By Geoffrey Pullum. People whose experience of Spain goes back many decades tell me that Bilbao was once a nondescript little steel town on a polluted river, best driven past and avoided on your way to somewhere nicer. But today, as I stroll along the riverfront walk overlooked by the grandeur of the University of Deusto, and watch cormorants dive into the Nervion and come up with fresh white fish (river cleanups cannot be faked), it strikes me as one of the most attractive cities I’ve ever visited. More...
17 novembre 2015
A Postcard From Bilbao
Professorial Parlance
By Lucy Ferriss. Like my colleague Ben Yagoda, I was intrigued by Teddy Wayne’s recent New York Times article on modes of speaking, but for a different reason. More...
Why Embattled Leaders Should Be Stepping Up, Not Stepping Down
By Thomas R. Rochon. Ithaca College has been among the institutions roiled this fall by student protest on issues of diversity and inclusion. As has been true elsewhere, the immediate impetus for these protests has been concerns about racism and bias stemming from incidents that occurred on campus this year. More...What I'm Reading: ‘The Martian’
By Judith Sebesta. In this age of "disruption" and difficult balance between tradition and innovation in higher education, Andy Weir’s The Martian should inspire leaders of any college or university grappling with how to stay "alive" and relevant and able to meet the needs of 21st-century students. More...How Concerns Over Race and Casting Brought Down a Campus Play
By Kate Stoltzfus. One week before opening night, the students and crew in Clarion University of Pennsylvania’s production of Jesus in India received news no cast wants to hear: The show would not go on. More...We should make "going to college" be more like hiring a contractor
By Stuart M. Butler. Most proposals to improve access for low-income students focus on tweaking the financial aid system. But what's required instead is a complete overhaul of what we mean by "college." It's time for an entirely different business model, not just to get the cost down but to change fundamentally the way higher education is delivered. More...
Impact bonds for human capital investments
By . Greater investment in human capital is needed for economic and social reasons. We risk years of less-than-adequate productivity growth unless a way is found to boost skills. Prospects for social mobility are also closely tied to the acquisition of the skills and mindset needed to earn a middle class income and participate as informed citizens and effective parents. More...
16 novembre 2015
White British pupils least likely to go to university, says research
By Nadia Khomami. Indian and Chinese pupils more than twice as likely to go to university, reveals Institute for Fiscal Studies. More...
Academics: you are going to fail, so learn how to do it better
By Alexander Clark and Bailey Sousa. Failure is everywhere and nowhere for academics. Manuscripts and grant applications are written but rejected, career plans go awry, students struggle, interpersonal conflicts occur, job applications are unsuccessful. And yet our CVs, departments and conferences focus on success – making it appear constant and effortless for others. More...
We'll lose something vital if we stop debate on campus and beyond
By . It is vital that we remain exactly what we are: a tolerant society that makes no demand on us but to obey the rule of law. More...
