I used to be offended, but now I'm just amused.... ... based on a line from the Elvis Costello song Red Shoes (1977) - thanks to Prof. Arthur W. Kelley for the source.
Q: How many vice-presidents
does it take to change a light bulb on a college campus these days?
A: One more than they already have.
The purpose of these pages is to provide intelligent
commentary on the successes, failures, and foibles of
the American education establishment. We hope to
do this with a modicum of wit, and without the rancor
and mean-spiritedness that characterizes so much
commentary today. The
primary author
and web master has had more than 37 years experience in
American public higher education. He holds a Ph.D.
in physics from a reasonably reputable
Ivy League
university. He taught at a second rate
tier "comprehensive" university in southern California
for more than 37 years before retiring. In
addition, he has held a number of petty administrative
posts within the education establishment. He is
well known among his colleagues as a person who is
fearlessly irascible. Neither his alma mater, nor
his current
institution
(where he now holds emeritus status) should be held
accountable for the comments that he makes, no matter
how temperate and reasonable they may be.
[I wrote the first version of the following paragraph shortly after I started this site almost 15 years ago. Sadly, it's now commonplace to find this on many, if not most, college campuses.] Speaking of my current institution, it makes up for whatever it may lack in intellectual prestige with a healthy dose of kitsch. It probably is the only university in the world that hosts several Starbuck's Coffee outlets, a Carl's Junior hamburger stand, and a Marriott Hotel on its campus.
Comment of the day -
May 17, 2013 - Unspecial interests. Guest commentary
by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
April 28, 2013 - Unlearning outcomes. Guest commentary by John
Streamas.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
April 12, 2013 - Kicking The Catcher in the Rye out
of the curriculum. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
March 21, 2013 - Why essays are not like steaks. Guest commentary by
Todd Pettigrew.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
March 6, 2013 - Arming high school teachers - really?
Guest commentary by Georganne Spruce.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
February 19, 2013 - Restore bankruptcy protection to student loans.
Guest commentary by Alan Collinge.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
February 11, 2013 - Can we give Professor Conspiracy the boot? Guest
commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January
27, 2013 - Short-sighted about long hours. Guest
commentary by Edward Carney.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
January 20, 2013 - The bloated syllabus. Guest commentary by John
Streamas.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January 7, 2013 - The mindset that matters. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
December 28, 2012 - My life (not quite) in academia. Guest commentary
by Noelle Sterne.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
December 20, 2012 - Creativity in the classroom - Beware. Guest
commentary by Diane Rosen .
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
November 19, 2012 - In the wheelhouse. Guest commentary by Carolyn
Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
October 29, 2012 - Faculty annual report guidelines. Guest commentary
by Herbert Jack Rotfeld.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
October 9, 2012 - The general must be destroyed. Guest commentary by
Edward Carney.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
September 16, 2012 - The nineteenth annual Emperor's Awards. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
September 5, 2012 - The gentleman's A-. Guest commentary by Sanford
Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
August 11, 2012 - The SAT that isn't (The death of aptitude). Guest
commentary by Edward Carney.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
August 1, 2012 - The brave new world of K-12 virtual education. Guest
commentary by Mary X, Smith.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - July
25, 2012 - Penn State - punishing a culture of administrative corruption.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - July
11, 2012 - Twenty-first century exceptionalism. Guest commentary by
Poor Elijah (Peter Berger)
education
Comment of the day - July
6, 2012 - Wanted, a new Chancellor for the CSU.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - June
22, 2012 - A brief essay on beliefs in the classroom.
Guest commentary by John Brugaletta.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
June 10, 2012 - The irrelevance of data? Guest commentary by Edward
Carney.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
May 29, 2012 - School's proper purpose. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Beger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
May 22, 2012 - "Girls" and the post-college blues. Guest commentary by
Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
May 2, 2012 - What Congress can do to fix the student loan crisis.
Guest commentary by Alan Collinge.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
April 16, 2012 - Chess - only a pawn in the game. Guest commentary by
Beverly C. Lucey.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
March 9, 2012 - Anti-intellectualism in presidential politics. Guest
commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
March 1, 2012 - Numeracy, is it important? Guest commentary by J.J.S.
Boyce.
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
February 20, 2012 - College - Is It Worth the Cost and Effort? Guest commentary by
Edward Carney.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
February 11, 2012 - Under construction. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Beger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day -
February 4, 2012 - Dear Millie, About that "Student-Centered" Thing.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
January 10, 2012 - From parchment to attachment. Guest commentary by
Devyani Borade.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
December 28, 2011 - Pinsker reviews The Art of Fielding and The
Marriage Plot. Guest
commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day -
December 8, 2011 - Asking for more. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Beger), with a rejoinder from the IP.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - November
20, 2011 - How to steal a university. Commentary by the Irascible
Professor.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - November 13, 2011 - Zombie education. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Beger).
education
K-12
technology
Comment of the day - November 9, 2011 - We get emails. Guest
commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - October 8, 2011 - Democracy and the true meaning of
happiness. Guest commentary by Todd Pettigrew.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - July 14, 2011 - Where has all the money gone?
