In two related articles in the New York Times Ross Douthat rails against the party culture at US universities and Kevin Carey points out that US universities are, in general, not that great in comparison with the rest of the world.
It's a shame they didn't connect the dots. One major reason US human capital lags behind other OECD countries is the sick culture at many US universities. Universities should be a places to learn and work hard. Instead they have become places to have 'fun'. School administrators have knowingly made the decision to undermine the academic mission of their universities in the belief that students who have 'fun' at college will be more likely to pump up the endowment when they leave. Between the party hard attitude that they promote and the semi-pro sports teams that they run these fools have made a complete mockery of their fundamental role in society.
Parents who pay through the nose to send their kids to 'party universities' and the governments that subsidize these debacles are also at fault. Federal and state governments should cap and tax endowments and we will see how much administrators care about 'fun' then and parents should just say no. A properly run university can provide a life altering experience opening students up to new pathways and providing a lifetime's worth of intellectual skills. Alternatively, they can become breeding grounds for fat, stupid drunks. It is time for a far-sighted rethinking of the priorities of US universities that goes beyond who has the largest endowment.
I agree with the thrust of this post but the statement "Instead they have become places to have 'fun'" sounds a bit silly. There's nothing wrong with having fun, and, indeed, students at many of the best universities have a lot of fun. In fact, the combination of fun and learning unique to universities is one reason that universities can be such transformative places. The problem is that for many kids in America, having fun = drinking and taking drugs. And they certainly sacrifice a lot doing so.
ReplyDeleteThe infantilization of college age students is a big part of the problem, hence the term 'fun'. Most students are going to find the work hard and even the brightest will find that expectations quickly rise to meet the limits of their abilities. University should be challenging not a form of entertainment. This doesn't mean that it is a constant drudgery but there should be a level of stress placed on the students that pushes them to reach their potential.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more, ARM. Fun is one thing, but the amount they spend on amenities is nuts, but also a direct result of easy loan money. Did you read the article by Belle Knox, the Duke student porn star? Even if I don't necessarily sympathize with her plight, she makes some sense.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article. I guess somewhat predictably she is a libertarian.
DeleteHey I just found out you have a blog! Low and behold you have a post about me!
ReplyDeleteOr at least how I like to live my life!
Cool beans!
Thanks for dropping by. I doubt that you really fall into the category of nitwits I am talking about.
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