Tenure and Technology at Work

I found this article on Inside Higher Ed just hours after completing the readings for our next class. I love when our resources connect in this way! The article is titled "Socratic Backfire" and is about faculty tenure, as its core, but the article also raises another really important point as well. The point that irritated me more than anything was about today's college students and how they learn.

In short, a business faculty member was let go from his position at a school in Utah. While people are let go from their positions all the time in this economy, the article describes that at the center of this issue, this faculty member had left a tenured position in Texas to take the job in Utah and for some reason that the article does not describe, he had expected to be awarded tenure within one year in Utah. Instead he was fired. He is currently employed at another school, but it paid less and is not on a tenure track. There is a lawsuit in motion. The article also does not describe why the faculty member decided to leave Texas for Utah originally, anyway.

Both the topics of technology and the academic profession from our readings are referenced as issues in this article. In our book chapter , it had been mentioned that fewer and fewer tenured positions exist and that most new faculty are brought on in a temporary or part-time basis. That trend could leave one to wonder if some institutions are looking for ways to not award tenure. Perhaps more schools are weighing student opinion heavier than peer opinion in tenure decisions? I am not really sure how I feel about tenure as general practice. On the macro level, I think it is becoming an antiquated process for today's world. How many people, regardless of profession, are really in a job or location very long these days? However, on the micro level- when I have a good faculty member, of course I would want him or her to be recognized and rewarded for their talents.

One of the issues raised in the article is teaching method. In the example of this professor, he was using the Socratic method of guided group discussion, calling on people to participate in discussion, and focusing on the process of learning as much if not more that the content of what was being learned. While he was not necessarily fired because he taught in this manner, the students did not respond well to this style and left bad evaluations, which led to the firing. So, certainly, it did contribute. I am bothered that today's students have not been brought up in an educational system that values this kind of learning. Instead, most of today's youth have been indoctrinated into a "teach to the test philosophy" by our education system.

From the earliest years of elementary schools, kids learn for the purpose of doing well on an exam. Teachers have been teaching for the purposes of having their class do well on various assessments. I cant say that I blame the teachers- they have been told that their jobs depend on student performance on these exams. The schools themselves are at risk of shutting down or reorganizing if the school does not perform. I have never been a fan of the CSAP's in Colorado for these reasons. When children are learning for the sake of getting a good grade on one exam or a certain score on a grade level assessment, it completely alters the students perception of the educational process. They are never encouraged to think about a problem and determine a solution; they are not encouraged to engage in discussion to evaluate all layers of an issue; they are not often permitted to formulate an opinion and share those opinions with others....they are not allowed to learn in a Socratic method. So, of course, when they get to college, they are going to be put-off or alarmed by this sudden change in teaching methodology.

So, while I do place blame in the hands of the public school system for this disconnect, I am also frustrated that students are so willing to just give up and complain rather than trying to explore something new. I am surprised that this was such a foreign concept to these students. I was in college, not too long ago, and I remember a large majority of my courses being instructed in this manner. The article does suggest that this is a more likely method in the Humanities and my degree was in history, so maybe that is why it seems so familiar at the undergraduate level.

As it relates to our article on technology, I wonder if students loose interest too easily when technology is not a tool used in the instruction? I am not one that needs technology to keep me engaged, but I am of a different generation that our traditional students. The article does not mention the age of this particular faculty member, but I do wonder if there is at least one or two generation gaps that makes him and the Socratic Method unrelatable to the students.

I hope there is more to this story...I just cant believe he was fired because of the Socratic Method!

Student Life Director Requires Fee to Interact with Student

Last week, the student life director at San Antonio College refused to grant an interview to the college’s student-run newspaper unless he was paid. The student reporter, Jolene Almendarez emailed Jorge Posadas, the student life director, to request an interview. The purpose of the interview was to learn about the student activities budget. Student fees fund the student activities budget and a committee disperses the money. Posadas chairs the committee that makes those decisions.

In a series of emails between Posadas and Almendarez, the student reporter tells the student life director that he is “inhibiting the learning process.” He tells the student he does not trust the newspaper to accurately represent him. Yet, Posadas is willing to be available should the newspaper decide to pay him. Posadas has since apologized, saying he was confused after being on vacation and being stressed by recent budget cuts.

