College

They still don't get it

Dave — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:29:43 -0400

In a pair of columns (here and here), Ashley Herzog describes a very interesting test that was presented to college students by the Young America's Foundation (yaf.org). They asked students what they thought of a policy that would distribute grades more evenly, taking points earned by strong students and giving them to other students that hadn't done as well. The response from the college students was near-universal opposition, even to the point of disbelief.

Herzog, herself a college student, then points out that while professors may expound on the virtues of socialism, that's not how they run their classrooms. Most, in fact, are rather pointed about the necessity to work and produce results in order to earn a good grade. Herzog challenges them to announce a grade redistribution scheme on the first day of class:

See how many students continue to show up to your pompously boring lectures about how America is a colonialist oppressor. See how many complete the assigned readings or study for tests. You’ll either have to force students to do those things—just as the Soviets had to force people to work on disastrously inefficient “collective farms”—or you’ll have to watch as your class deteriorates due to lack of productivity.

But, as the students themselves say, "Earning money is not the same as earning grades." Really? How? I'd like to ask a few questions of those who took YAF's test: Why bother to get good grades if the money you earn at your high-paying job is just going to someone who didn't do as well in college, or who didn't go to college at all? Are you working hard in college for yourself, or for the privilege of working later on for someone else? If the latter, what's the problem with giving up part of your grades now? Anybody? Come on, hands in the air, people!

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The logical conclusion

Dave — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:56:23 -0500

In this column, Burt Prelutsky discusses academia's latest offering upon the altar of Almighty Diversity. While reviewing the representation with America's collegiate student body of various demographic groups, someone has noticed that a particular segment of society was underrepresented -- specifically, poor people.

In his analysis, Prelutsky makes a few good points. He notes, for example, that one's focus on acquiring an education is not enhanced because of the pigmentation, or social status, of the student in the next desk. He also points out that since smart, poor kids are able to get financial aid through scholarships, the poor kids that the universities are likely to target are the dumb ones. It is this point that I would like to explore a bit further.

First, I want to define my terms. When I say, "dumb students," I'm not talking about "dumb" as defined as "99% of those who graduate from public high schools." Many, if not most, of those kids are merely "dumbed-down," and could have become intelligent, productive individuals had their educational needs been served properly during their formative years. I'm talking about the really, genuinely stupid folks, the ones who aren't capable of benefiting from any sort of education. I'm talking about the cretins who are destined to become our future janitors, ditch-diggers, cops, civil servants, and politicians.

Why would the admissions departments want to include only poor, dumb kids? Wouldn't the Gods of Diversity be better served if the "bona-fide, undeniably stupid" demographic were to be properly represented on America's campuses? I submit that admissions departments may very well come to this conclusion, and that members of this formerly underrepresented group may begin matriculating to an institute of higher learning near you.

Let's take it one step further, though. What is the likely outcome of this development? "Well, that's easy," you say. "These kids should never be admitted to college in the first place. They'll flunk out, and the campus will be left to the real students." Unfortunately, that's not what will happen. Something like this has already taken place, and the outcome was very different. Back in the sixties, universities began seeking out minority students from "disadvantaged" economic circumstances. Once they arrived on campus, it became apparent that the reason they hadn't been attending college before then wasn't that they couldn't afford it, but that they couldn't cut it academically. The universities at that time had the option of allowing them to flunk out and then, as quietly as possible, admitting that their little social experiment had been a failure. What they chose, instead, was to lower the standards required for a degree so that the new students could graduate along with everyone else.

You see, allowing the "dumb" ("academically challenged"? "differently intelligenced"?) students to flunk out would destroy all the wonderful, gooey feelings that had been engendered by their admittance. This is anathema to the Left. Their false sense of self esteem must be preserved, straight through to the moment when that precious diploma is deposited in their hands, and they can proudly proclaim to the world (assuming their linguistic abilities are up to it), "I am a college graduate."

Of course, no one will mention the side effect of this arrangement. Just like in the sixties, the only way to bring this about will be to lower the standards for achieving this degree -- to the point, finally, where even a literal moron can get one. The value of such a degree in the "real world" (to whatever extent that our world can be said to be one) will be precisely zero. Who would pay money in order to receive a worthless diploma? The universities will ultimately sacrifice themselves at the altar they hold in such high esteem.

Lest one fear that the leadership of these institutions will apply the same logic, and come to the same conclusions, and thus avoid the policy changes that will lead to their destruction, fear not. Logic is neither taught nor practiced in American universities these days, so there is little to no chance that their administrators will see their plight until it is upon them. Or even then, for that matter.

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Yet another avoidable massacre

Wayne — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:22:20 -0400

Vox makes some good points:

I have never understood why so many otherwise intelligent individuals have such a difficult time understanding the fact that, by definition, criminals pay no attention to the laws.

Ironically:

More than one year before today's unprecedented shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the state's General Assembly quashed a bill that would have given qualified college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus.

At the time, Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said he was happy to hear of the bill's defeat, according to the Roanoke Times.

"I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus," the Virginia Tech spokesman said.

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Naming evil

Dave — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:22:49 -0400

An administrator at Marquette University removed a quote that a graduate student had posted on his door. That's not news, nor is it the point of the post. Once he got wind of it, a journalist at the Miami Herald wrote a hilarious blog post that is a must-read.

In case anyone is curious, the quote was from humorist Dave Bary, and it read as follows:

As Americans we must always remember that we all have a common enemy, an enemy that is dangerous, powerful, and relentless. I refer, of course, to the federal government.

I can sure see why a university administrator would not want that posted on somebody's door.

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A sample Christian college

Wayne — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 11:16:42 -0500

Here is a summary of a student's conversation with a leading biologist at a Christian college. Be sure to query such "Christian" schools thoroughly before abandoning your children to them!

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