Academic Changes: Good & Bad

One of the many academic journals I receive is the Intercollegiate Review. It is published by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. I believe they have been publishing this journal since 1953 — but I could be wrong. The institute is pretty conservative. Case in point: The above issue that just arrived on my campus desk ran a piece on the changing tide of academic studies. The author noted that schools — particularly universities — once served as the model for academic excellence. Students sought to be more well-rounded. They had a greater investment in their education and were intellectually curious. Thus, it was not unheard of for a business major to study the American Revolution; psychology majors took courses in the studies of Shakespeare and Milton; future politicians thumbed through the King James Bible. I will admit, I agree with the author in that a tide has shifted students away from being seekers to just being done. A few years ago, I was asked to be the keynote speaker at Houston Christian’s National Honor Society Induction Ceremony. In my speech, I stated that W.E.B. Du Bois used the term “the talented tenth” to describe the likelihood of one in ten blacks becoming leaders of their race in the world, through methods such as continuing their education, writing books, or becoming directly involved in social change. He believed they needed an education to reach their true destiny as what would in the 20th century be called public intellectuals. Du Bois stated:

We shall have only as we make manhood the object of the work of the schools — intelligence, broad sympathy, knowledge of the world that was and is, and of the relation of men to it — this is the curriculum of that Education which must underlie true life. On this foundation we may build bread winning, skill of hand and quickness of brain, with never a fear lest the child and man mistake the means of living for the object of life.

I do sense that society has shifted away from training people to be thinkers; in truth, it appears that we are training people to make money. And, I suspect that is the direction of the modern economy. Here is where I disagree with the premise of the article: It blamed the radicalism of the 1960s for destroying the traditional cannon of knowledge taught on campuses across the country. It ridiculed the notion that single-sex schools vanished. Now, in this new age, schools are teaching courses on gender and sexuality. Race and culture courses now dominate history, English, and political science departments. I suspect the author feels that the academy should reflect the white man theory on education. Forget about changing demographics and pluralism. Though the author makes a number of great points…as I noted above, I feel the attack on changing group dynamics as reflected in academic curricula is silly.

Here are a few courses being taught at various universities that the author took aim at:

Yale University — Humanities and Arts Requirement: US Lesbian and Gay History          

University of Texas — Science Requirement: Animal Sexuality

College of Holy Cross — Religion Requirement: Gardens and World Religions

I must point out that I do not know if the above courses are really required; I am simply stating what I read in this journal piece. I would not be shocked to learn that this is all for shock value.

I would love to get your thoughts on this.

4 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to College by Guest Author Katheryn Rivas

The post below offers some great insight for many high school students making the shift to college. This guest contribution was submitted by Katheryn Rivas, who specializes in writing about online universities. Questions and comments can be sent to: katherynrivas87@gmail.com.

As anyone who has attended college knows, it’s a completely different experience when compared to high school classes. This is so for several reasons, not least of which if having an enormous amount of freedom after having virtually none. But more than just managing this newfound personal freedom, something many freshly matriculated college students struggle with, there’s getting used to a completely different classroom experience. Of course, classes and schools vary, but looking back on my college years, I wish I was more prepared for the transition. Here’s a few things I wish I knew before going to college.

1. Many professors will have an axe to grind.

Whether or not professors should voice their opinions on various topics, it’s common practice in the college classroom. Of course, no professor can pretend to be completely disinterested in teaching, and many professors will more objectively treat several modes of thought in tandem with their own. Still, it came as a surprise coming from high school, where a teacher can say what he thinks only to a certain degree.

2. Learning and growing intellectually is completely your responsibility. You can still get good grades without learning anything.

One of the biggest myths that I had bought into before going to college was that it was somehow some bastion of the Mind, where intellectual pursuits were vigorously pursued by students, professors, and the administration alike. Call me cynical, but my experience was far removed from this Elysian ideal. Still, that doesn’t mean that you won’t learn anything or you won’t develop your ability to critically analyze, think for yourself, etc. It does mean, however, that you have to make this an object of pursuit yourself. And this pursuit is not to be confused with earning high grades. I received many as in classes in which I learned absolutely nothing, and this was both my failing and the failing of a system that encourages grade inflation.

3. Visiting professors during office hours is always a good idea.

One aspect of the college classroom experience that differs from the high school one is that the college class can be extended through what’s known as office hours. Of course, good high school teachers will be open to talking to students outside the classroom, but in college, it’s a requirement that professors make themselves available. More than answering students questions about course material, professors can serve as counselors about professional pursuits after college as well as advisors who help you unravel wider intellectual inquiry. Although I eventually took advantage of office hours, I did so much later in my college career only because I didn’t know initially, based on my high school experience, what a wonderfully enriching opportunity it could be.

4. Going to class is important for several reasons, even if there’s no attendance requirement.

Unlike high school classes, many college classes will have no attendance requirement. Some students can take this as free license to skip class when they can’t wake up in the morning, or when they have other activities that grab their attention. Going to class regularly, even if it isn’t required, will save you a lifetime’s worth of trouble and worry. For one, attending class will indicate to the professor that you have interest, something that does count in the professor’s sometimes subjective grading criteria. Another reason to attend each and every class is that if you don’t, you’ll miss out on things that can’t be replicated by merely doing makeup work, like interesting classroom discussion.

They say that college is an experience of a lifetime. After graduating and moving on to the working world, I’ve found this to be completely true. But it’s the student who decides what constitutes that experience. And being prepared to take advantage of everything that academic institutions of higher education have to offer is important in enhancing that experience.

Interracial “ness” and the “Academy”

My wife Janette and I caught one of many Little Rock Travelers baseball games while I was delivering a week-long history presentation at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I started thinking about this post while at this conference when the topic of race, religion, and academics emerged. Moreover, I could not help but notice the number of interracial couples at the ball park and while back in Houston at the above July 4th volleyball tournament, which got me thinking back to my undergraduate days at the conservative Harding University. Thus while at the ball park in the historical civil rights city of Little Rock, I pondered the nature of race and academic institutions; I will admit that I have given this some thought in the past, though it has been a while. In general, places that value ideas, knowledge, and social progress tend to favor racial diversity, gender equality, and an understanding of one’s sexual orientation. However, I have discovered that places can be rather liberal on matters of race and dating, but less so on matters of sexual orientation and gender equality.

The above pictures were taken of us while out for wine and dinner at an upscale Houston restaurant. Though my current city of Houston has a reputation for being very conservative, it does offer some semblance of public acceptance when it comes to interracial couples.This tends to be the case for many large cities; it is the fourth largest city in the country… one that recently supported a democrat (Obama) for the presidency, elected Anise Parker who is openly gay for mayor, but is a bit divided along class lines. In Houston, I have never felt out-of-place while experiencing the night life or interacting in various public venues. But, there is an element of class that portrays a far more negative notion of interracial couples.

If one were to watch Jerry Springer, the natural image of the “typical” interracial couple is one who is not highly educated nor middle class. The Springer Show tends to play on race in what black liberals call the ghetto image: An obese uneducated white woman dating a skinny black man who recently discovered that English might be a language. This perception is what the black bourgeoisie notes as the typical perception of interracial couples.

But, it is the conversation about race, religion, and academic institutions that encourages the most discussion among academicians.  Attending a conservative college upon graduating from a conservative private upper school might not seem like a big deal to many, but coming from Montgomery, Alabama where the racial and class tension is clear, the thought of crossing both class and racial lines seemed daunting. Yet, on many college campuses today, this is not an issue for the youth of my classes who interact and date frequently in an interracial fashion. Recently I had dinner with a former student who informed me that this seems to be a topic for my “generation.”

I must admit that I was taken a bit by how open Harding University was to interracial couples; it was a first for me, though I have always interacted with friends from various backgrounds. The most interesting element about the academy and interracial ness comes not from those on its campus, but those left at home. Students who attend schools dominated by one racial group often find themselves meeting, liking, and interested in others who are of a different race. Harding University is a predominantly white college; it does attract a number of talented minority students who find themselves choice less when it comes to dating within their own race. In my case, I had a huge ego and just assumed most girls would want to date an athletic academic star. But in truth, it is not this simple. Parents of both white and black students warned them of the consequences of dating beyond the confines of their race. The contradiction emerges among two population of people: Christians who contend that Jesus is the saviour of all and loves all; he sees no color but the human soul as it warns off sin daily; however, at times there are those who belong to this population that embrace segregation and to en extent, promote a sense of inferiority. Thus, it is not unusual to discover what writer Toni Morrison calls the segregated church; it is Sunday that most divides Christian America.

