The Supreme Court’s ruling in Fisher v University of Texas, an affirmative action case the Court is currently deciding, will dictate whether public colleges’ and universities’ use of race to create diverse learning environments is constitutional. Sixty years ago, the University of Texas (UT) was at the center of another Supreme Court decision, Sweatt v […] … learn more→

At Western Michigan University, as at every North American college or university, faculty members are highly visible in classrooms, laboratories, performance spaces, meeting rooms, and departmental and college-wide administrative offices. They mentor students, engage in partnerships with a variety of industrial, charitable, and governmental organizations, and present their work at professional meetings. These activities form […] … learn more→

I’ve bemoaned what’s happened to mathematics in higher education quite a few times. “College” mathematics has been defined down, down, down, so that the material that is today taught in the 10th grade is also taught today in college, as College Algebra. The reason for this strange redefinition of terms is because administration has a […] … learn more→

Most colleges and universities are nearing the end of their fall terms.  Hence it’s time not only for final examinations but also for collecting student evaluations of teaching (SET).  Student ratings can be  high-stakes.  They’re used to evaluate teaching when faculty members are being considered for tenure or promotions.  They’re also employed in decisions as […] … learn more→

There is a fierce debate underway about the language of instruction at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Students protested throughout 2015 against the use of Afrikaans as the institution’s main language. This culminated in the university management deciding to adopt English as its primary language of instruction. The Afrikaans language is widely used: it is […] … learn more→

Students are walking out in protest against racial inequality and injustice in the US and have been rallying together in days of action at campuses across the country. The #StudentBlackout movement has challenged and confronted white supremacy and anti-black attitudes on university campuses, and has made demands for more black and minority ethnic faculty members. […] … learn more→

Do you remember when you signed up for that 90min HDR workshop, and 10 min before the workshop the following questions raced through you head: Should I go? Am I going to learn something that will progress my PhD? Can I afford to leave PhD land for whole 90 minutes? This post is for you, […] … learn more→

Morocco frequently turns to the courts when it doesn’t like what its critics have to say. The charges levelled against journalist and historian Professor Maati Monjib reinforce just how common this tendency, which emerged during the 1970s, is in Morocco. The State tries to quash critique among journalists and other public intellectuals by using the […] … learn more→

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, and his wife, Priscilla Chan, announced this week that they would give $45 billion of their Facebook stock to the Chan/Zuckerberg initiative. However, the move comes with a catch, because Chan/Zuckerberg is a limited liability corporation (LLC), not a foundation. That fact has led many to criticize the move, because […] … learn more→

Me, at graduation: “Hey, did you pass that graduating student?” Faculty: “Nope.” Me: “Weird. I know she failed my class. You and I are the only ones teaching the course she needs to pass. How did she do it?” Faculty: “I don’t ask questions.” —I was at a small school, which meant I knew most […] … learn more→