Few terms are as politically charged as “liberal” – worn proudly by those on the left and a sign of scorn for those on the right. Tossed around frequently without clarity or rigor, “liberal” has become of a catch-basin for various ideas, policies, and values. This is not unusual. I am trained as an historian…
Listening Closely: Andrew Solomon and the Search for Identity
Andrew Solomon is one of our foremost thinkers and writers. An accomplished author on topics that include politics, art, culture, mental health, among many, Solomon’s work regularly appears in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Artforum, and other publications. He has written several award-winning books, fiction and non-fiction. Solomon is active with PEN as President of the…
Charting Higher Ed from Higher Up
The rules for higher education are changing. Expectations are higher. Resources are scarcer. Higher education has never been more important to individual financial success; education has never been more roundly and consistently criticized. In this environment, it is hard to figure out what, exactly is going on and where things are headed. Working within higher…
Profiting From Inequality: Lower Ed
Tressie McMillan Cottom’s book, Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy is a powerful contribution to the scholarship of higher education. A sociology professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, Cottom explains why for-profit higher education is growing, why it is fundamentally flawed, and yet, in today’s economy, why for so many…
Haunting Composition
I love the idea of Stephen King teaching high school English. The very image makes me smile. Before King became a successful author, he taught at Hampden Academy in Hampden, Maine. King was there for two years, finishing up Carrie and writing to support his young family. Web accounts describe King as a good teacher. I…
Reading, Racism and the L
I wrote the following piece in late July. The violence and hatred from white supremacists over the past weekend at the University of Virginia makes it clear that the battle against racism has to be fought 24/7. We cannot avoid it if we want to live in a just society. Higher education has a great responsibility…
Persuading Students to Success
Institutions of higher education are structured environments designed to facilitate student learning. However, as any visitor on a college campus can attest, some academic environments seem much more structured and effective than others. Much depends upon the college, the space, and the activity taking place. Think about college tutoring center. Is it well-lit, easily located…