Eagleton and Beaumont talking about Eagleton, for nine months, transcribed, edited and shaped into themes, is the bones, sinew and meat of The Task of the Critic: Terry Eagleton in Dialogue. Eagleton is a brilliant critic, a provocative writer and an extremely thoughtful man. But as a raconteur . . . . . What sticks?…
How Many Zeros Does It Take?
Randall Lane’s The Zeroes is a messy, rambling, engaging, provocative and challenging first-person account of Lane’s experiences as a magazine publisher catering to Wall Street in the “boom boom” years. Subtitled “My Misadventures in the Decade Wall Street Went Insane” might well be rephrased as the decade “Wall Street and I Went Insane.” Lane is a…
Higher Education Accreditation and The States
Federalism protects us from the tyranny of faction. It minimizes the damage that a democracy’s majority, giddy with certainty, might inflict upon a minority. It encourages local experimentation, with each state seeking its own best path towards meeting the needs of its citizens. And when it comes to accreditation and oversight of higher education, it…
It’s Broken – Have We Noticed?
We are awash in educational data. Reports emerge from agencies, foundations, corporations and institutions, and for those with the time and an inclination, further opportunities about. There are mysteries in educations, to be sure, but their essence and appeal has shifted from search to analysis. This seems to be particularly true when it comes to…
Picturing Medical Progress
Popular culture books can be a mixed bag. They usually have some of the sexiest titles and layouts in an academic bookstore. Their payoff, however, does not always measure up. Many get very theoretical and others lose focus. Like the exotic fusion food from the 1980s – kiwis, langoustines and sesame seeds, anyone? – satisfaction…
Accreditation and Trust
One of the most important aims of higher education accreditation is accountability to the public, an affirmation of an institution’s value, worth and commitment. Institutions are not “regulated.” Instead, they are accredited. Accreditation provides a seal of approval. Or at least that is what many of us within academia respond with when asked about standards.…
Accreditation and the Public
Regional accreditation matters a great deal to us within the higher education sector but is little known or understood outside of the quad. Within academia, most faculty members approach the self-study and accreditation process with scant enthusiasm. It is work, plain and simple, often above and beyond current tasks. The stronger, more elite institutions view…