In Review: “The Breakdown of Higher Education”

[link removed][UNIQID]

CounterCurrent: Week of 4/19
In Review: The Breakdown of Higher Education

CounterCurrent is the National Association of Scholars’ weekly newsletter, bringing you the biggest issues in academia and our responses to them.
[link removed][UNIQID]
Category: Intellectual Diversity; Reading Time: ~2 minutes
------------------------------------------------------------


** Featured Article - Scholar Recommends Scorched Earth Strategy Against Higher Ed to Reform It by Jennifer Kabbany ([link removed][UNIQID])
------------------------------------------------------------

A substantial, ever-growing contingent of scholars and citizens both within and without the academy agree that American higher education is in dire need of reform. Colleges and universities are a far cry from what they once were: cultural cornerstones dedicated to promoting the disinterested pursuit of truth, teaching students the great ideas of human history, and instilling civic virtue. Compare that to now, where even the most prestigious schools have been all but completely overrun by institution-wide corruption and radical activists masquerading as educators.

This is not to look upon higher education of old through rose-colored glasses—all institutions suffer their fair share of vice. But it is to say that, by and large, academic virtue was the norm, not the exception. The opposite is true today. Many, including the NAS, have long since realized this and committed themselves to taking action. But what shape should reform take? What must be done to restore higher education to its former glory?

Dr. John Ellis offers answers to such questions in his forthcoming book, The Breakdown of Higher Education: How It Happened, the Damage It Does, and What Can Be Done ([link removed][UNIQID]) . Ellis serves as Chairman of the Board of the California Association of Scholars, one of NAS’s state affiliates, and is also Professor Emeritus of German Literature at UC Santa Cruz, where he has taught since the 1960s.

If there’s anyone who has intimately observed the evolution (read: devolution) of higher education over the last 50+ years, it’s John Ellis. Those dedicated to reform would do well to consider his recommendations. In this week’s featured article ([link removed][UNIQID]) , Jennifer Kabbany of The College Fix does just that through her review of the book. She describes Ellis’ approach as a “scorched earth” strategy, one that goes beyond other proposed solutions in scope and intensity.

Kabbany begins by highlighting Ellis’ seven “reform goals”:

restore ideological balance to faculty; remove radicals who pose as professors; allow viewpoint diversity; dismantle the campus diversity industrial complex; teach about the accomplishments of Western Civilization; fire cowardly administrators; and appoint trustees who act as watchdogs, not lapdogs.


In order to accomplish these, Ellis argues that “half-measures and calls for reason cannot obtain the necessary results.” It will not do, for example, to appoint a handful of conservative professors in order to try and “balance the ideological scales”—this will not get at the heart of the problem and will be ultimately ineffective.

Ellis contends that higher education “can no longer be reformed from within,” and that strong legislative action is necessary to accomplish true change. “They [legislators] must develop the political will to argue that universities are committing ‘fraud and embezzlement’ by promising to educate young minds and instead subsidizing radical-left politics. Then they must enact reform.”

Scorched earth indeed. We at the National Association of Scholars encourage you to give Ellis’ book a read and mull over his recommendations—they may in fact be what is needed to save higher education.

Until next week.

John David
Communications Associate
National Association of Scholars
Read More ([link removed][UNIQID])
For more on intellectual diversity in American higher ed:
[link removed][UNIQID]

March 23, 2020


** It’s Time To Afflict the Comfortable in Higher Ed ([link removed][UNIQID])
------------------------------------------------------------

David Randall

South Dakota is trying to ensure true intellectual diversity at its universities and colleges. Meanwhile, the guild strikes back.

[link removed][UNIQID]

March 02, 2020


** Arizona House Passes Intellectual Diversity Legislation ([link removed][UNIQID])
------------------------------------------------------------

NAS

HB 2238 passed in the Arizona House of Representatives after being introduced just three weeks prior. It is now the first campus intellectual diversity bill to advance in a state legislature.

[link removed][UNIQID]

January 17, 2020


** Bad Science Makes for Bad Government ([link removed][UNIQID])
------------------------------------------------------------

Mitchell Langbert and Sean Stevens

The overwhelming political homogeneity of faculty members has raised concerns that it may lead to questionable research practices, as well as lead to increased skepticism about higher education.

[link removed][UNIQID]

January 03, 2019


** "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" Statement for a Merit Raise ([link removed][UNIQID])
------------------------------------------------------------

Stephen Bainbridge

Professor Bainbridge is up for promotion, but first, he has to submit a statement on his contributions to UCLA's goals in "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion."


** About the NAS
------------------------------------------------------------
The National Association of Scholars, founded in 1987, emboldens reasoned scholarship and propels civil debate. We’re the leading organization of scholars and citizens committed to higher education as the catalyst of American freedom.

============================================================
Follow NAS on social media.
** Facebook ([link removed][UNIQID])
** Twitter ([link removed][UNIQID])
** YouTube ([link removed][UNIQID])
** Website ([link removed][UNIQID])
** Donate ([link removed][UNIQID])
| ** Join ([link removed][UNIQID])
| ** Renew ([link removed][UNIQID])
| ** Bookstore ([link removed][UNIQID])
Copyright © 2020 National Association of Scholars, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website, membership or donation forms, contact forms at events, or by signing open letters.

Our mailing address is:
National Association of Scholars
420 Madison Avenue
7th Floor
New York, NY 10017-2418
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.