Then, there is the other population: American liberals. This population talks a great deal about tolerance, understanding, and acceptance of those who are different in terms of race, religion, class, and sexual orientation, but only do so to promulgate their own agenda. Political motives are usually involved here as they dismiss the religious/Christian right as being composed of racist bigots and homophobes. I recently had a conversation with a colleague who is considering removing her teenage children from a private Christian school in hopes that they might have dating opportunities during their formative upper school years; she stated that the climate at her Christian school is not conducive enough from the parents’ side to promote such a healthy environment. Of course, this is not true of all religious schools.

On the campus of Houston Christian or at one of its functions, it is not unusual to find interracial high school couples. Though the faculty and the school is categorically conservative, it does teach from a Christian perspective of loving and respecting all people.

College

Above: The late actor John Belushi portrays the typical image of college in the comedy Animal House. Belushi plays a college student who skips classes, parties, and drinks too much beer.

I like to re-post this article about this time every year. I was talking to an old student the other day when he mentioned all of the misperceptions he had about college while in high school. Because of that conversation, I decided to write a post regarding 10 things high school students get wrong about college. This list is not a top ten list nor is it in any particular order. Essentially, it is what came to my mind at the time.

10. Classes are easier since I am taking only courses that I care about. There is a problem with this statement. One would naturally assume that students who do go to college care about ideas and knowledge; however, I knew plenty of students who went just to make lots of money. The tables have turned over the past 15 years. The saying used to be that students should expect to make more than their parents; however, economists now contend that wages are not keeping pace with inflation. Students should use college as a time to develop new ideas while formulating an analytical mind that will help them move in a number of professional directions. Students who take easy high school classes or did not have challenging instructors struggle the most. Furthermore, students who concentrate in easy fields tend to have more free time. These same students tend to lack the analytical skills needed to do complex job related work.

9. Everyone goes to college. This is true. 76% of people do attend some form of post secondary training; out of 76%, roughly only 34 – 35% matriculate. The two major reasons have to do with finances and/ or poor preparation.

8. I do not have to attend classes since teachers will not take attendance. True; I had instructors who only took attendance on exam days; I also had a few who took daily attendance. This is the biggest freshman trap. Too many students sleep in with the assumption that it is just one or two skips. Remember, most classes only meet two – three times per week. You do the math. Think about how you feel when missing one class under the block scheduling system. It is easy to miss a class. Thus, it becomes a very easy and bad habit.

7. I will be granted special privileges since I was a 1300 SAT kid or an ALL STATE athlete/ band performer in high school. The biggest mistake students make in college is assuming that other college students, teachers, coaches, and directors care what they did in high school. People do not care about your SAT scores or rushing yards. College athletes face the toughest challenge here. Many teachers have already decided that you are only in school to play sports. I recommend that you get off to a good start. And if you are a black athlete, you are marching uphill.

6. If the coach and/or teacher make me mad, I will complain and have my mommy call the school and complain. By law, teachers cannot talk to anyone but the student. This is according to the Family, Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. These students usually do not last very long. This is a great reason for one to become a researcher and work at a university. No parents!

5. Teachers will teach to my learning style. Yeah, good luck with that. There are programs that assist students with learning needs; however, the extent is usually taking an exam in a supervised learning center. Due to the number of large classes, the primary method of delivering information is via lecture (more seminar style at small colleges or in upper level courses). The expectation is that students who make it to this point are independent learners. They know how to write essays, read tons of pages, take class notes, and deal with complex examination questions. Moreover, students can take an assigned reading and address its contents on an exam, although the instructor never discussed it in class. I found this to be true in chemistry, history, and English.

4. I am going to college with my high school boy/ girl friend. Or, we are going to different schools but will always be in love and together. Sure, believe this if you want to. Note: Bigger pond with more fish. Focus on yourself and your overpriced education.

3. I was a poor student in high school because nothing interested me; now that I am in college, I will do much better. This can and does happen; however, usually not the freshman year. Statistically speaking, poor high school students usually do poorly during their first year. A large number of them drop out at the end of their first year. Think about the number of HCHS students who came back home. Also, a lot of this has to do with poor skill development. I often hear students talk about being a lawyer. The problem here is that many of these students did not take any advanced courses in high school to prepare them for the amount of reading and writing they will face. This is also true of engineers. How can one go to college to be an engineer without taking any advanced math class in high school?

2. Once I am in college, I can drink all of the beer SPECs has to offer. I do not know where this comes from amongst students. Most likely, you will be under age thus making it against the law. Also, I am not sure what beer has to do with college. I do know that a number of women are date raped on campuses due to too much alcohol consumption. Sexual promiscuity increases causing the STD rate to increase. And, too many men prey on young co-eds, especially naive freshman.

1. Because I am in college, my teachers will be great. Again, good luck here. I have found that teachers at smaller liberal arts research schools tend to be the best. Remember, unlike Carson who writes and presents various academic papers as part of his academic inclination, I am not paid to do that. I am a teacher. The term teacher offends many college instructors. Teaching for some is secondary. Their job and academic reputation is based according to the number of papers they write, publish, and present. I have found that the best teachers are those who do research. This is driving my former student, Alejandro, crazy. He just graduated from American University.

College Letters

I have been very busy of late finishing college letters of recommendation; I actually enjoy writing them; it gives me time to reflect on why I like teaching students. A former colleague, Joy App, sent this to me after a recent conversation we had about this topic. By policy, I do not write negative letters; however, if I cannot write one for a student, I will tell that student to seek another member of the faculty. Case in point: A few years ago I had a student that earned the highest marks on both my AP US and AP European history exam; she was bright and did good work. But, she never engaged herself  during class discussions, nor did she take time to visit me or chat with me outside of class. Because of these factors, I told her I could not write her a letter. If I did, it would say the exact same thing as her resume.

Do’s:

• Make the recommendation as specific, personal, and anecdotal as

possible

• Qualify your adjectives

• Provide specifics but not as much related to the paper he wrote on the

civil war, but rather about how he bounced back after a bad test or helped

out a sick student

• Make the recommendations more evaluative than descriptive

• Tell us what the student is like outside of class as well from your

observations

• Feel free to add a hand-written note at the bottom of the letter,

specifically addressing the candidacy for Middlebury

• Tell us how the applicant stacks up in the class or in your teaching career

• Relay the student’s involvement in class discussions and the role that s/he plays—does s/he take discussions

to the next level or play the devil’s advocate?

• Give us a reason why we should admit the student

• Maintain your credibility by not going overboard

• Include a couple of weaknesses (to make him or her sound real!)

• Take the time to write at least a page

Don’ts

• Spend half your letter telling us about your course or your credentials

• Mention the physical appearance or attractiveness of the student

• Send the same letter for many kids

• Merely provide a list of adjectives

• Write us three pages

• Report a list of the applicant’s activities since we know them already from reading the application

• Make sweeping generalizations that you do not substantiate

Remember, writing can always be misinterpreted. We leave you with some humorous one-liners we have seen

in past letters.

“I look forward to John’s final term at the school.”

“This young lady has no problems to speak of.”

“No one wants to play soccer worse than he does.”

…but are they happy, caring and well-adjusted human-beings?

Campus College Fair

The campus lawn outside the performing art center and mustang corral  were empty Friday morning as many students arrived early to meet various representatives from across the country.

As a school that encourages students to find a college that is a fit for them, our reputation with national schools continues to grow. Houston Christian had over 90 colleges and universities visit for our annual college fair. Schools from as far north as Maine and as far South as Tampa. It is great knowing that students are willing to leave their comfort zones and explore schools outside of the state of Texas. This was an issue at my last school in which the campus seemed to encourage students to explore the same three schools; I will not list them.

Top 10% Rule

Hopwood v. Texas, 78 F.3d 932 (5th Cir. 1996), was the first successful legal challenge to a university’s affirmative action policy in student admissions since Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978). In Hopwood, four white plaintiffs who had been rejected from The University of Texas School of Law challenged the institution’s admissions policy on equal protection grounds and prevailed. After seven years as a precedent in the Fifth Circuit, the Hopwood decision was abrogated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003.

A proposal to scale back the state’s automatic admission law for public universities was tentatively approved Tuesday by the Texas Senate after several hours of debate.

The vote was 22-8. Senators are expected to grant final approval to the measure today. Then it would go to the House, where its prospects are uncertain.

The proposal, authored by Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, would modify a 1997 law that entitles any student graduating in the top 10 percent of a Texas high school to enroll at any of the state’s 35 public universities.

