Opinion

Harvard students -- just like Lance Armstrong -- have already reached a summit, so why do they feel the need to break the rules? That's what happens when we make outcomes more important than the experience, Steve Gimbel argues.

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In my academic research, I look at the governance of universities and implementation of new policies that are described as “neoliberal”. This involves trends such as privatization of funding (including increased tuition), treatment of students as consumers or customers and of education as a “private good”, and the marketization of education.

By Melonie Fullick

Over the past couple of years the censoring of self-expression has been a hot topic on many campuses. Recently the media washed ashore a new wave of controversy concerning Hampton University’s business school policy that restricts MBA students from wearing their hair in locs (or what is more commonly referred to as “Dread-locs”). This comes on the heels of the brouhaha that developed following the implementation of a written dress code policy at Morehouse College.

By Samaad Wes Keys

Did you read Andrew Rice's terrific article in the NYT's this Tuesday, Anatomy of a Campus Coup, about the failed attempt to ouster president Sullivan from the University of Virginia? This well-reported article places the nasty fight between UVa's board and what ended up being UVA's academic community (in which Sullivan is well respected) within the context of the larger economic pressures facing higher ed.

By Joshua Kim

Quote from program accreditation visiting team leader yesterday: “Surprisingly, the faculty seem to respect the administration.” I think that’s what they call a left-handed compliment.

By Dean Dad

It can be quite exhilarating when you’ve been sitting on a problem a long time and, after allowing your mind to wander, the solution comes when you least expect it. Research has even shown that there is an upside to zoning out. But what happens when this great idea comes to you at 2 AM?

By Kaitlin Gallagher

As I walked to work, doing that risky thing of reading on my phone while crossing streets, I discovered Friendfeed was down. Friendfeed is where I get all my information, inspiration, and hot news. It’s where I go to vent when I’m frustrated. It also has a nice widget that I’ve embedded in many of my websites, from my CV to my obsessive catalog of Scandinavian crime fiction translations. When Friendfeed goes down, my pages get messed up, and I can’t go to my usual watering hole to complain, because . . . well it’s down. Instead, I went to Twitter to see if anyone knew what was going on. Nope, just lots of consternation.

By Barbara Fister

I was just finishing a proof we would be discussing in my Calculus III class this past Tuesday when I heard the bagpipes.

By Rosemarie Emanuele