Higher Education Observer

I spoke with my representative this morning. (We go to church together, but in another state; I voted for him, so I was off the hook on that count. If you're trying to figure out how we go to church in a different state, it's because we live on the border near a big city, another clue.) He didn't know that tuition hikes were off the table. I think they are going to have to raise tuition, but raising taxes is another matter. I would be against raising taxes, fiscal conservative that I am. The long-term effects would be bad. And I think USG students should pay the price for their education, even if it means brown-bagging (which would take care of it for most of our students.) It might thin our ranks some more; we have an inordinate number of students who are in our classes only because they have nothing better to do and have to be on parents' insurance. Finally, if my pay is going to be diminished by $250 or more a month, I don't see why students shouldn'

http://daltondailycitizen.com/dalton-state-college/x1765867934/Dalton-State-president-discusses-possible-cuts This link is a discussion of GA higher ed. budget cuts. As a colleague wrote, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Education is always the red-headed stepchild of the budget wars. Legislators want to protect their jobs, and can always play off the stereotype of "pointy-headed, ivory tower academics." Yeah, right. I defy anyone to work as hard as I do for the money I make, as a general ed prof in an open-access public college.

OK, now I'm giving away that I work in a public college in GEORGIA. Yesterday we received a fright-inducing email from our president that our governing body, the Board of Regents, is going to expect us to cut our budget 2.4 million dollars more for FY2011. That may not sound like a lot, but our budget two years ago was only 15 million and now with accumulated cuts will be less than 11 million, despite the fact we have had explosive growth rates. The email stated that the administration may have to call for financial exigency, which means tenured faculty can get fired. It then stated there would be a meeting today to talk about it; the crowds came out. It seems that firing faculty is going to happen at our college, no matter how vociferously we complain. I do not feel insecure about my own job; I have tenure, am on the SACS committee, teach two necessary disciplines, and don't make that much in the first place! But perhaps up to ten faculty members could be let go, at a ti

One of the "hottest" topics in the college pedagogy world is "diversity" and/or "multiculturalism." The follower of Christ who works in a college environment, especially as an instructor or professor, is both blessed and challenged in terms of this subject. On one side, we know our faith and world view transcends culture and we should be (I say should be) able to see beyond cultural limitations and not be affected by prejudices. We know Revelation 5, where people of every tribe and tongue and nation will worship at the throne of God in the future kingdom. We know that God is love and our first job, before we even think of professionalism, is to love our students, to treat those students sitting in our class as God treats us. We know the beautiful, quiet, dark complected girl in the head scarf is as loved by God and as worthwhile to Him as the little blonde cheerleader. On the other side, the philosophical implications and the practical applicat