Guest commentary by Ralph D. Westfall.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - June 23, 2011 - Mission (statement) impossible.
Guest commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - May 10, 2011 - An open letter to Professor X.
Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - May 1, 2011 - In an adjunct funk - on the inside
looking out. Guest commentary by Cindy Ellen Hill.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - April 20, 2011 - You can't go home again, with
apologies to Thomas Wolfe. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - March 21, 2011 - The year in review. Guest
commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - March 14, 2011 - Commonwealth. Guest commentary
by Poor Elijah (Peter Beger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - February 21, 2011 - Helen Thomas and free speech.
Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Breaking News - February 16, 2011
- California State University System spends millions on
administrator raises and consulting fees in the face of severe budget cuts.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January 15, 2011 - Huckleberry Finn minus the
hurt. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - January 2, 2011 - The 17th annual Emperor's Awards.
Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Beger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - December 18, 2010 - The write stuff. Guest
commentary by Kim Marie Wood.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - December 11, 2010 - I'll be burning books in my
fireplace this winter. Guest commentary by David Langley.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - November 20, 2010 - We are indeed waiting for Superman.
Guest commentary by Libby Segal.
education
K-12
Breaking News - November 9, 2010
- Half-time Interim Director of University Planning at CSU
Fullerton received $165,104 in FY 2009.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - October 27, 2010 - Forms, forms, and yet more forms.
Guest commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - October 1, 2010 - The slow death of tenure. Guest
commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
tenure
Comment of the day - August 14, 2010 - Am I green? Guest commentary by
Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
environmentalism
Comment of the day - July 15, 2010 - Who should care? Guest commentary
by Mark Alton.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - June 18, 2010 - Sometimes a book is just a book.
Guest commentary by Beverly C. Lucey.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - June 8, 2010 - The English professor's burden.
Guest commentary by John Brugaletta.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - May 30, 2010 - Civilization as we know it. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - May 17, 2010 - To grade or not to grade: that is the
assessment. Guest commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - May 4, 2010 - The "if only" theory of school reform.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - March 19, 2010 - Reinventing the lead balloon -
team-based learning. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
college
university
Comment of the day - March 12, 2010 - Enthusiasm. Guest commentary by
Felice Prager.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - February 28, 2010 - Salinger and me. Guest
commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - February 17, 2010 - My letter to the world (of
technology). Guest commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - February 11, 2010 - Two observations from a long-time
teacher. Guest commentary by Rick Fowler.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - January 31, 2010 - More unsung heroes. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - January 19, 2010 - Higher education in California -
time for a new Master Plan II?
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January 10, 2010 - Higher education in California -
time for a new Master Plan I?
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January 1, 2010 - Poor Elijah's 2010 education wish
list. Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - December 26, 2009 - The dissertation blues, then and
now. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
university
Comment of the day - October 31, 2009 - Education reform - not so much.
Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - September 20, 2009 - Charter schools - a choice but not
necessarily a great choice.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - August 26, 2009 - The 16th annual Emperor's Awards.
Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - August 7, 2009 - Harvard, Malcolm X, and Henry Louis
Gates, Jr. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - June 26, 2009 - Education's new angle. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - June 18, 2009 - Fees or tuition - let's call it what it
is.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - June 8, 2009 - A Fortunate Age - my commencement
season reading. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - June 2, 2009 - Longing for the good old days.
Guest commentary by Susanne Shaphren.
education
K-12
Comment of the day - May 13, 2009 - What accountability won't do for higher
education. Guest commentary by Jerry M. Hatfield.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - April 27, 2009 - On the assembly line. Guest
commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - April 15, 2009 - On teacher accountability.
Guest commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - April 9, 2009 - Terms. Guest commentary by Felice
Prager.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - March 23, 2009 - The one minute egg(head). Guest
commentary by Carolyn Foster Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - March 16, 2009 - Where are all those kids marching to
lunch and recess with their arms folded across their chests?
education
K-12
NCLB
Comment of the day - March 6, 2009 - We need the liberal arts now more than
ever. Guest commentary by Sanford Pinsker.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - February 25, 2009 - Social networking for dummies.
Guest commentary by Felice Prager.
education
social networking
Breaking News
- February 16, 2009 -
Budget
Crisis Forces Cal State Fullerton to Cut 2,000 "Students" -- System to Cut
12,000.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - February 9, 2009 - Reading film. Guest commentary
by Libby Segal.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January 28, 2009 - Economic crisis hits higher
education hard.
education
college
university
Comment of the day - January 12, 2009 - Predicting the past. Guest
commentary by Poor Elijah (Peter Berger).
education
K-12
Comment of the day - January 5, 2009 - Books are the things with pages.
Guest commentary by Henry Marchand.
education
K-12
college
university
The Irascible Professor
invites your
.
The Irascible ProfessorSM
is an e-zine, published on an irregular basis.
Guest commentary and freelance contributions
relevant to the focus of this journal are invited.
Send us
for more information.
Vol. 15, No. 10
ISSN: 1527-3849
© 1999-2013 Dr. Mark H. Shapiro - All rights reserved.