Just a few short weeks ago, Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa once again rocked the world of American higher education with the publication of their new book, Aspiring Adults Adrift: Tentative Transitions of College Graduates. Their study found that many of today’s college graduates were not provided with the tools and skills to transition smoothly […]
Read More
Posted by Michael Poliakoff and Avi Snyder It’s a sad day for Rutgers University. Amidst widespread student and faculty protests over her selection as Rutgers’ commencement speaker, Condoleezza Rice has turned down her invitation. In a statement, she said that her background in academia allows her to “understand and embrace the purpose of the commencement ceremony”; to that end, she […]
Read More
Our best public universities have spotty records in teaching such subjects as U.S.history, science and writing, and are having a persistent problem with grade inflation, according to a new report from the organization I work for, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). Our report, Getting What You Pay For?: A Look at America’s […]
Read More
Minding the Campus’s recent symposium on the liberal arts’ troubles was enlightening and timely. Many of the contributors offered stirring defenses of a classical, liberal arts education that emphasized the indispensability of the humanities to pursuing a rich and vibrant intellectual life. I’d like to add several points to the discussion. Symposium contributors properly shared […]
Read More
It’s an old canard that Asian students outperform Americans on international tests of math, science, and reading skills because their schools emphasize rote memorization. In contrast, American schools are said to foster creative thinking, which supposedly leads to better problem-solving skills. However, new research upends this narrative. The New York Times reports that while American […]
Read More
Rutgers’s faculty and campus newspaper are offering one final lesson for its seniors: don’t engage with opposing views. On the recommendation of its Board of Governors, New Jersey’s flagship public university has invited Condoleezza Rice to address the graduating class of 2014. Dr. Rice, of course, is both an accomplished scholar and dedicated public servant. […]
Read More