Tag: inequality

Friedrichs, the Roberts Court, and the willful ignorance of privilege

January 12, 2016

Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. If the discussion yesterday is any indication—and usually it’s a pretty good one—the Supreme Court seems poised to make a serious blow against public employee unions. And it’s part of a pattern: this Supreme Court’s credence of arguments that support privilege. This time, it’s… More Friedrichs, the Roberts Court, and the willful ignorance of privilege

Help! I have Jill Lepore syndrome

October 23, 2014

I’m productive, but Jill Lepore writes an extended article for The New Yorker every few weeks, a book every two or three years (including a fantastic book on Benjamin Franklin’s sister, a novel, and one about to come out on Wonder Woman), served a number of years as chair of the History and Literature program at Hah-vuhd,… More Help! I have Jill Lepore syndrome

NY Times op-ed suggestion: reduce college costs for the wealthy, um, “middle class”

March 21, 2014

Today in the NY Times, Steve Cohen argues that the federal government should reform the criteria by which families’ “expected family contribution” (EFC) is determined.  The EFC is the amount a family is expected to pay to a college or university for student costs, as opposed to what students can get from Pell Grants, loans,… More NY Times op-ed suggestion: reduce college costs for the wealthy, um, “middle class”

Broward College adjunct says: $16k a year does not a “valued colleague” make

March 17, 2014

As Evan Rowe reports, he and his fellow adjuncts are working to unionize at Broward College (it’s the community college of Broward County, FL, which includes Fort Lauderdale).  Rowe is one of the BC army of adjuncts making $16k a year, usually teaching only one class fewer than tenure-track professors who make several times as… More Broward College adjunct says: $16k a year does not a “valued colleague” make

You could look it up: lower state funding for higher ed, higher costs for poor students

March 13, 2014

Don’t just take my word for it.  Two new online calculators show a) how state support of higher education as a proportion of universities’ budgets has plummeted, and b) how recent policies at the federal, state, and institutional level have combined to increase poor students’ costs in relative and even absolute terms compared to rich… More You could look it up: lower state funding for higher ed, higher costs for poor students