football freak, looking forward to the first-ever playoff series for the...
Published: Friday, January 9th, 2015 @ 1:01 am
By: John William Pope Center
|
As 2015 approaches, we offer our hopes for higher education reform. Some changes will require action by university stakeholders, and others will require a "hands off" approach. Here's hoping that the new year brings improvement upon the status quo.
Published: Thursday, January 1st, 2015 @ 10:31 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
Perhaps you have noticed that many jobs requiring only basic skills and a cooperative attitude are now walled off to Americans who don't possess a college degree.
Published: Sunday, December 28th, 2014 @ 12:55 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
A persistent question about American higher education is what explains the apparent increase in demand for workers who have college credentials. It could be due to rising skill requirements for jobs, implying that the economy needs a larger number of people who have been through college...
Published: Monday, September 29th, 2014 @ 12:28 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
I have never known a book author to give a critical review an A grade, which would amount to saying, "Yes, my work was entirely off base." Professor Lazere writes that he would give my review only a "C" but I don't think his reply above shows my analysis to have been erroneous in any way...
Published: Tuesday, May 27th, 2014 @ 12:52 am
By: John William Pope Center
|
My thanks to George Leef for his April 23 review of my book Why Higher Education SHOULD Have a Leftist Bias. I brought the book to his attention with a copy of an open letter to the officials of several conservative scholarly organizations including the Pope Center, reiterating the appeal in my...
Published: Sunday, May 25th, 2014 @ 3:29 pm
By: John William Pope Center
|
Since the onset of the Great Recession in 2007, many American households and businesses have substantially reduced their indebtedness. That was a rational decision. A key cause of the boom that led to the bust was excessive leverage, itself a product of the Federal Reserve Board's easy-money..
Published: Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 @ 1:59 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
The cost of a college education is rising. That fact has led Robert Samuels, president of the University Council-American Federation of Teachers, to conclude that college should be free. To accomplish that goal, Samuels suggests that the federal government should pick up the tab for all higher...
Published: Tuesday, December 24th, 2013 @ 1:17 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|
It's not uncommon for university boosters to donate money or property to the alma mater. It would be wrong to assume that the schools always honor the donors' wishes.
Published: Sunday, March 18th, 2012 @ 12:02 pm
By: John Locke Foundation
|