The TaxProf Blog (Paul L Caron) talks about what is happening at UNLV—the possible discharge of TENURED faculty.
At the same time, Texas Governor Rick Perry is calling for a $10,000 college degree, including books. The book thing is the real challenge. I heard recently that European nations are considering a three year bachelors degree.
Hat tip to the Instapundit.
Regards — Cliff
More is not better, easier and cheaper is not the best way. If anything, a "college degree" has become so commonplace that it's presence in a resume is simply a discriminator and very basic one at that. There was a time that a BS or a BA in ANYTHING was a mark of significant accomplishment and preparedness for a higher calling. Graduate degrees were even more special, the requirements for one being arduous and exhaustive....let alone..exhausting. Now, a Master's is in many ways a glorified BS which is, in fact, mostly BS. The MSM laments that the guy at the McDonald's counter is a college grad. "Yeah." "So what?" EVERYONE is a college graduate.
ReplyDeleteAmericans....and their "education system".....are convinced that what ails us is a "lack of opportunity caused by a lack of education" so the brain dead answer is, give everyone a college degree...and it will all be better. NO!! It will ALL be worse because we've focused on all the wrong things.
And "tenure" has become a means for the incompetent to ensure life long employment, or in the alternative, a very handsome payout that ensures lifelong bliss. It has created the opposite of its original intent.....rather than inspire intellectual growth on the part of the faculty, it inspires academic laziness.....which of course, goes hand in hand with the philosophy of a BS with every SS card.
As a young person who has been studying, taking his time while working full time, I am deeply worried about this.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is always quick to speak about how important getting a degree is.
But what is the point of a degree when there are no jobs?
What is the point when if I don't learn a damn thing?
What is the point when everyone eles has a degree?
In this economy, work experience is more valuable than any degree. That may or may not change with the circumstances. We will have to wait and see, I suppose.
I do know that friends who have no college education are earning more money than strict-college focused students with little or no experience.
That's the REALITY that scares me.