In the US, most college courses are now taught by adjuncts: minimally paid “temporary” professors who will work at the same job for 15 years or more before realizing they’re being played for suckers. Now, yes, I know things are tough all over, and lots of people are struggling to get by on minimum wage […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Adjunct exploitation now in the UK
Do we need a Hippocratic oath for academics?
A fellow professor emailed me recently: “I’m scarred by a recent authorship dispute involving a very senior academic demanding to be added to a paper in which they had played no part,” the message read. “It got as far as two sets of lawyers before there was a back-down,” it continued. The story struck a […] … learn more→
A play-by-play of Charlotte School of Law’s closure -Pt 2
Earlier this month, Charlotte School of Law (CSL), a for-profit law school, finally shuttered its doors, leaving students with few options and tens of thousands of dollars in debt apiece. The closure came after months of the school’s tangling with its accreditor, the Department of Education, and the UNC Board of Governors, which grants its […] … learn more→
A play-by-play of Charlotte School of Law’s closure -Pt 1
Charlotte School of Law’s (CSL) closure could hardly have come as a shock to those watching closely, given that it spent most of the last year fighting for its life. But earlier this month, CSL’s license to operate was finally revoked and the school announced it would, at last, close its doors. From the top, […] … learn more→
The ridiculously high value of diversity
I’ve mentioned quite a few times the insanely high administrative pay of higher education. Even the most irrelevant Dean can now command a salary well past $100,000 a year, and this is all quite public information. It isn’t just the salary that is ridiculous, it’s the sheer number of administrators on campus now. If there’s […] … learn more→
The hidden costs of applying for postgraduate study
The benefits associated with postgraduate qualifications are becoming increasingly clear. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) statistics show that those with higher degrees have an income advantage over their first-degree-only compatriots in each country providing data. Research commissioned by the Sutton Trust suggests that in Britain, people with a postgraduate qualification can expect to earn on average 14 per cent […] … learn more→
Why you should blog during your PhD
This year, the PhD students of the Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics at KCL founded a collaborative PhD student blog. Here are a few of the reasons they feel writing and blogging in particular is a great opportunity for PhD students! You get to explain what you love to the public You got […] … learn more→
Can international education enhance graduate employment in China?
The rapid expansion of higher education in China has produced far more graduates than the labour market needs. Hence, graduate employment has become an increasingly challenging issue – not only from an economic but a social and political perspective. Without appropriate measures to handle graduate employment in mainland China, employment could become a serious problem […] … learn more→
As the Ivy League goes…so goes American Higher Education?
Brandon Busteed, the executive director for education and workforce development at Gallup, wrote a stimulating and thought provoking op ed earlier this month. The article’s title captured Busteed’s summary opinion: It’s Time for Elite Universities to Lead in Non-Elite Ways. Mr. Busteed argued that America’s colleges and universities have traditionally followed the lead of America’s […] … learn more→
Why white supremacists shouldn’t be banned
Today’s decision by the University of Florida to ban rental of space for an event by white supremacist Robert Spencer is a threat to free speech on campus, and the reasoning behind it poses a danger to a wide range of speech. University of Florida president W. Kent Fuchs justified his decision based on “continued […] … learn more→
