John William Pope Center Guest Editorial
The university system in the United States has accomplished a great deal of good, but we believe that higher education in the United States, including North Carolina, has strayed from its chief goals of scholarly inquiry and responsible teaching.
All too often, universities allow teaching to become shallow and trendy, failing to challenge students intellectually and disparaging traditional principles of justice, ethics, and liberal education. Students know little about the history of their country or the institutions that led to this nation’s prosperity and liberty. Students can get by without taking rigorous courses, and non-academic activities overshadow scholarship. As a result, many college graduates have poor skills in computation, communication, and logical analysis. Faculty are allowed excessive latitude in what they teach and often get away with little teaching at all, because research is emphasized. Taxpayers as well as students and their families pay hefty prices to support a system that often appears to provide little educational value.
To address these and other problems, the Pope Center conducts studies in areas such as governance, curriculum, financing, access, accountability, faculty research, and administrative policies. We explore ways to increase the accountability of trustees, administrators, faculty, and students. And we engage in the broader dialogue about how to improve higher education around the nation.
In these endeavors, we are motivated by the principles that have traditionally guided public policy in the United States: limits on government; freedom to pursue goals through voluntary means, both for-profit and nonprofit; accountability through private property rights; and the belief that competition is an excellent regulating force.
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It happens at the end of every semester. As final grades are computed and entered, faculty all across the United States hear those inner demons talking. Some expound quite loudly; others merely whisper.
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It happens at the end of every semester. As final grades are computed and entered, faculty all across the United States hear those inner demons talking. Some expound quite loudly; others merely whisper.
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Growing up in the 1960s, Freeman Hrabowski was an unlikely candidate for protesting at a civil rights march. The chunky "nerd" - as he now describes his childhood demeanor - was more interested in solving math problems and eating M&Ms than in effecting social change.
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Growing up in the 1960s, Freeman Hrabowski was an unlikely candidate for protesting at a civil rights march. The chunky "nerd" - as he now describes his childhood demeanor - was more interested in solving math problems and eating M&Ms than in effecting social change.
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Thankfully, much is being made of Heather Mac Donald's recent piece, "The Humanities and Us," in the City Journal. She illustrates the decline of college English departments, where "gender, sexuality, race, and class" have taken over Chaucer, Milton, and Shakespeare. The radicals of the...
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Thankfully, much is being made of Heather Mac Donald's recent piece, "The Humanities and Us," in the City Journal. She illustrates the decline of college English departments, where "gender, sexuality, race, and class" have taken over Chaucer, Milton, and Shakespeare. The radicals of the...
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Please send money. Sadly, that is the message of "The Heart of the Matter," the 2013 paper published by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in defense of the humanities and social sciences. I read the report recently because it will be the subject of a public discussion at...
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Please send money. Sadly, that is the message of "The Heart of the Matter," the 2013 paper published by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in defense of the humanities and social sciences. I read the report recently because it will be the subject of a public discussion at...
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At first glance, Fayetteville State University may seem like a run-of-the-mill institution. Out of the sixteen UNC system schools, FSU's enrollment ranks twelfth, and among the system's five historically black schools, it ranks third. The average SAT score for entering freshmen (844) is the...
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At first glance, Fayetteville State University may seem like a run-of-the-mill institution. Out of the sixteen UNC system schools, FSU's enrollment ranks twelfth, and among the system's five historically black schools, it ranks third. The average SAT score for entering freshmen (844) is the...
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The political left never rests in its drive to transform the U.S. into a more statist, more collective society. Its adherents are always scanning the status quo for openings and vulnerabilities to exploit, and they tirelessly produce a wide array of initiatives to advance their cause. It is hard...
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The political left never rests in its drive to transform the U.S. into a more statist, more collective society. Its adherents are always scanning the status quo for openings and vulnerabilities to exploit, and they tirelessly produce a wide array of initiatives to advance their cause. It is hard...