The University of Texas increasingly has been the school of choice, with 81 percent of its current crop of freshmen from Texas having enrolled under the law.

“A university needs the ability to consider criteria other than just class rank,” Shapiro said.

UT officials say the rising influx of top 10 percent students leaves too little discretion to admit students with artistic, musical, leadership and other skills who don’t rank that high. No other public university in the state enrolls such a large contingent of top 10 percent students or has called for limits on the law.

Shapiro’s measure, as amended on the Senate floor, would allow UT and any other public university to limit top 10 percent students to 60 percent of entering freshmen from Texas.

The first 50 percent would be filled out by accepting the top 1 percent, 2 percent and so forth. The additional 10 percent would be chosen from the pool of remaining top 10 percent students based on numerous factors in addition to class rank. A university would be free to choose from top 10 percent and non-top 10 percent students for the final 40 percent.

The proposal includes a provision that, subject to getting funding, would allow an undetermined number of top 10 percent students with financial need to receive grants of up to the full cost of tuition to attend any of the state’s public universities. Details would be left up to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he wants to set aside $56 million for such aid.

Shapiro’s measure includes a provision that would “sunset” the limitations on the top 10 percent law after eight years — meaning they would expire at that time unless the Legislature extends the limits. That is intended to pressure UT to use its additional discretion on admissions to boost enrollment of blacks and Hispanics, a primary purpose of the 1997 law.

The proposal could face a tough fight in the House, which rejected a nearly identical measure two years ago after approving similar bills in two previous legislative sessions.

Some House members and leaders of civil rights and minority organizations have vowed to fight any weakening of the law. It has become a touchstone of merit-based opportunity for its supporters even though enrollment of black and Hispanic students at UT has not increased dramatically since its passage.

European History Reading and Debating the Drinking Age

For the third year in a row, I am spending the second week of June doing European history work and reading at Colorado State University.  It is safe to say that I love this college town; it has all of the ingredients one would want: shops, bookstores, restaurants, bars, live music, and outdoor recreational spots. Moreover, there is a  healthy relationship between CSU and Ft. Collins. I like to spend my mornings on a run through downtown. The community of Searcy, AR — where I went to school, was not a college town; it was an ideal place for those ready to get married, have kids, and build a picket fence for the dog; it rested in a very conservative community that was dry. Better yet, I am sure the Temperance Movement held its annual meetings there. With the exception of Race Street, it had some pedestrian qualities to it.

One of the questions that came up last night and has come up before is that of alcohol: academics here at this meeting and every other meeting I attend believe that the drinking age of 21 is too old. They contend that it should be lowered to 18. There are two ways of looking at the conversation brewing among academics: on one hand, the Puritanical nature of restricting alcohol as some moral and biblical sin is false and unjustified; I do know that a number of religious conservative bodies (Ex: Southern Baptist & church of Christ) illustrate via teaching that anything bad for the temple (or body) that God created is bad in general. Keep in mind that the United States is driven by fast food. I have read and studied the Bible; it says nothing about the evils of alcohol. Schools that restrict this such as my alma mater (Harding University) and Baylor University, as well as countless others due to scripture, are practicing the art of in loco parentis.It is hard to imagine that there are institutions that restrict the consumption of alcohol by adults.

The Puritanical nature and treatment of alcohol vis-à-vis temperance has not worked. Young people have not seen the consumption of wine or beer modeled to them at home. Thus, they seek to consume alcohol in an irresponsible way. Academics and college presidents have pushed to review the “18″ and “21″ drinking matter. They seem to think the current age limit exacerbates the problem by pushing the drinking “underground” and making it more dangerous. But some are accusing these officials of wanting to shirk their responsibility to enforce the laws. Then there’s the problem of a young person’s brain not being fully developed until 25. Whether the legal age is 21 or 18, the risk-taking behavior will be part of the equation.

People fail to realize that the Constitution does not set age limits on drinking. That is a 10th Amendment issue. However, the federal government has influenced states to set the limit at 21 if it hope to receive federal dollars on highways. In essence, this is part of the political nature that has caught the true attention of college presidents:

The college presidents supporting the initiative have signed a statement that does not specifically call for the drinking age to be reduced from 21 to 18, but seeks a debate of the law that tied states’ adoption of 21 as the legal drinking age to eligibility for federal highway funds. The statement does indicate that the presidents believe the laws are not working on college campuses, where they say a “culture of dangerous, clandestine binge drinking” has taken hold.

There seems to be two major arguments about this matter. Argument for the change is this:

The United States has the highest legal drinking age in the world. Most countries allow people to drink at 16 or 18 years of age. Others, like China, Portugal, and Vietnam, have no minimum drinking age at all.

Legislators argue that men and women who are old enough to vote, get married, adopt children, purchase firearms, and defend our country can be trusted to drink responsibly. Libertarian groups and some conservative economic foundations have long advocated for lowering the drinking age, and in recent years many academics and non-partisan policy groups have joined the cause.

Proponents of the idea argue that the current law has forced youths to hide and sneak alcohol, which means lawmakers and responsible adults have no control over underage drinking. These groups argue the law doesn’t actually reduce drinking among people under 21 years of age, which renders the law ineffective. In support of their position, they point to the federal government’s 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which found that 85 percent of 20-year-old Americans had used alcohol. Two out of five said they had binged (on five or more drinks at one time) within the previous month.

By offering better education and taking away the appeal of doing something “forbidden,” some groups believe a lower drinking age will actually keep people safer. Nonprofit group Choose Responsibility proposes lowering the drinking age to 18, but only in conjunction with “drinking licenses” and mandatory alcohol education. The group believes this change would educate young people about how to drink responsibly with the oversight and guidance of older adults. [see reference note]

An argument against the change:

During the Vietnam War era, 29 states lowered the drinking age to 18, reasoning that thousands of men and women were dying for their country without even having the right to drink legally. Within a short time, the lower drinking age resulted in a significant increase in alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

Those who oppose the lower drinking age argue the law saves lives. Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s review of nearly 50 peer-reviewed studies, it found that lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 increases fatalities by 10 percent.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says laws setting the drinking age at 21 have cut traffic fatalities involving drivers ages 18-20 by 13 percent and have saved an estimated 19,121 lives since 1975. When Vermont voted to increase the age in 1985, alcohol-related traffic fatalities reportedly dropped by 40 percent, according to Vermont State Police. Since alcohol is still the leading cause of death among teenagers in highway crashes, activist groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving argue the law is serving a valuable purpose.

Since states would pay a high price – 10 percent of their federal highway funds – to lower the drinking age, it is unlikely the movement will gain any ground. In most states, the legislative efforts have died without much support. Some organizations are hoping to reopen the issue for the 2010 election. [see reference note]

Referenced Here

Campus Beauty

I am off to Princeton University in less than two weeks. Thus I thought I would pull this post up again with the number of college letters arriving daily; I have enjoyed writing recs for a number of students I care about. My trip to Princeton will be my fourth to the prestigious New Jersey college. Last time I was there I ran across Cornel West (read here for that). In preparation for the work that I will be doing at Princeton over the course of four days, I thought that I would share my top “most attractive campus” list. Of course this is a limited list seeing that I have not visited every campus in the country. I have elected to exclude Harding University from this list.

I am thinking about moving Hendrix College up to number three. If you ask any high school student why they like a particular school, many of them will tell you that looks are important. Criteria for a nice campus: plenty of green grass, matching buildings, trees, curb appeal, and campus arrangement.

1. Princeton University
2. Duke University
3. University of the South
4. Hendrix College
5. Williams College
6. Stanford University
7. Southwestern College
8. Grinnell College
9. Hampton University
10. University of Richmond

Great New History Blog

Here is a great new blog by Randell Stephens, a historian and teacher at Eastern Nazarene College called The Historical Society.

About Randell:

Professor Stephens began teaching at ENC in the fall of 2004. He brings expertise in many fields: late 19th and early 20th century US history, American religious history, race, and American popular music. In 2008 Harvard University Press published Stephens’ book, The Fire Spreads: The Origins of Holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South.  The Atlantic Monthly called it a “masterful account of how the South nurtured and altered a once-marginalized religious movement” and praised it as “the most fluent and authoritative synthesis of a complex and controversial subject.”  Similar accolades appeared in the the Times Literary Supplement and Publishers Weekly. In 2009 the book won the Wesleyan Theological Society’s Timothy L. Smith and Mildred Bangs Wynkoop Book Award.  Stephens is currently writing a book with ENC professor of physics Karl Gibersonon recent American evangelicalism that is under contract with Harvard University Press.  He has composed a number of chapters and articles dealing with religious and cultural history.  He created and manages the ENC history department webpage.  Stephens is also editor of the Journal of Southern Religion and editor of the review of the Historical Society, Historically Speaking. He received the ENC Professional Achievement Award in 2007 and in 2008 the History News Network named him a Top Young Historian. 

