Activist Academics Threaten the Integrity of Higher Ed

The rise of activist professors has shaped the culture in higher ed for decades. As activists have become more prominent, a familiar process has changed academic departments, pushing scholars out and replacing them with professors who think in political terms and prioritize social change.

A new Martin Center policy brief, ‘Witches’ and ‘Viruses:’ The Activist-Academic Threat and a Policy Response, looks at that process and how activists conceive of their project. Joy Pullmann and Sumantra Maitra analyze two feminist papers that present strategies for capturing institutions and using universities to further political change. The politicization problem doesn’t stay within one or two marginal departments, either—it creeps across the many arms of the university and beyond, they argue:

This process results in an ideological monoculture in several disciplines and departments, threatening more and more of academia. After activists change the academic culture, they can educate their replacements and other students who will become activists in government, media, nongovernmental organizations, the corporate world, and other professions.

As the papers (published in high-ranking, not obscure, journals) show, activist academics are explicit about their desire to use colleges to further their political ideals. It is not some marginal accusation of a conspiracy by conservatives. Many academics are reluctant to hire professors who hold explicitly conservative ideas. Instances of de-platforming conservatives and liberals alike have grown more common in recent years.

The opposition to free speech on campus is a warning sign that activists are a growing force to be reckoned with and are becoming bolder. Tolerating their behavior on campus harms the integrity of scholarship and the value of a college education for students.

The first paper analyzed by Pullmann and Maitra argues that feminist scholars should attach themselves to interdisciplinary projects and shape students as a way to expand into “traditional and entrenched fields.” That way, professors and students can grow their reach and influence beyond women’s studies departments and shape more of the academy. The second paper encourages feminist scholars to “behave like insurgents” and form small groups to serve as a collective to push political goals and take power in departments and administrative institutions.

The transformative effect of this activist approach is great. Political litmus tests, such as diversity statements for hiring, would become routine and mandatory at thousands of public institutions. The free speech culture on campuses would decline as more university rules to silence speech deemed rude or offensive would be approved. De facto peer pressure would fill in the gaps left by de jure campus rules to silence the tongues of non-conforming students and professors.

Rather than a campus for developing moral character or advancing scientific knowledge, college would become a sanitized space for fomenting political change and providing mediocre job training.

If conservatives, liberals, and libertarians alike want to preserve higher education as a bastion for truth and an open society, reforms are needed to stop the activists who want to transform the college campus into a platform to spread their political vision.

To begin, Pullmann and Maitra argue, reforms need to bring financial pressure on colleges:

A key first step would be to ensure that taxpayers do not fund ideological disciplines. While government interference in education is not recommended, it is indeed the government’s duty to ensure that the tax dollars contribute to the pursuit of knowledge—not activism… Enshrining a “no politics and activism in education” policy would also streamline programs and restore more genuine scholarship and professionalism.

Faculty and administrative leaders have shown themselves to be reluctant in recognizing politicization as a problem. Until boards of trustees or college presidents restore campus neutrality, state legislatures and governors may have to step in and protect the public interest.

Public largesse for the university is conditional to promote the public good, not a provincial interest that has gained power within the university.

One way that university governing boards could show their dedication to free inquiry and de-politicizing campus, Pullmann and Maitra point out, is to fund independent reviews to root out university-sponsored activism.

Academic work is at the core of higher education; leaders need to protect it against the infringements of ideology. Students deserve a rigorous education that challenges them while it grounds them in truths discovered by the past and in more recent times.

Feeding them, instead, political beliefs to produce a kind of uniformity does them a disservice. A politicized campus also limits the types of research professors can pursue and the questions they can ask. Respected professors, deans, and college presidents need to stand up for academic freedom across the university.

“It’s critical to show how activists use academic departments to capture institutions (both on the faculty and the administrative sides),” Pullman and Maitra write. “For leaders who want to protect institutions against a political takeover, some workable and achievable policies can help them preserve a free academy.”

After a deeper analysis of activist academics, Pullman and Maitra suggest other reforms that could stem the decline in higher ed. What is needed is renewal, not complacency.

