Elected university boards would likely only worse the situation in California.
I, too, taught at a university - adjunct, and for only 7 years in my case.
If Republicans get a majority in the Senate (likely, according to recent polls), and maintain the House, plus get the White House, the Congress needs to pass meaningful reforms along these lines:
1) No university, public nor private, that tolerates bigotry shall be eligible for ANY federal funds - no G.I. Bill, no research grants (DOE, HHS, Agrilcuture, etc.), no guaranteed student loans.
2) In order to be eligible for federal funding, universities must have mandatory classes in U.S. History, Literature, and Civics.
3) Any accrediting body found to be measuring universities on non-academic grounds (i.e., DEI, "commitments" to this or that ("environmental stewardship," etc.), shall not be a qualifying endorsement for federal funding. (I'm looking at you, WASC.)
4) No university that imposes an athletic fee on its student body to subsidize money-losing sports programs shall be eligible for federal funding.
5) No federal agency shall hire any graduate of any university found to be ineligible for federal funding.
I like the University model used by the provincial Universities of British Columbia: the “general education” requirements spanning several disciplines are to be fulfilled during g the Academic track in High School but once you are in a BC university you concentrate only on the courses related to your chosen specialization.
The High Schools have several tracks - forestry, theatrical arts, auto mechanics, agriculture are all vocational and meant to enable the graduating high school student to find employment upon graduation. Only the “academic” track can be used to quality for admittance to the three major Universities there: Simon Fraser U, UBC and U of. Victoria.
Fully agree with you that tenure, administrative bloat, and idle hands fossilize into place the lazy and incompetent while contributing to sky-high student debt (if you want something to grow, have the government subsidize or fund it), and stupid, infantile policies coming from where the sun don’t shine are de rigueur and flow accordingly.
Thank you Martin - you’re right about all of it. The pressure was overwhelming and waiting on the appeal is the next step.
Thanks for your wise words
Sarah
For an example of both administrative bloat and higher ed speak, I give you, from Leslie Webb: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2024/02/28/qa-u-montana-vp-campus-life-student-success
Elected university boards would likely only worse the situation in California.
I, too, taught at a university - adjunct, and for only 7 years in my case.
If Republicans get a majority in the Senate (likely, according to recent polls), and maintain the House, plus get the White House, the Congress needs to pass meaningful reforms along these lines:
1) No university, public nor private, that tolerates bigotry shall be eligible for ANY federal funds - no G.I. Bill, no research grants (DOE, HHS, Agrilcuture, etc.), no guaranteed student loans.
2) In order to be eligible for federal funding, universities must have mandatory classes in U.S. History, Literature, and Civics.
3) Any accrediting body found to be measuring universities on non-academic grounds (i.e., DEI, "commitments" to this or that ("environmental stewardship," etc.), shall not be a qualifying endorsement for federal funding. (I'm looking at you, WASC.)
4) No university that imposes an athletic fee on its student body to subsidize money-losing sports programs shall be eligible for federal funding.
5) No federal agency shall hire any graduate of any university found to be ineligible for federal funding.
I like the University model used by the provincial Universities of British Columbia: the “general education” requirements spanning several disciplines are to be fulfilled during g the Academic track in High School but once you are in a BC university you concentrate only on the courses related to your chosen specialization.
The High Schools have several tracks - forestry, theatrical arts, auto mechanics, agriculture are all vocational and meant to enable the graduating high school student to find employment upon graduation. Only the “academic” track can be used to quality for admittance to the three major Universities there: Simon Fraser U, UBC and U of. Victoria.
Fully agree with you that tenure, administrative bloat, and idle hands fossilize into place the lazy and incompetent while contributing to sky-high student debt (if you want something to grow, have the government subsidize or fund it), and stupid, infantile policies coming from where the sun don’t shine are de rigueur and flow accordingly.