Old Colony 104, Email: randall.stephens@enc.edu, Randall J. Stephens’ CV, course syllabi, sound & vision: heavy rotation,

Freshman Year

I received this picture today via facebook. This shot was taken my freshman year at Harding University; I suspect we are standing in the room of either Roger Butner or Phil Young in Graduate Residence Hall. Young (# 97) and I both attended Alabama Christian Academy together; Young and I along with Bryan McDermott are also in the same Fantasy Football League; we met for a weekend on August 22nd — our 15th year together. My first year at Harding was great in that I had a great deal of academic success, met a number of people I liked, and thoroughly enjoyed my instructors. I did consider leaving Harding due to its conservative nature, but remained to the end. I was younger and much smarter then. As my close friends will tell you, my ego was much bigger too. Phil is a lawyer practicing in the city of Nashville; he has been there since he finished law school at Vandy. I cannot start to tell you how many Alabama football games we watched in his room. I think I look older then than I do now. Although I have worked with harding University on a few projects and committees, I have since separated myself from the university (read about it here).

Faculty Tension Over Courses

The dichotomy that exists between college and upper school faculty appears to be clearly defined: college instructors teach specialized courses to students in a less democratized fashion; students who apply to attend a college or university are supposed to be the best and the brightest from their high schools – - of course that is usually not the case; on the other hand, due to the democratized nature of American schools, many students who are supposed to benefit from the failed educational policy of George W. Bush called No Child Left Behind prefer to be Left Behind.

Colleges complain that students arrive unprepared to do college level work, but it appears to be the colleges that are paradoxically prohibiting such student advancement. Over the past five years, a number of colleges have shifted their Advanced Placement acceptance score requirement closer to a 5 (scale 1 – 5). There are two possible reasons for this:

1. Colleges and universities are feeling the financial constraints of having too many of their students advance out of freshman and sophomore level survey courses.
2. Colleges and universities do not trust the type of AP education their perspective students received during their upper school years.

It is point two that has created some of the tension between upper schools and colleges. In a recent comparability study, the empirical findings noted that students who took AP courses outperformed students enrolled in the same course on a college campus. Last year while attending a conference on education and AP, one presenter (I will not name since I know her) noted from her research findings that college faculty believe their courses to be superior to that of upper school faculties; on the flip side, upper school teachers believe their courses are more advanced, more rigorous, and more complex. Because I do consulting work with both parties, I believe the problem is one of egos. One group believes its way is the best way; however, for nine days during the summer months at the AP reading, both groups seem to agree on most things while working well with each other. Inside Higher Education published an article addressing the problem from their point of view:

But while AP may function well as enriched content, it doesn’t equal college-level work, Sadler said, and shouldn’t be promoted as such. If the College Board wants to promote the AP curriculum as a way to allow students to receive credit for some college courses, Sadler saw two options: Make the tests significantly more difficult, or create new scores of 6 or 7, above the current top score, and let only the absolutely top performers with such scores earn college credit. Either way, he said, his research suggests that the vast majority of those now achieving scores indicating that they have done college-level work shouldn’t be receiving such scores.

Keep in mind that this information is thought to be incorrect in comparison to the comparability study conducted. You can read the rest here.

The group in the picture below represents faculty members from high schools and colleges that work closely together to write the AP European History Exam.

There is far less accountability for what is taught on college campuses than say on my upper school campus; however, the federal government has been pushing for similar legislation as No Child Left Behind – - but for colleges; one argument launched at teachers on the college campus is time and content. I can only speak for those in the independent school setting, but many upper school instructors say they have the time to explore matters and to discuss them more frequently than college faculty. Members of upper schools also contend that they do a better job at integrating various documents, sources, and examples since many are not pontificating to an audience in some lecture hall.

Personally, I have benefited from working with both groups; I have presented papers at conferences to both audiences, while having the benefit of observing classes by both. This tension is not fading any time soon. Better yet, this dynamic mix of people who should be on the same team might get worse. I suspect the problem has been extrapolated by a combination of campus finances and colleges who are looking to redefine their academic track record.

College Students Struggle with History

The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article on the state of American history and Economics amongst many of America’s college students. According to it, students are getting dumber in history. The think tank that conducted the study found that seniors in college knew as much as, if not less than entering freshman. James Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me blames the decline of history on misguided teaching. For example, teachers and textbooks still teach that most people thought the world was indeed flat by 1492 – - which is clearly false. I have found such errors in the American Pageant textbook that I used last year. Moreover, the teaching of American history is “overly” glorified in that we (American teachers) must teach false romanticized history as part of citizenship, duty, and patriotism. Because of this, students lack the analytical skills necessary to think in a historical manner. Howard Zinn blames this on the growth of capitalism and nationalism. I am assuming that his arguments builds on the construction of national identity, thus without glorification a great nation struggles to showcase any identity during challenging times such as 9/11. I try to get my students to look at the historical process from various points of views. Americans must learn to place blame on the actions of “grand” historical figures. We often try too hard to protect the actions of many under the umbrella of “it was a different time.”

In relation to the blog piece above that I drafted earlier, Mark Elrod posted this piece on his blog about college students and history. Take this short quiz on American history and tell me if the result was good.

“According to a new report, American college students still struggle with civic literacy.It seems to me that, the general lack of social, historical and civic literacy among American adults just can’t be considered “news” anymore. The only really surprising finding in the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s study is that most students don’t get their money’s worth by attending an “elite” college with respect to civic literacy. The difference between senior and freshman scores at those schools were only marginally better than students at randomly selected schools. On the other hand, knowing that the American Revolution ended at the Battle of Yorktown isn’t the kind of thing that automatically makes somebody a good citizen. But, it is something that every American should know, particularly if they attended college.”

 

Leaving the College Campus for the Elite Private Schools

The article below was published in the Chronicle of Higher Education by Gwendolyn Bradley. For those of you who have an interest in leaving College level teaching for an appointment at a private (or independent) school, this piece offers some good advice. And, as promised to my college colleague, a blog piece to help you make a decision. As noted by Bradley, the more elite the school is the better the teaching setting is. Moreover, for those of you who are academics and have a desire to research and write, you will find a home teaching at an independent school; however, note that many secondary teachers are not interested in research. Thus, you might find administrators less interested, which means funding and traveling problems. Keep in mind that many private schools are looking for people with content knowledge and the ability to communicate. Teachers are usually not required to hold a teaching license, which I am not a big fan of. Coaching helps here, too.  So, my final advice to my friend teaching at Bad College in the South (BCIS), when you decide to leave for a private school, keep in mind that not all private schools are the same.

Peter Wozniak left a tenured professorship at Auburn University at Montgomery to teach history at the Montgomery Academy, a private high school in Alabama. Not long after, two of Mr. Wozniak’s colleagues followed in his footsteps.

“Had I been an associate professor at a major research university, I probably would not have changed,” Mr. Wozniak says. “But when one teaches at a small, regional, community-college type institution, one can be far better off at a high school. The students are capable of a very high level of work.” Mr. Wozniak initially contacted the Montgomery Academy looking for part-time work to supplement his university salary. When the school later offered him a full-time position, he accepted. After 10 years at Auburn, he was fed up with what he saw as a declining quality of students and low pay. “Unbelievably, the high school is paying me more than the university was going to pay me for being chairman of the department,” Mr. Wozniak says.

Secondary-school teaching has long been an obvious alternative for humanities Ph.D.’s and A.B.D.’s who don’t land the college teaching jobs they want. But increasingly, people with doctorates are viewing elite private-school teaching as a rewarding career in its own right, rather than a watered-down version of college teaching or an undesirable backup plan. J.D. Bowers, who teaches history at Punahou School in Honolulu, says he became tired of professors complaining that college students didn’t know how to write and that it wasn’t their responsibility to teach them. An A.B.D. in American history from Indiana University, Mr. Bowers realized that he could make a difference at the secondary level. “When I was a T.A. and visiting professor, I probably made lasting impacts on about four students,” he says. “Here I know I’ve changed the lives of so many more students.”

Robert Lauder, head of the upper school at Sidwell Friends School, a Quaker day school in Washington, D.C., says that people with doctorates should realize that “there’s a lot out there besides college teaching.”