The newspaper requires that students do interviews face-to-face to help the learning process. Posadas argues that “Face to face is not an accurate accountability measure, as it is one persons word against another a written statement is more accurate and fair.” He also told Almendarez that "It is not my role to be part of your course and serve as an interviewee. Since by doing so it is in an official capacity with repercussions I am not willing to accept.” The president of San Antonio College, Robert Zeigler, said “Generally, when our people get inquiries from the press, they are free to talk, but we ask them to give our public relations office a heads up so we will know what is going on,” Zeigler said. “I encourage people to talk to The Ranger when reporters ask questions.”

I can understand that Posadas may not want to be apart of too many class assignments. However, this situation seems to be different, as this is a student newspaper. Presumably, the purpose of this newspaper is to communicate important issues with students. Whatever you think about student newspapers and their audience, they do help to spread word about important issues on campus. In my undergraduate and masters programs, I regularly read the student newspaper. Thoughtful students always covered the most controversial issues on campus in great detail. This provided a lot of information that was not screened by the university public relations and media team.

In this case, the students may have wanted to know more about the student activities budget. As the university official in charge of the student activities budget, doesn’t Posadas have an obligation to students to be transparent about the budget? Posadas’ actions now seem to be an attempt to avoid accountability. I understand that he is probably very busy and concerned about other issues. However, this may have been worth his time. It is likely he has damaged his relationship with the newspaper and the student body.

Test Optional Admission Policy Improves Diversity

It was with little surprise that I read an article detailing the minute improvements in ACT scores among 2011 high school graduates from 2007. The data reported in the article explains why the majority of my advisees need remedial courses to prepare them for college level course work. Even more alarming to me was the increasing gap between the highest reported composite scores of the white and Asian test takers and the lowest composite scores of the Latin, African American, and Native American test takers. Although, it is worth noting that the 2011 ACT test takers included the greatest number of Latin and African American up to twenty-six percent in 2011 from nineteen percent in 2007. Overall, the overwhelming take away for me was that if the ACT scores are an accurate measurement of academic ability then it should come as no surprise that the need for remediation courses will continue to grow at community colleges. Furthermore, according to ACT results, the divide between racial groups in academic achievement is growing.

Among the data reported in the article was that only one in four ACT test takers in 2011, met the minimum benchmarks allegedly thought to demonstrate college readiness in English, math, reading, and science. I use the word alleged here because there seems to be a growing constituent of scholars who believe that the use of a standardized test such as the ACT is less than ideal in predicting a student’s ability to be successful in college level course work especially for minority, first-generation, low-income, and female students as reported by Fairtest.org. In fact, thirty-five out of the one hundred top rated national liberal arts colleges have joined the eight hundred and sixty undergraduate institutions to implement test-optional admission policies in an effort to attract a richer and more diverse student population. Rather than select and admit students based on standardized testing such as ACT scores, test optional institutions consider high school performance to be a stronger indicator of a student’s potential for success in college. I found this approach to be refreshing. It has been my impression that the standard mission statement of higher education institutions includes statements of diversity but it seems rare that policies and action truly reflect the expressed sentiments of desired diverse student bodies. Any action that can further promote and expand the richness and depth of a campus community is a step in the right direction for higher education.

Student Occupancy

If you know anything about them, you won’t be surprised that the students at Oberlin college are involved in the Wall Street occupy. The students’ comments were somewhat ho-hum. They express frustration at people taking advantage of free food, and frustrated at being stereotyped as an extreme liberal for their participation.

Here’s an interesting comment from a reader of the same article, “…I love those that take on over $100 grand in student loan debt because they want to work at a non-profit and complain they can't find a job that pays enough for them to repay their loans.”

Students can now protest without having to make the trip to the protest. Over 150 institutions have staged protests, and an online protest for professors is now available here. The protest, which as of this writing has almost 2,000 signatures (it’s goal is 1,000,000) reads:

“We, the undersigned college and university professors, stand in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movements in New York City, around the country, and around the world. We do so in the knowledge that the dramatic increases in poverty, joblessness and economic insecurity in our society are directly related to the extraordinary rise in inequality, particularly the wealth captured by the 1% of our population, which has deeply corrupted our political system. We stand united with the 99% to take back our economy and government from the 1%.”

