Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 2, 1993 TAG: 9310150370
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: VINCENT P. McGINN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Imagine this not as an isolated incident, but a common and expected occurrence. You complain to the owner/operator, and he tells you to be satisfied with what you're getting, because next week the prices are going up. And anyway, he's involved with an activity which is more meaningful to society (read: the other endeavor makes more money). This other activity is the operation of a car wash!
An absurd scenario? The fiction becomes reality when we realize that the dry-cleaning establishment is in fact the "system" of higher education in the United States. The soiled clothes? Our children's education. The rising cost? The tuition. The car wash? So-called "research."
It started some 50 years ago. What pervaded our society was an attitude and a belief that everyone must go to college - you can write your own ticket. And the academic charlatans obliged us. The accompanying technological baubles of the '60s and '70s strengthened their position. Today, our children are incapable of dividing two numbers correctly, but they can manipulate interactive commercial software for hours on end. And even if the machine doesn't yield the quotient, they can report on how many keystrokes it took.
Our throw-away society shed itself not only of its reparable goods but of skilled craftsmen who produced them. The collective industry of American colleges and universities replaced common sense. Traveling across country, you cannot drive 10 or 20 miles without seeing a sign for some kind of institute, college, educational center or "university." How many have paid into these black holes hundreds of thousands, millions, billions of dollars? How many hours, months, years of people's lives have been squandered in the halls of these pedagogical amusement parks?
The lure certainly was (is) based on expectations following graduation. Disappointed after making your commitment? Do what any addict would do: Indulge in more of the same. (It's called an advanced degree.)
For years American society has suspected that much (not all) of higher education is tantamount to fraud. Yet, the people of this country are polite and remain quiet. Now, however, pomposity has replaced pretension and conspicuous stealing is flaunted.
In the five-part series (``A college education at what cost?") in the Sept. 12-16 Roanoke Times &World-News, specifically the one reporting on faculty stars, the myopic arrogance of the Nobel laureate mentioned in this article underscores the need for closer scrutiny of the activities of these overcompensated autocrats.
To be sure, they cannot operate without the system that supports them. "Research" from years past (30 or more) represented sincere contributions to society. Today, research fostered by the offending institutions falls into three main categories: A young faculty member desirous of tenure.
Pursuing other academic goals to the exclusion of research results in denial of tenure, which is the arcane phrase signifying termination of employment. Thus, requests for funding (research proposals) and reports on conducted research are prolific. Multiple authors are the norm, and it's not uncommon to uncover research that explores previously charted ground or, worse yet, hyped investigations shrouded in esoteric jargon or symbology. Usually, no requirement exists for prior knowledge in a proposed study. Internal review exists to the extent of rubber stamping atthe institution's "research office."
Those ingratiating themselves by swelling their publication list. At the intermediate professorial level, mobility is related to the extent of publications. At the rank of eminence, publications may be necessary to convince management that in fact they're doing more than collecting a paycheck.
Persons involved in contract labor. A typical example involves an industry that produces an item that must be tested. Testing requires the establishment of a dedicated facility (it takes floor space) supported by a company engineer, a technician and a secretary. The operation of such an activity is undoubtedly expensive. An industrial cost-saving measure establishes the required facility at a university. It will be operated by a professor and his graduate students under the auspices of "research." Even with a 50 to 65 percent overhead imposed by school administrators, the industry is saving money. That's not the end, however. The industry may use its "donation" as an advantage for tax-filing purposes! This last area is the most insidious. Our taxes are paying the very people who should be teaching for the purpose of staying away from the classroom.
The prize-winning economist who was erroneously reported as a prior teacher at Virginia Military Institute (he had taught at Virginia Tech) indicts himself with the inability to teach by stating that undergraduates are interested in playing. He would not think these young minds are a "waste" if he motivated them. But motivation requires two hardships: First, the teacher actually has to show up for his scheduled classes (not cancel meetings or use a teaching assistant as a substitute). Second, the teacher needs to prepare a lecture. Students recognize teachers who talk off the top of their heads with snow jobs designed to fill a class period.
A quality undergraduate education may be had at a school that actually cares for its students and demands its students to perform. Such schools do not shun research, but establish a sensible list of priorities. It's a challenge to a prospective student to find such a school. However, it's equally frustrating for a conscientious teacher. If one is devoid of integrity, "willing to play the game," and can shut the door to the undergraduate customer, then any school may be a possibility for employment.
Personally, because I abhor stealing, swindling and deceit, I am currently at VMI. It's not like most of the rest. We attempt to give the customers a fair return for their commitment of time and dollars.
\ Vincent P. McGinn is head of the electrical engineering department at Virginia Military Institute.
by CNB