The Limits of Re-imagining the University

Robert J. Sternberg is a well-known, much-honored and well-publicized psychology professor who over a long career has held a host of important administrative positions: president, provost, dean, and director. He served as president of the American Psychology Association, the Eastern Psychology Association, the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and the International Association…

Alumnihood and Community Colleges

My community college and our larger system recently embarked on an effort to strengthen relationships with alumni. It is an exciting endeavor. It is also very interesting effort, especially when we think about alumni organizations in comparison to what four-year institutions usually do. Alumni professionals report that graduates usually join alumni organizations for networking, for…

College to Work: Beyond the Skills Gap

One of the more heralded higher education books of the past few years, Beyond the Skills Gap: Preparing College Students for Life and Work is timely, relevant and most welcome. Kudos to Matthew Hora and his colleagues, Ross J. Benbow and Amanda K. Oleson, for looking beneath, behind, and beyond the sound bytes. Far too…

Men Without Work: An Army of Disengaged

If you work in the community college world, awareness of current economic statistics and trends is useful. In fact, if you work anywhere in higher education, familiarity with economic data is helpful. Higher education is directly and indirectly affected by economic trends. Enrollment has an inverse relationship with recessions and depressions. People go to college when they…

False Smiles: The Happiness Industry

Like a chipped tooth that you can’t leave alone, William Davies’ The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being provokes, rankles, and works its way into your thinking. No dry academic text, it’s lively, well-written, and a sprawling, expansive book. The arguments in The Happiness Industry have been kicking around in my head since…

Memoir or More: On Hillbilly Elegy

One of the most popular non-fiction books published in the last few years in J.D. Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. Readers across the political spectrum have praised it. Colleges are assigning it to entering students as the required “freshman read.” You’ll find it at airport bookstores. Ron Howard is…

Paths for Leadership in Higher Education

A recurring theme in higher education is the rise of the “nontraditional president.” We increasingly hear about politicians and businessmen –  they are usually men – who reach a point in their careers where they want to “give back.” A college presidency beckons. Their appointment is saddled with the allure of new ways of thinking,…