“A lot of our teachers do continue to publish and be involved in their academic disciplines but without the intense pressure you find with college teaching,” he says. Sidwell currently employs nine Ph.D.’s out of 58 faculty members in its upper division and is currently seeking an instructor to teach courses in African history and African-American history. Many Ph.D.’s choose private schools because, unlike public schools, they generally do not require teaching certification. Like Mr. Wozniak, they tend to find jobs in the elite private schools that are academically strong, well financed, and that employ teachers of a variety of faiths.

Independent schools need teachers who can play a variety of roles. Besides classroom teaching, they typically emphasize teacher-run extracurricular activities ranging from sports to theater to environmental activism. Coaching ability is particularly sought after. On the other hand, not everyone has to be a varsity coach.

“The person who’s going to get hired is someone who has a good personality — lively, fun, compassionate,” says Jonathan Ball of the teacher recruiting firm Carney Sandoe. “Athletics and fine arts are a plus, but it’s more that you need interest and some ability than extensive experience.” The opportunity to interact with students in many arenas (the classroom, the track, the stage, the student newspaper, the class trip to France) and a sense of really making a difference to students’ lives are cited over and over again by secondary teachers as reasons why they enjoy the profession.

Barbara Holler Smith left a post at Hebron Academy to complete her Ph.D., but despite a grueling schedule, she enjoyed the job and is considering returning. “I loved the community of adults,” she says. “The trust and friendship of the students made up for the long hours and lack of privacy. I remember accompanying the soccer team I coached to a game in October. The Maine leaves were turning their vibrant colors on the hills surrounding the field, and looking up I felt so grateful that this was my job, that I wasn’t sitting in an office trying to come up with a clever idea to build an article around.”

In some ways, secondary-school teaching differs from college teaching. Ms. Holler Smith cites the need to discipline high-school students as a major difference. And although it is often possible for a teacher to incorporate a specialty into middle- and high-school classes, independent schools are basically hiring generalists. This can be a problem for academics, who tend to be trained exhaustively in specific areas, but the problem is more one of desire than ability.

“Keep in mind that these are 15-year-old kids,” advises Will Layman, a seasoned English teacher, jazz-band leader, and head of upper school at the Field School in Washington, D.C. “You don’t need an incredibly deep knowledge of an area to teach it effectively. Rather, you have to be prepared to teach well.”

It is a mistake to believe that secondary-school curriculum is simply a dumbed-down college curriculum, or that secondary-school students are less capable than college students. Because private schools draw from an elite, well-educated population, most students are already excellent readers, writers, and debaters when they enter middle school. “The teaching is a lot more illuminating and intellectually interesting than people think,” says Mr. Layman. “We’ve got motivated families, open and creative kids, and the freedom to design classes, order books, and implement innovative ideas.”

Research is a different question. Mr. Wozniak says he has published two book reviews and delivered two conference papers in the last year, and the Montgomery Academy does offer research support — it even paid for Mr. Wozniak to attend a conference in Poland. But this level of continued scholarship is unusual. Many schools offer some research support, but it is more in the interest of faculty members’ keeping engaged with their teaching disciplines than making names for themselves as scholars. This comes as a relief to some, though the lower status associated with being an educator rather than an intellectual can be a problem, particularly after one has devoted years to obtaining a higher degree that is unnecessary for the job.

The starting pay range for someone with an advanced degree and some college-teaching experience is generally in the mid-thirties at a day school, according to estimates from recruiters and teachers, though teachers and administrators emphasize that pay is usually negotiated individually with candidates rather than being dictated by a firm scale.

Boarding-school pay is often lower, but that is more than offset by the fact that life at a boarding school involves very few expenses. Besides receiving health insurance, a generous retirement plan, a paid trimester of sabbatical every seven years, and subsidized university tuition, Ed Denault, a Spanish teacher at the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, sums up his benefits this way: “Housing is furnished, free, no utilities, no commute, maid service, all meals free, computer free, plus library privileges at a major university.”

My Davidson College Experience by Lerin Rutherford

Lerin Rutherford, a student in my AP European History course, shares her academic experience after a summer of study at Davidson College. She is one of my elite students who will have a number of college options come April. You can also read Lerin’s last post on Political Correctness and Happy Feet here.

Davidson College is a small liberal arts school in North Carolina, about 20 minutes away from Charlotte. It’s considered one of the new Ivies and is consistently ranked among the top ten liberal arts colleges in the nation. I must say that the journey to where I sit in the student union has been a long one. I only came across Davidson by chance in a college choice book during my sophomore summer and only read the profile because of its subtitle: “For the well-rounded student.” This was appealing after the realization that I might not get into the college of my choice because I am a white, middle class female and am neither A. a prima ballerina B. a child with an insurmountable past C. the sharpEST crayon in the box or D. Mother Theresa. After that I spoke to several alumni, one of which I encountered by chance while doing my rounds as a Student Ambassador. It was from this man that I first heard about July Experience, Davidson’s three week summer program for high school students. Although I determined that night to apply, the decision quickly became complicated. But I found the administration to be very obliging. I emailed the director of the program, Ms. Pat McCue with my problem just to see if there was any way a solution could be found. Only two days latter Ms. McCue returned my email to ask if I could accept a scholarship for over half of the tuition as a gift from the school. Davidson is very willing to work with students and 100% graduate debt free. I can see why.

My first impressions of the campus were not remarkable. (But this was probably due to the fact that my counselors dragged us through the campus in the middle of a rainstorm and called it a “tour.”) On a sunny day however, the campus is gorgeous and the facilities amazing. I was also concerned that the campus seemed somewhat deserted and the town seemed to have little to no entertainment. I can’t help but laugh at how wrong I was. July Experience is a remarkable program where 56 students from 18 states and three countries come for 3 weeks to truly figure out what Davidson College is about.

Our days in the program have been packed from the moment it began at 1:00 Sunday the 8th. In fact that night we were up late into the early morning square dancing in the Union! I’ll not pretend that getting up early was fun, but the days moved very quickly and the three weeks have seemingly vanished. Breaks consist of Summit Coffee runs and I spend my recreation time at the Davidson Lake campus, which by the way is gorgeous. Activity time is also a favorite, although by the end of the first week I’d had quite enough ice-breakers for a life time. As supervision has relaxed this past week, activity has been more along the lines of spontaneous dance party in the dorm lounge. But during the second week, we had a rather intense match of quiz bowl, (which I’ll proudly say I lead my team to second place in), a talent show, and a poetry reading. Weekends consisted of well earned relaxation time. The first Saturday we did community service and attended the Lion King in Charlotte. Sunday we all had a picnic on the beach. This past weekend we went white water rafting and saw a baseball game on Sunday. This Friday, tomorrow, I’m rather excited for our formal banquet and the following luau/bonfire on the beach.

Davidson is best known for its academics. While here I took classes in Literature: the Art of the Short story and Anthropology: Skulls, Bones and Clandestine Graves. The two classes were intense and innovative. Both were discussion and experience based and in the case of Anthropology, very hands on. I was surprised by the insight of all the students here and the academic rigor of these minor summer courses. Ultimately I think I may even have gotten off easy, because it seemed many of the other students had larger projects than I did. I’d imagine that most classes at Davidson are similar. I’ve talked to my share of college students and I’ve never heard them speak about their course load as challenging to the degree of my counselors for these three weeks. I think that speaks well of the college, because challenging the type of minds that find their ways here cannot be easy. Teachers and faculty here are just as accessible as those at HCHS. They were constantly in the library and almost seemed to seek us out.

The community here is what makes a difference however. Students here, while they discuss class and famous works of art over dinner in the cafeteria, have so much more going on in the community. While here we were treated to two plays, one was The Lion King in Charlotte’s Blumenthal theatre and the other was one on Jewish culture by a local community company. We got to hear professors give personalized readings from their published works, attend sporting events, hang out at Davidson’s nearby lake campus, white water raft, participate in the choral program for the talent show, attend community games and events, and experience college dorm and eating house life. Now more than ever, I feel ready for college and as if I could be at home easily on this campus but maybe on others. Even little Davidson town, the historical portion proved a source of entertainment as students made endless runs to Summit coffee shop and Ben & Jerry’s between classes. Davidson does have a more modern portion which we experienced when our counselors kidnapped us all one Sunday to see the new Harry Potter movie.

