[Xmca-l] Re: WaPo article on higher ed: "Elitists, crybabies and junky degrees"

[Alfredo Jornet Gil]

Thanks for passing this on, Annalisa. The text from the Washington post got to put me in a double bind situation: on the one hand, I felt glad that someone would fear that universities were actually teaching people "to become activists and basically go out in the world and cause trouble", which would seem like a great success to me, a promising and necessary one. On the other hand, when I read that those who hold that view also criticise universities for having become "elitist, politically correct institutions that often fail to provide practical skills for the job market," that universities are essentially disconnected from the local communities and their needs, I can't but see some true in that. The situation gets worse when I realise that, in fact, I am very uncertain about how far have come universities in helping people becoming 'activists', at least here on the other side of the Atlantic... 
Alfredo
________________________________________
From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu <xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu> on behalf of Annalisa Aguilar <annalisa@unm.edu>
Sent: 25 November 2017 23:38
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: [Xmca-l]   WaPo article on higher ed: "Elitists, crybabies and junky degrees"

Hi fellow Xmcats,


Saw this in the Washington Post. It's not a short read.


Basically encapsulates the conservative mentality that is shaping the future of US universities these days.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/<http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_rigged-college-131pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstor>
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_rigged-college-131pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstor>


<http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_rigged-college-131pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstor>

What safeguards are in place to secure liberal arts education? Why must everything be centered around creating revenue? Ugh.


There is also mention of a Pew study here:

http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2017/07/11101505/07-10-17-Institutions-release.pdf


(Though I figure that you likely have already seen it from last July, given how connected everyone is on this list! 😊)


And also mentioned: http://news.gallup.com/poll/216278/why-republicans-down-higher.aspx


If you haven't seen these, forewarned is forearmed? At least in terms of the soundbytes, you may want to get used to hearing them so the shock wears off and you can then get behind the mule and plow.


Just I thought I would pass this on.


Kind regards,


Annalisa