Category Archives: Current Events

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Justice Scalia doesn’t understand higher education

Justice Scalia is no stranger to controversy. One of the Supreme Court’s staunchest conservatives, Scalia has often raised the ire of those who disagree with his positions. During the second round of arguments on the Fisher affirmative action case, the conservative icon again courted controversy in his comments on minority students attending higher education. Justice Scalia doesn’t understand higher education as his comments during the hearing showed.

(Full Disclosure: I am a signatory on the Amici Curiae brief by social scientists supporting the University of Texas in the case)

Referring to one of the briefs in the case, Scalia said, “There are those who contend that it does not benefit African Americans to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less-advanced school, a slower-track school where they do well.”

He continued, “They come from lesser schools where they do no feel that they’re being pushed ahead in classes that are too fast for them.”

Simply put, Scalia is wrong.

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Time for research to study gun violence

Another day, another mass shooting. I don’t write that to be glib.  We’ve had 1,044 mass shootings in 1,066 days.  We are almost literally averaging a mass shooting per day in this country. Yet, despite this damaging statistic and an overwhelming majority in favor of strong gun control measures, we have been unable to enact any meaningful measures to try to reduce gun violence. I’m under no illusion that another mass shooting will lead to change (if killing our children in their classrooms didn’t motivate change, I’m not sure anything will). However, I do think there is one thing that we can do now to actually do something: it is time for research to study gun violence.

Memorial at Virginia Tech

By law, the federal government is essentially banned from studying gun violence.

Representative Jay Dickey led a legislative effort in 1996 to cut off funds for research that would infringe on Second Amendment rights.

(Former Rep. Dickey now says he regrets his role in stopping the research and advocates the Centers for Disease Control to study gun violence).

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The role of unresponsive governance structures in the crisis at the University of Missouri

Although not the only institution struggling with racial climate on campus, the University of Missouri has become ground zero for the fight to improve the experience of marginalized and underrepresented minority students on campus. Student protests including interrupting the Homecoming parade and a hunger strike by higher education graduate student Jonathan Butler came to a climax when the Mizzou football team announced they would not play or practice until the University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe resigned. Shortly and perhaps unsurprisingly with athletics taking the protests a more national stage, Wolfe resigned as well as Missouri-Columbia Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin. There are many different opinions on how the administrators, students, media, and faculty involved in the crisis have handled themselves. However, what seems clear to me is the role of unresponsive governance structures in the crisis at the University of Missouri.

Photo credit: Associated Press

The list of demands put forward by Concerned Student 1950 (the student protest group named after the year black students were first admitted to UM) is fundamentally a list of governance demands. The removal of President Wolfe, curricular changes to include racial awareness and inclusion, increase the percentage of black faculty and staff, a new strategic plan, and support for social justice centers on campus are all demands to change the governance and culture of campus.

The marginalization of students and faculty generally in shared governance and black students and faculty in particular only escalates problems with unresponsive governance structures.

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An Open Letter to Margaret Spellings

After a contentious and often fumbled search process, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors has named former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings as the next UNC system president. She follows President Tom Ross who was well liked within the university, but failed to make many friends among Republican leaders in Raleigh. I would have preferred a president with significant academic experience, but I also see Spellings in the mold of other nonacademic presidents particularly Erskine Bowles. Below is an open letter to Margaret Spellings with my recommendations for her upon taking over the system in March.

Photo Credit: The Associated Press
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What Paul Ryan’s demands can teach higher ed administrators

Although much of American politics today is frustrating and sad, I’ve been completely fascinated by the power transition occurring in the U.S. House of Representatives over the last few weeks. In particular, I have watched closely Paul Ryan’s role and change of position from I won’t run to I will if my demands are met. While I have fundamental political and policy disagreements with Representative Ryan, I have been quite impressed with how he has handled the situation roiling his caucus. In today’s post, I will share the four demands that Ryan had before agreeing to run for speaker and what Paul Ryan’s demands can teach higher ed administrators.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Almost immediately after John Boehner announced his resignation as speaker, Paul Ryan was suggested as a potential consensus candidate to bring together the Republican House caucus. Just as immediately, Ryan said he would not be a candidate. Over time, as no viable candidate came forward, Ryan softened his stance and said he would run if he could actually unify the party and if his conditions were met.

I found that situation remarkably similar to how many administrative positions in higher education are filled, particularly academic administration openings. Many faculty initially decline, but are eventually talked into accepting the post.