While have everything positive to say about this school and program, do not think that we were only exposed to the nice side of college existence. In fact the school is refreshingly open about its own issues. We were even taken to a documentary about racial tensions at Davidson, illustrating its past and present issues. But even young African American woman who created the film said when asked, she would not have gone anywhere else. Another part of Davidson’s honesty is preparing JE students for their college experience no matter which college that may be. Admissions went out of their way to schedule informational sessions for us all on essays, financial aid, applications and choosing the right school. I was impressed by the way in which the school promoted individualized learning as a goal rather than the school itself.

My time here has definitely changed and challenged me. I’ve learned what I want from a college. I have learned that straight A’s might not come as easily as they have. I’ve been exposed to many other view points through my studies and challenged but never looked down upon for coming from a small Christian school. I have met my peers from across the nation and discovered I quite like them and can’t wait to attend class with them. I’ve learned to communicate better with those at home and those around me. And perhaps most importantly I’ve learned the secret to harmonious living with a roommate. More than anything though I’ve had to think differently about a number of things and I’ll probably address them in another entry later. Several of my views on race have changed drastically and I can’t wait to discuss them at length with Carson.

I wholeheartedly encourage HCHS students to look at Davidson and to consider applying to July Experience. More than that, I think that anyone serious about finding the right school for them should consider a program of the same type, even if Davidson isn’t your cup of tea. These three weeks at Davidson have been the most valuable this summer and as I sit here at ease in the union, I can’t help hoping that around this time next year I might be getting ready to come rather than leave.

Same Rules: No Letters of Recommendation For Students Applying to PCC & Bob Jones

Sam Pilkington, one of my top AP history students fired an e-mail at me today about the college letter of recommendation I finished writing for her a few weeks ago. I recall telling students that I do not write bad letters; however, I will hint to a student if I think he or she will receive a stronger letter from another teacher (poor students only). With that stated, I will not write a college letter of recommendation for a student applying to either Bob Jones University or Pensacola Christian College. I have a number of problems with both institutions and have no desire to see my BEST attend such places. Note: My problem with the two has more to do with their narrow-minded ideological construction and anti-intellectual religious jargon. Moreover, it has nothing to do with the silly rules they force on their students. By the way, I am enjoying my week so far at TCU. The European history institute I am conducting here in Fort Worth is always great — thanks to those who attend. I got the information below from the Political Cartel:

When considering attending Pensacola Christian College, it is important to know that they have rules. Rules. Rules. Rules. They have rules to govern every area of your life. Just like the Bible, only more. Evidently, the Bible did not cover some areas, so the School Administrators have picked up the slack.This list is a work in progress, and it is intended to supplement (supplant?) the Student Handbook. It will never be complete, as PCC adds rules at the rate of about two or three a week. Some obscure or old rules go unenforced, while others may be enforced sporadically. It is evidently up to the student to intrepret which rules the school actually cares about; however, in our college experience, a rule was never repealed during the school year.

While attending PCC, the number one measurement of your spiritual condition will be how well you obey the rules, and secondly, how much you turn in others who don’t obey the rules.

Pensacola Christian College has developed an elaborate bureaucracy for dealing with all offenses, which has absolutely no Biblical precedent. Whereas God, in His infinite wisdom, created a system where sin had natural consequences, PCC prefers the more immediate system of demerits, socialling, and campusing. This is probably just as well, for their sake, as most of the rules are not sin. This brings up another issue – that of “spending demerits.”

Under God’s law, sin is sin, and even the tiniest of them sent Christ to the cross. At PCC, this distinction is blurred, as some offenses are considered sin (e.g. listening to “pop” music), while others (e.g. failing to clean your mirror during room check) are not. Also, in specific cases of obtaining a weekend pass where you will miss a required activity, the school allows it and simply gives you 10 or 25 demerits in advance, much like a business transaction. This certainly could not be sin. Therefore, the question of whether it is allowable (i.e. not actual sin) to “spend demerits,” (to willfully disobey a rule with the expectation of receiving the demerits due) is raised. The school allows it in some cases, doesn’t care in others, and denounces it generally. As a student at PCC, you will have to discern individually which rules the administration believes should never be broken, and which are okay to break if you are willing to accept the demerits. Obviously, this is an awkward situation, but the school has found it to be “reasonable,” and we would like to assume they have actually thought it through.

Types of Punishment:

Demerits. The basic unit of punishment. Acquiring a demerit MAY be wrong (i.e. sin) or it might not be, as explained above. Accumulation of 75, 100, or 125 of these will result in “campusing.” 150 will result in possible expulsion at PCC’s discretion.

Campusing. The student is, in effect, “grounded,” for a period of time, usually no shorter than a week. This means he may not leave campus except for preapproved reasons such as work. He will also be required to turn in the keys to any car registered to him.

He also must sign a statement saying he will have no communication (verbal or not) with another campused student. If a person in his room is already campused, he is required to change rooms, and will not change back after the campusing ends.

Socialling. While socialled, a student may have no communication with another student of the opposite sex except in in classroom or preapproved situations.

Expulsion. This is removal from the school. Usually the student is forced to “withdraw.” All cases are under the discretion of the administration. It must be noted a student may be expelled at any time for any reason. It need not have anything to do with accumulation of demerits, an explicit act, or wrongdoing of any type. Lest you think otherwise, people from freshman to seniors are kicked-out each year without ever being given a specific reason.

Shadowing. Though not a specific punishment, it often accompanies the above disciplines. Shadowing is when a student is made to accompany a floor-leader or other PCC staff member 24 hours a day. He will sleep in the floor-leaders room, attend his classes (or sit in the dean’s office) and eat all meals with him. The student is allowed no interaction with any other student, with limited access to those outside the school (e.g. parents). The student is shadowed from the time he has been accused or suspected of a “serious” infraction until he is exonerated or punished. There is an implied “presumption of guilt.” Any student is vulnerable to having his life severely interrupted, possibly suffering exceptional emotional and spiritual distress as he is isolated, pressured, and scared, being made to feel guilty even when there is no reason.

It has been suggested that the rationale for this practice is to keep down rumors and “protect” the student body from this corrupt student. This is terrible justification and further illustrates how the administration does not want or does not believe its student body can think for themselves.

There is no mention of the shadowing policy in any material made available to the students or their parents.

The Student Voice finds PCC’s policy of shadowing to be completely immoral. It has been reported to us than the school claims that shadowing does not happen very often. This is a lie. Shadowing goes on weekly and probably daily. This policy must end, and we encourage all concerned parties to express there disgust to the PCC administration

Much could be said of treating Christian adults this way. Obviously, it is not the way Christ thought most effective, and so much of it is actually counter-productive in instilling an actual heart change. It is so difficult for the school to trust the often slow work of the Holy Spirit, to bring conviction and repentance, and to conform His children to Christ, that PCC much prefers this more base and immediate system of correction.
THE RULES.No demerit amount is listed for the infractions since the school basically gives you as many demerits as they want for whatever the infraction, perhaps tacking on “improper procedure” or some such nebulous infraction.

Any rules enclosed in quotation marks are taken verbatim from an official PCC proclamation (usually a hall meeting announcement).

DRESS CODE:

While the Student Handbook states that it does not want its students to feel the need for an expensive wardrobe, it goes on to require such an array of clothing that invariably any new student must go spend hundreds of dollars for clothes to fit its “standards.”

Announced Spring semester, 1997, the administration has instated more progressive dress code rules. This is evidentally to combat their ignorant interpretation of “the grunge look.” Pants are not allowed to be “too” baggy. Shoe syles are more restrictive, and fashions and patterns will fall under the discretion of the school.

MEN.

Pants may not be “pegged” or have any pockets on the legs.

Pants may not be “frayed” at the bottom.

No jeans, or double-stitched pants.

Shirts must be tucked in at all times.

Men may not wear a necklace.

Hats may only be worn outdoors, but NOT at outdoor sporting events.

You must wear a belt at all times.

You must wear “dress” shoes except when involved in athletic activity.

You must wear a collared shirt except when involved in athletic activity.

No apparel with other colleges or high-schools is allowed.

T-shirts must be blank or be an official PCC T-shirt.

You may not shave your head (Caucasian students only; it is unclear how this is to be interpreted for Asian-Americans/Indian-Americans. All we can suggest is to consult your floorleader). Violation will result in being sent home for two weeks (your expense).

“Shelf Cuts,” hair touching the ears, sideburns past the middle of the ear, bangs over the eyes, and hair touching the collar are not allowed.

No blue-jean (denim) shirts or jackets.

No “dressing down” – that is, intentionally mismatching clothes.

