At http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/09/01/commission Doug Lederman gives a fascinating account of the wrangling that goes on among profs and commission members.
The Secretary of Education assigned a Commission on the future of higher education to study and give recommendations for our institutions. All but one (there is always at least one) of the members agreed to the final draft of the report, voted on it...done deal.
That is, until it was written up, edited and appropriate 'wordsmithing' applied.
It is at the wordsmithing stage that everything broke down.
I encourage you to read the account, less I misrepresent it.
The point I want to make - is it any wonder that our students cannot come to agreement and understanding with their writing when our 'best' cannot do it themselves?
One member was traveling during the meeting when the vote took place. I had a student not turn in an assignment because she was 'out of the country.'
Another member launched an attack on the absent member - I have students throw paper wads at each other.
This whole higher ed commission fiasco sounds too much like the online class I just finished facilitating.
And we wonder why our schools are in the shape they are.
What do you think?
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