We are discussing Huemer’s argument against political authority, where political authority is the special right of government to command and coerce what other agent’s may not and the special duty to obey what government commands. A number of commentators here have responded to earlier parts of Huemer’s argument against political authority by citing benefits of […] … learn more→

The MOOA meme (“massively open online administration”) has been making its way around the interwebs for a few days now. It’s a hamfisted satire, basically saying that since college administrators all make the same decisions anyway, why not just replace them all with one? It’s a cute idea if you think that administration is mostly […] … learn more→

A disturbing 50 percent of doctoral students leave graduate school without finishing … learn more→

So many exciting and innovative efforts are under way to deliver the best educational value to as many students as possible. Since joining the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation a year ago, I’ve spent considerable time talking to college presidents, chancellors, faculty members, grantees, and other partners. We continually learn from higher education leaders and […] … learn more→

In recent years, enrollments in the humanities have plummeted. The evidence is everywhere: Last month, in The New York Times, Verlyn Klinkenborg noted \”the recent shift away from the humanities\” in an essay titled \”The Decline and Fall of the English Major.\” In his 2009 American Scholar essay, \”The Decline of the English Department,\” William […] … learn more→

Should ecosystems have legally enforceable rights? It might sound like a ridiculous idea, but a global debate on this is in full swing. The Constitution of Ecuador now recognises rights of nature. Environmental activists have called for a “United Natures” to replace the “United Nations”. And New Zealand has given “personhood” to the Whanganui River […] … learn more→

I submitted my thesis a while ago. I’m not telling you this to make you jealous, just more as a point of fact. It was a lovely excuse for a Monday afternoon drink with friends and colleagues. I felt pretty happy about it, and rather proud of the small bundle of bound copies that signify […] … learn more→

In the 1990s, the concept of “job sharing” was introduced to allow employees, an especially women with small children, to “share” the equivalent of a full-time position. Each of the employees receives a proportionate share of the salaries and benefits normally allocated for the position. On the plus side, studies have shown that the employees […] … learn more→