Clothing may not have advertising or large logos on it.

You must wear socks.

Except for collegian sports, men must wear “dress sweats” for any athletic activity where women are present.

A swimming suit/shorts may not be worn while traveling to the beach, although there are no changing rooms at the men’s required beach.

For White Glove weekend: “Men may wear jeans and collared shirts to breakfast this Saturday, [date of white glove], because of White Glove. Stone washed or acid washed denim should not be worn. Students must change immediately after breakfast.”

Multi-colored polo shirts and khakis are acceptable “afternoon” dress (see the “Who’s Who” section of the latest yearbook for examples); note, though, that this also applies to Saturday mornings, in which case the morning is converted to “afternoon” for clothing purposes. Sunday afternoon, though, is not “afternoon” for clothing purposes.

You may not allow the end of your belt to hang down from the belt-loops resembling a phallus.

WOMEN.

Women must wear a skirt or dress at all times. Jean skirts are allowed at dating outings only. Long shorts (i.e., “gauchos” or “culottes”) which reach the knee are permitted for athletic activity.

Skirts/Dresses must reach the top of the knee when sitting.

Women must wear nylons (“hose”) with skirts, but may wear socks with shorts.

You may not wear pants in your dorm, although sweats ARE permitted after prayer group.

All skirts must be knee length and shirts must not be subjectively “low-cut.”

No two-piece swimming suits (although, this is a bit irrelevant since a male should never see you swimming).

All neck lines must be modest.

No backless shoes or dresses.

Flannel shirts must be tucked in.

DORM RULES:

It should be noted that at any time, the administration (or students authorized by the administration) may go through your room, unannounced, looking for anything unauthorized. Legally or not, this will include opening drawers and going through paperwork. You may or may not be present, and you may or may not be notified.

Your room must be cleaned to a subjective degree every morning for room check.

If you are still in bed you may receive demerits for not having your bed made (although it is acceptable to make your bed, go back to sleep on top of the made bed while your floorleader is checking room jobs, and then crawl back under the covers after the floorleader exits the room. However, you must wait until the floorleader crosses the threshold before actually beginning to “crawl” back under the covers).

On weekdays, there are “quiet hours,” during which you may not talk in the hall, close doors loudly, or sing in the shower.

After bed-time (“lights out:” 11:00 every day, including weekends) you may receive demerits for talking, taking your contacts out, having your feet on the floor (or possibly suspended a few inches from the floor), being in the bathroom, or basically doing anything but lying in bed.

No local calls over 30 minutes.

No extra studying during exams.

No lights, computers, stereos, or other appliances left on when the room is empty.

Wall decorations (posters, etc) must be hung by pinning them from string to the corner of the wall and ceiling. There is no officially approved adhesive or “sticky tack.”

You may not have: television, personal stereo (walkman), microwave, fans, skillets, hot plate, coffee pot, electric blanket, extra furniture, or a living pet (also presumably includes a “dead” pet – not clear whether this includes pet rocks or plants) of any kind.

Hot pots and popcorn poppers must be used in the laundry room.

Liquid bleach and oven cleaner may not be used to clean.

Any unused mattresses in a room must be covered with sheets, apparently provided by you.

You may not put up a picture of unmarried people in physical contact unless they are “little kids.” (these are sold in the bookstore).

You must wear a shirt in the halls (men and women) and may not wear shorts in the lounges at any time.

You may not go bare-foot in the halls or lounge.

You may not sing “too loud” during prayer group.

The blinds in your room must be closed after dusk.

You may not open your window.

You may not adjust your thermostat.

You may not wipe “boogers” on the wall. This is being cracked down on.

OFF CAMPUS RULES:

As stated in the Student Handbook, leaving campus is a “privilege;” one which the administration will revoke as they see fit.

Students must return to campus by 10:00 p.m. every night, including weekends.

A student must “scan out” at the campus computers, notifying the school of exactly where he intends to go off-campus.

If the intended destination is not listed on the computer, the student must obtain a permission pass from various staff at designated times. This is also applicable if you wish to leave campus on a Sunday.

You may not go to Cordova Mall after 5:00 p.m.

There are a myriad of restaurants the students are not allowed to go to, although faculty and staff frequent them (more specifics on campus).

Freshmen/Sophomore women must leave campus in groups of three or more. Junior/Senior women, in groups of 2.

No more than twenty students may meet off-campus without specific permission.

Males and Females are to use separate public beaches and may not go to the popular Pensacola Beach or to the nearby Boardwalk.

You may not go to a public library.

You may not go onto the campus of any other college in the Pensacola area.

Women are not allowed to hold off campus jobs. (All school jobs during the year pay minimum wage or below)

MEDIA:

A large amount of magazines are considered pornography and are not allowed, including: Men’s Health, Muscle&Fitness, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, etc.

The Publishers Clearing House contest application has a sticker for Playboy and is not allowed

The BMG or Columbia House music club catalogs are not allowed

Music is limited to classical, hymns, accepted “new age” and instrumental, and that distinctive “PCC sound.”

No “paraphenelia” (posters, books, stickers, etc) associated with “non-passing” media is allowed in your dorm, on your person, or in your car.

You may recieve demerits for having your radio tuned to a “non-passing” radio station, even if you have not touched the dial since you were home.

SOCIAL INTERACTION

No student is allowed to talk or otherwise interact with another student of the opposite sex outside of a “chaperoned” area. It does not matter if they are alone or among hundreds of students if it is not an “official” chaperoned area.

FOR INSTANCE, consider these. . . .

1.) “This is a reminder that the hallway in front of the Field House is an unchaperoned area. Couples may walk through the area during the daytime, Monday-Friday, but may not loiter.”

2.) “This is a reminder that the social hours [chaperoned hours] in the Commons Plaza are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. or dusk (whichever comes first) Monday through Saturday, and 12:15 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays.”

3.) “The Academic mall areas are unchaperoned areas in the evening. Students taking evening classes should socialize in the classrooms only.”

You may not interact with a student of the opposite sex in any way off-campus without prior approval and an approved chaperone.

Men may not give their suit jacket to their date.

Each gender must use segregated stairways, elevators and in some cases, sidewalks.

There is to be no physical contact between students of the opposite sex, except perhaps on some “dating outings,” where hand-holding games are played.

The official rule on “indirect contact” is unknown. It is much talked about, but unevenly enforced. This includes such things as tugging on a coat, poking with a pencil, etc.

Siblings of the opposite sex should not interact in unchaperoned areas to abstain from the “appearance of evil.”

“It is proper, although not required, for a young man to give a corsage to his date and for a young lady to give a boutonniere. It is not appropriate for plants, fruit, stuffed animals, and other such items to be brought to Fine Arts programs.”

MISCELLANEOUS:

There is to be NO. . .

Tardiness.

Littering.

Chewing gum indoors (in certain buildings).

Sleeping in church.

Having more than 8 people at a table in the Varsity Commons.

Eating food purchased off-campus in a public area.

Walking on the grass or landscape.

Wearing face paint at Greek Rush.

Selling anything in the dorms.

Borrowing.

Violent, “occult,” or “lewd” computer games.

Covering your Photo ID picture in any way.

Playing of instruments (of any kind) in your room, or outside. The only place to play on campus is in the practice rooms.

Possession of an electric guitar or amplifier.

Taking part in a collegian meeting other than your own.

Automotive repair on campus.

Horseplay. This is completely subjective and can be for anything from loudness to throwing a pillow.

“Indirect Horseplay.” This appears to be watching “horseplay” from a distance without doing anything to stop it/being entertained by it.

“Flipping.” This involves flipping the empty offering plate as you pass it; it may be considered a disruption of the service.

Turning in another student’s attendance card.

Disrespect or “bad attitude.”

Profanity.

Fireworks.

Using another person’s automobile.

Plagiarism.

Lying or any form of deception (widely interpreted and applicable only to students).

Cheating.

Unauthorized possession of a weapon.

“Obscene” language. This includes the terms “suck” or “sucks.”

Stealing/Computer Piracy.

Attendance at a movie theater or unapproved concert/event.

Visiting Pensacola Junior College or the Unversity of West Florida.

Disrupting a public gathering or function.

Possession or use of tobacco/alcohol/controlled substances (includes glue).

Forgery.

Duplicating keys (for those of you who brought down your key-duplicator machine).

Assault or attempted assault.

“Squealing” tires.

Gambling (or possession of standard playing cards).

Involvement in any occultic activity.

“Cracking” the communion cups.

Participating in unauthorized protest, petition, or riot.

