Monthly Archives: February 2008

Complicate/problematize

One of my favorite writers, Russell Jacoby (whose The Repression of Psychoanalysis, an account of how the American medical establishment tamed & betrayed Freud’s key insights, has held up very well) has an article in this week’s Chronicle (permalink for … Continue reading

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Fighting words

If you bracket the 2 years or so right after 9/11, when he lost his mind and started ranting about treasonous America-haters, then Andrew Sullivan has been, for more than a decade now, one of my favorite writers.  I’ve taught … Continue reading

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Free iPhones, or: I wonder if Abilene Christian U is hiring a Victorianist?

Apparently ACU has decided to give free iPhones to all incoming students.  Before scoffing too much, check out their comprehensive page of resources.  They’ve clearly been thinking about ways to embed new communications tools deeply into the campus culture, which … Continue reading

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Ah, spring–when a young prof’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of service

This week the senate elections committee issued its annual call for nominations for the myriad university committees that are either elected by the faculty as a whole or by the senate. Immediately afterward, that sound you heard was the cry … Continue reading

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Public service announcement

The Hartford Courant‘s article from the weekend about how excessive CCSU-related partying is mildly annoying destroying the Belvedere neighborhood in New Britain does not–I repeat, does not!–refer to our house. The confusion’s understandable: . . . a surge in party-related … Continue reading

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The Chronicle giveth . . . and the Chronicle taketh away

Be sure to check out the article on Twitter in the Chronicle this week (permalink | free short-term link) , which features a cameo appearance by your humble blogger.  (Personal interest aside, Jeff does a good job explaining Twitter for … Continue reading

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A sign the revision process isn’t fully complete . . .

You *may* not be done with your paper on King Solomon’s Mines if the first sentence includes this parenthetical: (INSERT NAMES OF WHITE MEN) Apparently using all caps isn’t always a sufficient reminder-to-self . . .  

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Reason 513 to keep educationists & state officials far, far apart

A is on the board of directors of the preschool our son attends, which has been . . . interesting.  Apparently, the last time the inspectors (I think attached to this program, which gave the preschool a nice grant this … Continue reading

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Assessment in the humanities

A very long time ago, I wrote a column for InsideHigherEd.com arguing that assessment isn’t just makework; done right, it can provide useful information to departments and other interested parties about what students actually learn.  By coincidence, Horace wrote a … Continue reading

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Monday morning typo

This probably only funny because I saw it after walking to campus through 11 degree weather on a particularly gusty morning, but I did enjoy this typo: A screening of this video is what was meant, though it is amusing … Continue reading

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