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Bratwurst, Leica cameras, BMW automobiles, Beck's beer, and so on - great German imports to the U.S. Few people realize that our educational system was also imported from Germany. Unlike those fine products, however, the 19th century educational concepts we imported from Germany are not working...
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Bratwurst, Leica cameras, BMW automobiles, Beck's beer, and so on - great German imports to the U.S. Few people realize that our educational system was also imported from Germany. Unlike those fine products, however, the 19th century educational concepts we imported from Germany are not working...
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For those happy few who may be unfamiliar with the term "smart classroom," it refers to an ordinary teaching-space fitted out with a desktop PC and monitor, a document camera, a multi-discriminating disc-player for CDs, DVDs and BluRay discs; a high-fidelity stereo speaker system, a digital projecto
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For those happy few who may be unfamiliar with the term "smart classroom," it refers to an ordinary teaching-space fitted out with a desktop PC and monitor, a document camera, a multi-discriminating disc-player for CDs, DVDs and BluRay discs; a high-fidelity stereo speaker system, a digital projecto
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Before it became ensconced in academia, feminism had a point. By the 1960s, sex roles in the United States were changing; traditional roles had become outmoded and constricting. Laws, habits, and customs needed to be updated - and they were.
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Before it became ensconced in academia, feminism had a point. By the 1960s, sex roles in the United States were changing; traditional roles had become outmoded and constricting. Laws, habits, and customs needed to be updated - and they were.
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"Universities for a very long time have been based on trust." So said the provost of the University of North Carolina, commenting on a report that a course taken mostly by intercollegiate athletes had never actually met. Dozens of other courses may have been similarly fraudulent, and a criminal...
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"Universities for a very long time have been based on trust." So said the provost of the University of North Carolina, commenting on a report that a course taken mostly by intercollegiate athletes had never actually met. Dozens of other courses may have been similarly fraudulent, and a criminal...
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In 2009, the Pope Center produced a report on the UNC School of the Arts. The report's author, Max Borders, showed that on a per-student basis, UNCSA is North Carolina's most expensive publicly funded university. He concluded that, because of the expense and the school's uncertain economic...
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In 2009, the Pope Center produced a report on the UNC School of the Arts. The report's author, Max Borders, showed that on a per-student basis, UNCSA is North Carolina's most expensive publicly funded university. He concluded that, because of the expense and the school's uncertain economic...
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When I saw my acceptance letter from UCLA in 2004, I was overjoyed to find out that I was one of the chosen to attend an elite university, currently ranked 23rd among national universities by U.S. News. My hard work and dedication toward creating the perfect college application during my four...
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When I saw my acceptance letter from UCLA in 2004, I was overjoyed to find out that I was one of the chosen to attend an elite university, currently ranked 23rd among national universities by U.S. News. My hard work and dedication toward creating the perfect college application during my four...
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Law school enrollment is declining at a marked rate. New American Bar Association figures show that last fall's first-year law student enrollment was 24 percent below the all-time high registered in 2010. There hasn't been a smaller entering class since 1975. Slowly but surely, it seems, Americans a
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Law school enrollment is declining at a marked rate. New American Bar Association figures show that last fall's first-year law student enrollment was 24 percent below the all-time high registered in 2010. There hasn't been a smaller entering class since 1975. Slowly but surely, it seems, Americans a
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Last August, the Obama administration floated the idea of a federal college rating system. The basic idea is to reward colleges that score well in the metrics of the system by allowing students who enroll in them to receive larger Pell grants. Conversely, colleges that scored poorly would only be...
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Last August, the Obama administration floated the idea of a federal college rating system. The basic idea is to reward colleges that score well in the metrics of the system by allowing students who enroll in them to receive larger Pell grants. Conversely, colleges that scored poorly would only be...
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Technological change has made online coursework very competitive with the traditional means of teaching. Will it lead to dramatic change in college, or have only a minor impact? Consider the analogy to music.