Writing or distributing unauthorized literature.

All music, speaking, skits, or public/semi-public performances of any kind must be passed by the administration. This includes collegian meetings, Sunday school, Student Body, etc.

You must follow all usher instructions.

“Students are to walk to activities at the Academy, Print Shop, Awana, Youth Group, and Collegian meetings. Anyone needing to drive should get it approved a head [sic] of time with the Dean of Men’s Office.”

Finally there is IMPROPER PROCEDURE, which is a catch-all for anything you do which they don’t want you to do, but hadn’t thought of making it a rule yet.

The College Board and AP Courses

I have been involved with the College Board and Advanced Placement since my first year of teaching; I have found that the curriculum offer students a level of rigor that many regular high school courses do not. One of my biggest complaints about the nature of high school is its lack of rigor. I laugh every time I read or hear about how a school is a “college preparatory” school; if I had a $ for every time I heard this…well you get the point. I really do believe that too many high school courses are taught at a level far easier than instructors would prefer (this includes me), even at so called “college preparatory schools.” High school textbooks are usually written on an 8th grade level (AP courses use only college texts). One of the challenges students face when they leave high school for college is the intense rigor of college courses. Classes usually require two – three textbooks as well as a supplemental reading package. High school students often fall victim to grade inflation because of the amount of grades schools require teachers to record (not here at HCHS). Why does a student need 15 grades in a nine week grading period? I try to limit my grading to 6 -9 marks with two major exams and some writing exercises. Many students get to college and discover that if you get a low “B” on the first exam, you are probably not going to get an “A” in the course.

AP courses are not perfect either. A number of schools have decided to eliminate AP courses. The big complaint aimed at AP is the pace and lack of in-depth study of particular topics. There is some merit to this argument. My AP U.S. History course often feels like a sprint rather than a jog on certain topics. Furthermore, courses such as AP Biology, AP English, and AP Chemistry have received similar complaints. Regardless, not all schools can get rid of AP. Friends and colleagues of mine who teach at “named” national elite schools believe they should not have to segregate their student body. Their argument, which is legitimate, is this: We accept only the very best and brightest students, thus why would we offer a rigorous course to a few and not to all. Moreover, it is this type of school that has resisted ranking their students. Again, they claim “why rank when they all are elite.” While visiting the St. John’s School of Houston a week ago, the headmaster asked my thoughts on AP courses. My reply was this: If you are at a school that has highly skilled and highly able students across the campus, why have AP? Better yet, why not have AP for every course and every student, as some schools have done. Truthfully, I suspect that private schools are moving away from AP because of the College Board’s aim to expand AP into more schools. Many independent schools do not want to be on the same academic level with public schools.

The reality is most schools are not Kinkaid, St. John’s, or the Harvard-Westlake School. Thus, if you are not at a named elite school with clear across the board rigor, you probably should load up on the AP. Because many private schools accept a large number of very average to below average students, they cannot create a true across the board rigorous academic program in a “college preparatory” environment. However, a number of schools will continue to fool themselves. I found myself laughing at a private school in my home state of Alabama that is now advertising itself as college prep — okay, if you are going to do that, please define what college prep really means. The New York Times wrote a nice piece here on why some national public schools and elite private schools are moving away from AP.

Here at Houston Christian High School, we offer “roughly” around 17 AP courses. I usually get some of the best and brightest students. My AP European and U.S. History students will take the national AP Exam this Friday. I have faith and confidence in their ability to do well.

Sexism by Jaylon Williams

Jaylon has been commenting on this blog now for almost a year; he is a regular that offers some thoughtful suggestions to various blog posts. I love it when people decided to e-mail me great stuff to publish — this one came out of the blue. Jaylon’s piece discusses the fact that women simply make less than their male counter part. It might have something to do with the number of women electing to stay at home after giving birth. Seeing how complex today’s economy is, I am still amazed that women can do this. Because I come from a family with very little economic earning power, both of my parents had to work all types of shifts just to make ends meet. My biggest fear is that many of the young ladies I teach will go off to college in hopes of getting an MRS. degree. Ladies, keep fighting.~EC~

 

 

 

Yesterday, the Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted a report by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation. The report indicated that, on average, women earn lower salaries than men immediately after graduation and thereafter. This gap in salaries existed even though women’s college GPAs were on average higher than those of men. The report’s findings were true for women, even when they made the same occupational choices as men. The Chronicle detailed the following from the report:

“One year after graduation, women earn 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn, the report says. Ten years after graduation, the disparity is even greater, with women earning 69 percent of what men earn. But women are also more likely than men to complete some form of graduate education within the first 10 years out of college.

The research also shows that women who attended highly selective colleges earn less than men from either highly or moderately selective colleges, and about the same as men from minimally selective colleges.”

Campus Beauty

I am off to Princeton University tomorrow morning. This will be my third trip to the prestigious New Jersey college. In preparation for the work that I will be doing at Princeton over the course of four days, I thought that I would share my top “most attractive campus” list. Of course this is a limited list seeing that I have not visited every campus in the country. I have elected to exclude Harding University from this list.

I am thinking about moving Hendrix College up to number three. Mark Elrod, my political science professor wrote a great blog piece on campus beauty and Hendrix earlier this year. If you ask any high school student why they like a particular school, many of them will tell you that looks are important. Criteria for a nice campus: plenty of green grass, matching buildings, trees, curb appeal, and campus arrangement.

1. Princeton University
2. Duke University
3. University of the South
4. Hendrix College
5. Williams College
6. Stanford University
7. Southwestern College
8. Grinnell College
9. Hampton University
10. University of Richmond

Thoughts on Duke, Class, and Race

The District Attorney recently exonerated all members charged with sexual assault in the Duke University lacrosse case. There were clearly no winners here. Moreover, the Duke lacrosse case illustrates both the racial and class resentment that exists in America. Just like the O.J. murder case, Duke lacrosse brought to life both the social and economic problems Americans tend to ignore. Because inequality in education exists, many minorities do not receive the proper education needed to attend a Duke. Think about the number of elite private schools in the country that have a very small number of black students. Often enough, blacks are victims of educational slavery in that many live in low property tax communities. Thus, minority public schools are faced with the challenge of hiring elite faculty members as well as providing each student with adequate resources for learning. This type of class division creates resentment and hate towards those who are privileged. 

For one, as popular as Duke University is with its $ 5 billion endowment, its elite faculty members, and its popular sports team (basketball), many residents living in the Durham area dislike Duke because of its perceived lack of investment in the local community. Locals contend that Duke is nothing more than a temporary haven for rich white kids. Moreover, black students who attend Duke have had to create their own social environment. Campus festivals and activities are built around fraternities and “white cultural endeavors” that would clearly make blacks feel out of place. Just like the O.J. case, many of America’s black population were supporting the black female who claimed rape as a show of solidarity. Blacks want white America to see how race and class are still used to subjugate not only blacks, but non elites too.  Most black Americans knew O.J. was guilty; they supported him as a form of protest against white America. Some black Americans feel as though whites in power have turned their backs on the racially abusive culture long promulgated by elitism. For example, in the minds of black folks, white supremacy is prevalent in all institutions of power, especially police departments. In Cornel West’s Race Matters, he states that

white America has been historically weak willed in ensuring racial justice and has continued to resist fully accepting the humanity of blacks. As long as double standards and differential treatment abound — as long as rap performer Ice-T is harshly condemned while former Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates’s anti-black comments are received in polite silence, as long as Dr. Leonard Jeffries’s anti-Semitic statements are met with vitriolic outrage while presidential candidate Pat Buchanan’s anti-Semitism receives a general response — black nationalism will thrive.

Unlike the connection blacks feel towards the black female, they never felt any connection to O.J. He was viewed as a black elitist who turned his back on black folks, much like that of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who continues to attack affirmative action.  Blacks exploited the O.J. case to show America how much racism still exists in society. As for the female who claimed rape, it appears that blacks are supporting her because there were clearly signs of racism found among the lacrosse players. Many of them admitted to using racial slurs as well as being abusive to the black co-ed. In the end, here are the clear losers in all of this:

• Women – feminism took a step backwards here. It is my understanding that rape victims are slow to come forward. Imagine if you are a college female who was date raped — will people believe you after this?
• Duke’s lacrosse coach — he should not have been fired. According to an internal investigation, he did everything by the book. I feel for him.
• Durham — race relations on Duke’s campus are pretty sticky.
• The defendants — some left campus, lost a year of eligibility, and are faced with rebuilding their reputation (thanks for this point Rob Kernodle).