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Part II: The response of the federal government
By Bill Tierney
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attended Governor Whitman’s press conference. When asked for his reaction he said, “The Obama administration knows that actions speak louder than words. I could applaud what the Governor and the Apollo Group has done here today, but you will believe that the President supports this agreement with the following announcement: [...]
Part I: The acquisition of the CSU
June, 2010 In a blockbuster announcement, recently elected Republican Governor of California, Meg Whitman, announced this morning that the Apollo Group’s University of Phoenix has bought the California State University System for 1.3 billion dollars. Whitman had pledged to balance the state’s budget and bring greater efficiencies to all state agencies, and with this action, [...]
A week in the world of what if
This morning marks the beginning of a six-part series about the future of the California State University System. Today the scenario Bill envisions is fiction; twelve months from now, however, it may not be.
The mysterious life of a PhD student
“Then read no more. Thou hast attained the end,” says Faustus, sitting in his study. I first read Marlowe’s play as an undergraduate; I have read it many times since. The imagery of that first scene, a man surrounded by countless books, always delights me (maybe because I know how the story ends). Now think [...]
A couple of tips to help navigate the first year of graduate school (from a graduate student)
The first-year experiences of doctoral students vary from person to person. Several peers in my cohort grew up in Southern California. Some have committed partners. A couple of students are clearly professorial “types,” perfect for academia. I fulfilled none of those criteria, and the transition from practitioner to full-time graduate student has been trying. I [...]
Ten Things You May Not Know About Tenure and Should
By Bill Tierney
I received tenure twenty years ago at Penn State. Since that time I have reviewed numerous dossiers and served on internal committees. I also have received a great many requests about “what do I need to do.” Here are some distilled thoughts: 1. Tenure requirements at research universities may look the same, but they aren’t. [...]
Ten Things You May Not Know About Graduate School And Should
By Bill Tierney
One of the greatest pleasures of my academic career has been working with graduate students. Graduate school, however, can be a crazy process. Most graduate students in education have worked for a few years and many find the readjustment to student life a challenge. Graduate school is different from being an undergraduate, just as being [...]
Back to School Week
Today 21st Century Scholar introduces a new feature, a week-long series of thematically linked posts, to the blog. This week we present blogs related to the beginning of the school year. Enjoy!
The Future of Master’s Degrees – Part II
By Bill Tierney
For-profit institutions have been moving into Master’s education with vigor. Makes sense. They are cheap to run, job-oriented, and can generate a steady revenue stream. For-profits are banking on the idea, too, that in the future we are going to have more individuals who want a Master’s degree as credentialing increases. The assumption is that [...]
The Future of Master’s Degrees – Part I
By Bill Tierney
I have been thinking about Master’s degrees over the last few weeks. I am chairing the Master’s Committee for the School again this year. Yesterday someone also sent me an email asking for my help. A for-profit university is starting an on-line Master’s degree in higher education and they wanted to know if I was [...]
