Free Republic

<p>Two factors have so far shielded the American university from the sort of criticism that it so freely levels against almost every other institution in American life. (1) For decades a college education has been considered the key to an ascendant middle-class existence. (2) Until recently a college degree was not tantamount to lifelong debt. In other words, American society put up with a lot of arcane things from academia, given that it offered something — a BA or BS degree — that almost everyone agreed was a ticket to personal security and an educated populace.</p>

A new analysis of 1372 climate scientists who have participated in major climate science reviews or have signed statements in support or opposition to their main conclusions confirms what many researchers have said for years: Those who believe in anthropogenic climate change rank much higher on the scientific pecking order than do those who take issue with the idea. The paper shows that "the vast majority of working [climate] research scientists are in agreement" on climate change, says climate science historian Naomi Oreskes of the University of California, San Diego. "Those who don't agree, are, unfortunately—and this is hard to...

China, number one again; it has turned out more Ph.Ds last year than any other country in the world. But a Ph. D. does not a good teacher make. Quality of teaching is being seriously questioned in China. Professors are caught up in 1. The publish or perish mentality 2. Raising funds and 3. Attending conferences, making them absent from class. Gee, it sounds like the same problem there is with traditional colleges in America, no? As a result, China has had some problems with plagiarism in the recent past. In the near future, the Chinese universities are likely to...