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Technological change has made online coursework very competitive with the traditional means of teaching. Will it lead to dramatic change in college, or have only a minor impact? Consider the analogy to music.
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The Pope Center celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2013. Our organization was initially part of the John Locke Foundation, but became independent in 2003. One of our activities is researching problems in higher education and issuing findings and recommendations in major reports...
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The Pope Center celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2013. Our organization was initially part of the John Locke Foundation, but became independent in 2003. One of our activities is researching problems in higher education and issuing findings and recommendations in major reports...
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Until about five years ago, few people said much about America's federal student loan system. There was no talk of a "crisis," and discussions about change were pretty much limited to tinkering around the edges.
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Until about five years ago, few people said much about America's federal student loan system. There was no talk of a "crisis," and discussions about change were pretty much limited to tinkering around the edges.
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Perhaps the most glaring weakness among American college students is their writing. Many enter college lacking the ability to put together even a single good paragraph - and graduate without much improvement. It has been that way for a long time.
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Perhaps the most glaring weakness among American college students is their writing. Many enter college lacking the ability to put together even a single good paragraph - and graduate without much improvement. It has been that way for a long time.
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What high school curriculum best prepares a student for college? Which majors yield the highest-paying jobs? Does being held back in kindergarten ultimately help or hurt lifelong educational performance? A new data collection program may provide the necessary long-term information to...
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What high school curriculum best prepares a student for college? Which majors yield the highest-paying jobs? Does being held back in kindergarten ultimately help or hurt lifelong educational performance? A new data collection program may provide the necessary long-term information to...
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Big things were anticipated for higher education reform in 2013 - but the sizzle turned to fizzle in many cases. Landmark court decisions got pushed off for another year, bubbles didn't quite burst, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) did not take over vast swaths of the higher education...
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Big things were anticipated for higher education reform in 2013 - but the sizzle turned to fizzle in many cases. Landmark court decisions got pushed off for another year, bubbles didn't quite burst, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) did not take over vast swaths of the higher education...
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There has been tremendous buzz about online higher education in recent years, both from insiders and reformers. Much of it is deserved - obviously, there's a lot of new technology out there with great potential for teaching and learning. But there is also a lot of confusion.
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There has been tremendous buzz about online higher education in recent years, both from insiders and reformers. Much of it is deserved - obviously, there's a lot of new technology out there with great potential for teaching and learning. But there is also a lot of confusion.
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On an ordinary Monday morning in a graduate industrial engineering class at North Carolina State University, one would expect to hear talk about statistical analysis, linear programming, or maybe the outcome of the previous weekend's football game. In reality, it is nearly impossible to discern...
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On an ordinary Monday morning in a graduate industrial engineering class at North Carolina State University, one would expect to hear talk about statistical analysis, linear programming, or maybe the outcome of the previous weekend's football game. In reality, it is nearly impossible to discern...
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About 65 million years ago, the huge dinosaurs went extinct, but small, quick mammals that could adapt to the new environment thrived. And about 25 years ago, mammoth steel mills gave way to more efficient mini-mills.
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About 65 million years ago, the huge dinosaurs went extinct, but small, quick mammals that could adapt to the new environment thrived. And about 25 years ago, mammoth steel mills gave way to more efficient mini-mills.
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Every few years, The College Board releases a report entitled Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. It had not done so since 2010, until the latest version. These reports have a perfectly consistent message, namely that college education is all good. It...
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Every few years, The College Board releases a report entitled Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. It had not done so since 2010, until the latest version. These reports have a perfectly consistent message, namely that college education is all good. It...
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As a finance and economics professor, I often encounter students with scarce financial knowledge. While students finish high school well-versed in topics such as dangerous drugs and sex, often they know little about basic financial concepts such as compounding interest or the mechanics of the...
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As a finance and economics professor, I often encounter students with scarce financial knowledge. While students finish high school well-versed in topics such as dangerous drugs and sex, often they know little about basic financial concepts such as compounding interest or the mechanics of the...