The faculty have conveniently forgotten to address one of the occupy-ers main concerns: student debt.

I’m happy that students have found a meaningful way for them to make their voice heard. I’m also curious about the educational and developmental responsibility of administrators for our students. For students at Oberlin, tuition is $42,842, not including room, board, or books. I’m not saying everyone should have to go to a community college, but you sound a bit...what’s the word…spoiled, privileged, hypocritical… if you complain about student loan debt if you attend Oberlin.

Is there greed in Wall Street? I certainly think so. Is there greed on college campuses? Almost certainly. What is our ethical responsibility as administrators for what students we recruit to our campuses? Should we be recruiting students to be music teachers who will leave our campuses with tens of thousands of dollars in debt? How popular will you be in the admissions office if you work with a student to show them they actually can’t afford to go your school? What’s the responsibility of administrators who set goals for “another record freshmen enrollment!” I understand it’s not a fun conversation, but maybe we need to have an honest chat with students about how much debt they are incurring and how likely it is they will be able to pay it off.

Student loan debt has surpassed credit card debt. Education is an investment, so for that reason I think it often falls into a different category than credit card debt. Getting a degree isn’t the same kind of commodity as a TV. But, maybe we can still learn a lesson from Saturday Night Live – don’t buy stuff you cannot afford.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/1389/saturday-night-live-dont-buy-stuff

Halloween: Controversial culture event or just costume and candy fun?

With Monday being All Hallows Eve, also known asHalloween, controversy from various sources once again abounds.

There’s the tried and true religious debate over how to celebrate a holiday with origins as old as the Romans. Depending on your spiritual take, Halloween can be confusing enough as there are more than a few controversial discussions going around.

Specifically, the argument  this year against celebrating Halloween originates from, but is not limited to Evangelical Christians.
Some churches use the holiday to emphasis continuous faith in the circle of life by having a harvest festival. Other churches hope to scare people into being faithful by hosting ‘Hell Houses” which depict the sins of the world.
This year, even the Church of Latter-day Saints spoke up about the holiday in a public statement regarding an event filer specifying children who attend church related Halloween parties are not to wear masks or dress in the manner of anothergender.

That means any females who want to be Harry Potter, or any males who want to dress up like a mean mermaid from Pirates of the Caribbean 4 should not trick or treat at this event.

But this protest from Ohio University students is a new take on an old twist of Halloween controversy.

A student led, and University funded, group called Students Teaching Against Racism (STARS) has created a campaign through which they hope to educate others as to why certain costumes are culturally offensive.

As I peruse the posters in the campaign I understand the concern with at least two, probably three of the photographed outfits.  Frankly, there’s really never a good time to dress in blackface or as a suicide bomber.  Do I find all of them racist, as the group’s student president or advisor suggest? No. In particular, with the Geisha costume I question the inappropriateness as suggested by the students.   

In the spirit of the quote by Charles Caleb Colton, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”  I argue that culturally related costumes can compliment rather than offend, as the students here suggest.

I dressed as a Geisha one year, when James Clavell’s novel “Shogun” was made into a television mini-series. 

My costume was made from researching historically accurate Geisha customs. It provided me insight into the Japanese history, especially of their treatment and expectations of women during this time period.

Is it any different than people dressing as someone from a German-speaking country by wearing lederhosen or a dirndl? These are traditional, nationally respected costumes associated with a culture I consider important to my background.

I recognize the importance of understanding people as individuals and respecting, not oppressing their backgrounds and heritage. I further believe these students and others can be severely hurt by malicious stereotypes and I hope their voices have and will be heard.

However, I do not agree with schools across the country saying the best manner in which to share the message of “equity” in the educational system is to remove all possibility of discussion surrounding costumes and why and how we choose our Halloween alter-egos. In doing this, we remove all opportunity for creative and intellectual development, not only for students but for us all.