It's hard to believe September is already upon us. We hope you had a wonderful summer; in case you were too busy relaxing or taking kids to soccer camp, here for your perusal are some of NAS's top articles from June, July, and August.
June
Beach Books: What Do Colleges Want Students to Read Outside Class?
June 3
NAS presents a major study of colleges that assign a single book as summer reading to incoming freshmen.
June 8
A Chronicle article about the NAS's latest research report drew out the PC vigilantes. Peter Wood responds.
June 24
NAS director of communications spoke about the "Beach Books" study on freshman summer reading.
July
Dangers of Credentialing the College Degree: A Real-Life Example
Jason Fertig, July 1
An email exchange between a student and a professor illustrates the popular idea that students are entitled to get a passing grade - even if they don't earn one.
“They So Despise Her Politics” - Do Conservative Faculty Candidates Get a Fair Shake?
Peter Wood and Ashley Thorne, July 12
An unsuccessful faculty candidate for a position at the University of Iowa College of Law believes she was denied the appointment because of her politics.
The Illinois Railroad: Making Quick Work of a Catholic Prof
Peter Wood, July 16
U Illinois should restore Professor Howell to his classroom both for his own sake and for the quality of academic inquiry and classroom teaching throughout the university.
“Climategate”: A Different Perspective
Kerry Emanuel, July 19
An MIT professor of meteorology urges "Climategate" commentators to make a distinction between climate science and politicization.
Ideological Discrimination in Academe: The Burden of Proof
Steve Balch, July 19
NAS chairman Steve Balch argues that when it come to academic discrimination against conservatives, the burden of proof should be on those who contend it doesn't exist.
For Goodness Sake: Sustainability Ponders Ethics
Ashley Thorne, July 21
“Being sustainable has become more-or-less synonymous with being good,” two professors write. But even sustainability can be either virtuous or vulgar, depending on your motive.
Hamilton College to Prof. Paquette: Shut Up
Peter Wood, July 27
An academic official seeks to censor a
August
Peter Wood, Ashley Thorne, and Jason Fertig, August 6
Looking for awkward moments at freshman orientation this fall? Pick an identity: “The 60s Rabble Rouser,” “The Tolerance Enforcer,” “The Eco-Enthusiast,” “The Party-Don’t-Start-Till-I-Walk-In Dude/Chick” or “The I’m-Actually-Here-to-Learn Student.” Let us know how it goes.
Ashley Thorne, August 11
In a speech at the University of Texas this week, President Obama reminded the audience of his lofty - and contradictory - goals for higher education.
5 Consequences of Administrative Bloat
Ashley Thorne, August 18
What happens to higher education when universities are dominated by administrators?
Dictatorships and Double Standards, Part II
Robert L. Paquette, August 19
Professor Paquette responds to the controversy generated this summer after Hamilton College sought to censor his NAS article.
The Glut of Academic Publishing: A Call for a New Culture
Stanley W. Trimble, Wayne W. Grody, Bill McKelvey, and Mohamed Gad-el-Hak
This article will appear in the forthcoming fall issue of Academic Questions (vol. 23, no. 3). A short version of this paper appeared under the title “We Must Stop the Avalanche of Low-Quality Research” in the June 13, 2010 Chronicle of Higher Education.
Common Reading Controversy at Brooklyn College
Ashley Thorne, August 27
Is Brooklyn College using freshman reading for ideological goals?