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"Today an employer at a minimum wants [graduates with] job-related skills or training, plus critical thinking and communication abilities," wrote Champion Mitchell, a member of the University of North Carolina system's Board of Governors, in a recent Pope Center featured. Mitchell, a former...
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"Today an employer at a minimum wants [graduates with] job-related skills or training, plus critical thinking and communication abilities," wrote Champion Mitchell, a member of the University of North Carolina system's Board of Governors, in a recent Pope Center featured. Mitchell, a former...
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Suppose you sent your daughter to a music camp - an expensive camp lasting months. She had said that she wanted to learn the violin, so you bought a nice one and sent her off to camp. Upon her return, you ask how the camp was and she replies, "Great! We studied lots of stuff about music and the...
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Suppose you sent your daughter to a music camp - an expensive camp lasting months. She had said that she wanted to learn the violin, so you bought a nice one and sent her off to camp. Upon her return, you ask how the camp was and she replies, "Great! We studied lots of stuff about music and the...
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College degrees are not created equal. Would you buy your child just any old degree? A folk art and artisanry degree? A dance degree? A psychology degree?
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College degrees are not created equal. Would you buy your child just any old degree? A folk art and artisanry degree? A dance degree? A psychology degree?
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Madam Chair, Ranking Member Hinojosa, and Distinguished Members of this committee, thank you for this opportunity. The Pell grant program faces two serious problems today: its increasing cost to the taxpayer, and its failure to serve students well. The program is too expensive and too few...
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Madam Chair, Ranking Member Hinojosa, and Distinguished Members of this committee, thank you for this opportunity. The Pell grant program faces two serious problems today: its increasing cost to the taxpayer, and its failure to serve students well. The program is too expensive and too few...
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The Pope Center recently published a report on UNC-Chapel Hill's general education program - the "core curriculum" of non-major requirements that all students must complete in order to graduate. In our report, we analyzed the current system and then presented two alternative programs for general...
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The Pope Center recently published a report on UNC-Chapel Hill's general education program - the "core curriculum" of non-major requirements that all students must complete in order to graduate. In our report, we analyzed the current system and then presented two alternative programs for general...
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A recent New York Times piece caught my eye, as it hit upon a topic - alas! - so close to my heart. I'm talking about the enormous glut of people who have earned their PhDs. but cannot find secure, decent-paying academic work.
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A recent New York Times piece caught my eye, as it hit upon a topic - alas! - so close to my heart. I'm talking about the enormous glut of people who have earned their PhDs. but cannot find secure, decent-paying academic work.
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Although some young Americans graduate from high school with superb academic skills, a great many leave high school with pathetic abilities in crucial areas: reading, writing, basic math, and reasoning. One of the key reasons why that's so is that many of their teachers are not very good themselves.
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Although some young Americans graduate from high school with superb academic skills, a great many leave high school with pathetic abilities in crucial areas: reading, writing, basic math, and reasoning. One of the key reasons why that's so is that many of their teachers are not very good themselves.
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At Modesto Junior College on September 17, 2013, an ordinary thing happened on what, by all accounts, is an ordinary college campus. A student, Robert Van Tuinen, was told to stop handing out literature on campus in violation of campus rules.
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At Modesto Junior College on September 17, 2013, an ordinary thing happened on what, by all accounts, is an ordinary college campus. A student, Robert Van Tuinen, was told to stop handing out literature on campus in violation of campus rules.
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A battle over the North Carolina State Endowment Fund's right to sell its 123-square mile forest to an Illinois-based agribusiness firm appears to have ended. On Friday, a Wake County Superior Court judge ruled that the sale could proceed without an environmental impact statement, which a group...
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A battle over the North Carolina State Endowment Fund's right to sell its 123-square mile forest to an Illinois-based agribusiness firm appears to have ended. On Friday, a Wake County Superior Court judge ruled that the sale could proceed without an environmental impact statement, which a group...
