Liberal bias in colleges bleeds into classroom

JWR | 3-31-05 | Cal Thomas

[FlyLow]

You'd better sit down while reading this shocking news: College faculties are not only mostly liberal, but lean even further to the left than conservatives have imagined.

According to a study by professors at Smith College, George Mason University and the University of Toronto (they surveyed 1,643 full-time faculty at 183 four-year schools), 72 percent of professors at American universities labeled themselves liberal, while just 15 percent said they are conservative. 50 percent of faculty members identified themselves as Democrats and only 11 percent Republicans.

Political Science professors Robert Lichter of George Mason University, Neil Nevitte of the University of Toronto and Stanley Rothman of Smith College also found that 51 percent of those surveyed said they rarely or never attend church or synagogue.

These liberal leanings translate into liberal political beliefs. 84 percent of those surveyed are strongly or somewhat in favor of abortion rights, 67 percent think homosexuality is acceptable, 88 percent want more environmental protection "even if it raises prices or costs jobs" and 65 percent want the government to ensure full employment, which puts the professors to the left of the Democratic Party.

[FlyLow]

URL for above is: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/thomas033105.asp

[Semper Paratus]

Bleeds? More like a spring flood.

[SittinYonder]

If 72% are liberal and only 50% are Democrats, then that probably translates to something like 16% to 20% who are admitted communists assuming some would identify themselves as Green or socialists (and yes, I understand that the Democrats are also communists).

[Labyrinthos]

65 percent want the government to ensure full employment

I would expect nothing less from a group of people who owe their livelihood to the dysfunctional tenure system?

[New Orleans Slim]

Here's my theory:

Conservatives like making money. Look at academic pay rates versus comparable pay for that education level in the private sector. Thus, few conservatives are in academia. QED.

[SittinYonder]

Conservatives like making money. Look at academic pay rates versus comparable pay for that education level in the private sector. Thus, few conservatives are in academia. QED.

Have you looked at what college professors make? I wouldn't disagree that the ability to make more exists in the private sector, but college profs at a small college are making $50,000 - $75,000 and at bigger universities they're making well into six figures. I'm in a field that pays low salaries (you do it because you love it), so maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me college profs (especially for the work load) make pretty good cash.

[New Orleans Slim]

"maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me college profs (especially for the work load) make pretty good cash."

If you can get a tenure track position, then it is pretty good compared to non-professional jobs. Moreover, those are peak salaries. Of course, you need a PhD that can take from 5 to 10 years to earn. During that time, a grad student can make up to $10k/year teaching classes.

On the other hand, law school takes 3 years. And the firm I work for starts people right out of law school at $125k/year. Which looks more attractive - 5 to 10 years of poverty for a shot (maybe) at a $50k per year job or 3 years of law school followed by the likelihood of $125k + bonus and it only goes up from there? (Assuming top 10 law schools of course).