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UK: Parents slam school after 13-year-old children were told to plan their own FUNERAL as homework - including choosing flowers and a coffin

Parents were furious after their 13-year-old children were told to plan their own funeral for their homework, including picking out flowers and a coffin. 

The religious studies homework was given to Year Eight students St Paul's Catholic School in Leicester during lockdown.

The pupils were given a form where they had to make choices for their funeral and give reasons why, including picking their favourite music or hymn and choosing flowers for a memorial.

They also had to decide whether they would be buried or cremated and pick their own coffin, The Sun reported.

The assignment asked: 'Where would you like your body to be buried? Your ashes scattered?'

Other questions asked the children who they would invite and what kind of clothing would they want guests to wear.

Concerned mother Gemma Marston posted a picture of the homework on Facebook and said: 'Anyone else feel that getting them to plan their own funeral is a bit too much? Or am I being over the top?'

Parents responded to Gemma saying they would be 'livid' if their child received this assignment.

One person said: 'Yes kids needs to start understanding death but at least discuss this with the parents first! And homework? Does that imply a lesson was as taught on this?'

Other parents felt 13-year-olds were too young to be given this type of assignment, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, when many families have had loved ones die.

Tabby Mcgailey said: 'This is disgusting especially seeing as we are in a pandemic and 1,000s are dying.'

One Facebook user said: 'Especially at a time like this 50,000 people have died, not to mention the children have been stuck in at home.'

A teacher also responded to the post, saying: 'I wouldn't do this. Some children can be very susceptible to ideas about death and funerals.

'You don't always know if one of your pupils has had a recent loss and this sort of thing can be very triggering for pupils.' 

The school have since contacted Ms Marston and apologised, saying that the homework had been sent out 'in error'.

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Australia: Cost of a humanities degree set to DOUBLE while students will pay less to study nursing and IT

The price of an arts degree is set to double while students with better job prospects will pay less for their education in a huge university overhaul.

Education Minister Dan Tehan will today announce school leavers will get financial incentives to choose 'job-relevant' degrees such as IT, health, teaching, science and mathematics from 2021.

Nursing qualifications will cost just $3,700 per year while IT, science and engineering degrees will drop by $2,000 per year.

Meanwhile humanities degrees are expected to jump from $6,804 per year to $14,500.

The cost of a maths or agriculture degree will fall by 61 per cent, while students in humanities will pay 113 per cent more.

Teaching and nursing degrees are expected to drop by 45 per cent, while a law degree will cost 28 per cent more. 

There will also be 39,000 new places available to prospective students next year, with Mr Tehan expected to say it will 'give students a choice'.

'Their degree will be cheaper if they choose to study in areas where there is expected growth in job opportunities,' Mr Tehan will say in a speech to the National Press Club.

The ranks of the unemployed swelled to 927,600 - the highest number since December 1993

The overhaul comes as Australia's employment rate hit a two-decade high, surging to 7.1 per cent in May.

Up to 227,700 Australians last month either lost their job or felt so bleak about their prospects they gave up looking for work following the COVID-19 shutdowns.

'We are facing the biggest employment challenge since the Great Depression,' Mr Tehan will say.

'And the biggest impact will be felt by young Australians. They are relying on us to give them the opportunity to succeed in the jobs of the future.'

New official payroll figures show 980,000 jobs were lost between mid-March, before the coronavirus shutdowns, and the end of May.

The official jobless ranks are now the highest since December 1993.

Following the grim economic news, Prime Minister Scott declared: 'This is the biggest economic challenge this country has ever faced.'

He said the figures were 'heartbreaking,' adding: 'The sad truth is these numbers are not surprising in these circumstances.'

Mr Morrison said these 'are our dark times'.  'I can see that ray of light … but we have to keep moving towards it and work harder each and every day.' 

Inner-city Sydney and Melbourne have been the worst-hit by COVID-19, with new Australian Bureau of Statistics maps showing one in ten or 10.6 per cent of jobs in these areas were lost in just 11 weeks.

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