Posted on 05/04/2015 8:26:09 AM PDT by Academiadotorg
For a quarter of a century, Republican presidential candidates have uttered variations of George H. W. Bush’s high pitched pledge: “I want to be the education president.” It has gotten them exactly nowhere.
So far, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is trying a different approach, one that dovetails interestingly with some surprising changes in how colleges run themselves. Simply put, Governor Walker urged universities in the badger state to teach more and spend less.
Now, universities far from badgerland are actually trying, in their academic way, to do just that. For example, just about every issue of the GW Hatchet at George Washington University brings news of budget cuts there.
The latest: Imaginative lawmakers from outside the Midwest are proposing reforms remarkably similar to Governor Walker’s. “A bill introduced in late March in the North Carolina General Assembly has set college faculty members across the state abuzz with a bold suggestion: Require all professors within the University of North Carolina system to teach at least eight courses each academic yea,” Paul L.Caron of the Pepperdine School of Law reports on his blog. “Senate Bill 593, titled ‘Improve Professor Quality/UNC System,’ would reduce the salary of any professor who fails to hit that annual mark.”
“The backlash from faculty across the state was immediate -- and unsurprising. Professors expressed outrage. Many said a mandated 4/4 course load -- four courses per semester -- would make it impossible to focus on their research and other responsibilities.”
The only thing the Bush family did for education was to create an all powerful centralized education bureaucracy and hand it gift wrapped to the Democrats.
I don’t give a crap what he has to say until he says something about prosecutors, judges, and police (who work for his state he’s the executive of) terrorizing families in their homes. And I don’t want to hear that “he can’t say anything because of the nature of the investigation” either. If he can’t do anything about it, he’s not fit to be president.
No child left behind is a complete disaster.
Gov Walker:
Ended In-State Tuition for illegals
Ended Sanctuary Cities
Placing Americans before trespassers
Broke public sector unions in Wisconsin resulting in huge savings
Transformed Wisconsin into a “right to work” state
Drug testing for public assistance recipients
Tax cuts
Budget controls
Economic growth faster than the national average
But some FReepers think Walker is a RINO or GOPe, but cannot point to one ACTION of Walker’s that is not conservative...just twisting of his words.
Their research does nothing for any students (except perhaps the lucky few who might actually participate) and has very little to do with education.
NCLB was gutted in 2007 after nancy pelosi became speakerette. so was GWB’s prescription drug reform; there were dozens of market based reforms in the original bill that she and that bitter, hateful bastard that was in charge of the senate de-legislated.
I have to agree though that four courses a semester is a heavy load that would basically reshape the nature of the job. There is a lot more time that goes into teaching than the hours spent in the classroom. And since research and publications are the coin of the realm, time for that function would be squeezed.
Amen.
The GOP candidates should be asked: why is nationalized education a priority and why and how can it be effective?
Students in Montana are more likely than students in Hawaii to enjoy camping, hunting and snow sports. Why must the two study and/or test on identical curriculum? If cultural differences are to be celebrated then why the mania for uniformity simply because two groups happen to enter two classrooms?
Centralization merely bestows power on those who are unfit to have it in the first place.
Large lectures with TA led small section followup classes seems to work well for basic courses.
If you plan to micro manage Mr Walkers campaign, I suggest you first donate, then volunteer, then donate some more. Maybe your sage advise, your indispensable wisdom will be welcomed.
Until then Mr Arm-Chair QB, Show some respect to Mr SW. Mr Walker is a valiant warrior on the front lines of the culture and political war, unlike you, he is actually putting his blood sweat and tears into the fight. You need to be a good soldier and take orders. OK, Take your nap now.
Being a high school teacher does entail a lot of work outside class hours. Being a university professor does not. I taught three semesters at a university. Easiest job in the world.
Remember 4 courses a semester is 12 hours in the classroom per week in most cases. And of course there is release time if you are doing research supported by a grant or are a department chair. Advising students, grading exams, and so forth does take time but that is simply part of a college faculty member’s usual and customary duties.
Three months off in the summer, two weeks at Christmas, one week spring break, one week (usually) at Thanksgiving, not a bad career if you ask me. (I have been a college professor since 1988).
Bush got scammed by Ted Kennedy on Education
Thanks Academiadotorg.
Yup, being a tenured Prof is the ultimate lifestyle job.
I can see teaching loads of two courses per semester for Science and Engineering faculty where the need to stay on the cutting edge technically is important, even if it has little or nothing to do with teaching ENG 101.
Teaching 4 courses a semester in Liberal Arts is not a burden and I am all for reducing teaching loads to zero classes per semester for Profs in the Gender, Ethnic and Queer studies “disciplines” .
Speaking strictly for myself, I don’t give a crap about what you have to say.
Videotaped coursework is the future of eduction.
The best eduction in the history of the world is available right now on Youtube for FREE.
YouTube Social Commentary.
MIT 18.02 Multivariable Calculus, Fall 2007 from MIT open Courseware - average 45,000 views over seven years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eZVshlT33Q
Stanford Intro to Programming - average course 78,000 views over seven years
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL92A85B927D398823
Katy Perry Dark Horse music video - 81,819,135 views in 2 years.
I enjoy watching video lectures given by Feynman.
So let's say a public assistance recipient -- aka Welfare slouch, is found to have drugs in his/her system.
What then? Does Walker's "solution" call for ending the assistance, so Republicans retain the image of heartless meanies with no compassion toward poor addicts? Or continue the assistance with a lecture, a slap on the wrist, or requirements that they attend some government-funded anti-addiction program?
The ONLY thing that results from requiring drug testing for welfare recipients, is MORE GOVERNMENT. There's ZERO solution here.
I like to think that Ted Cruz, with his very clear stance of REDUCING GOVERNMENT, would say that the problem is not with public assistance recipients on drugs, it's with the public assistance, period, the entire concept. It is taxpayers being FORCED to engage in charity, and recipients being ENTITLED to it. Walker is good, but ... Cruz is WAY SUPERIOR.
Walker too often leans toward More Cowbell. Cruz is SUPERIOR -- his entire focus is LESS GOVERNMENT.
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