It sounds to me like you're talking about starting your own university,
which would allow you to challenge existing university structures by
competiting with them within an established (and sanctioned) framework.
How subversive of you. :)
While we are on the subjects of power and competition, however, I wonder
what would happen in the U. Minn. system if other schools decided to fight
what their regents have done. How? I don't know. I do know that, in my
religion, remaining silent on an issue is usually seen as giving approval
to it. If U. Minn. makes these changes and no one else says anything, if
they are not punished for it some way that will clearly indicate that it
is not to their benefit to do these things, then the message will be that
it is all right to do them. And that will create a precedent for other
schools and other states to follow suit--they will say, Goodness, it
worked for U. Minn., a national leader in education; surely, it will
work for us, too.
Any thoughts on this?
On Thu, 26 Sep 1996, Eric Crump wrote:
> SteveK said:
> >With all do respect Victor, this "nomadic" lifestyle already exists: it's
> >called teaching part-time.
>
> Of course, the New Nomads (gotta have a name so when Time mag comes calling
> they won't have to think up a headline ;) aren't wondering around begging
> for crumbs from the system. That's the idea. VV says (maybe in bitter jest
> but I'll take him literally for the purpose of the moment) ask for more
> than enough. It's not wandering that keeps the current nomads down, it's
> their powerlessness in relation to the system. They are at its mercy. They
> dictate no terms. They accept the contracts they are offered.
>
> What I'm thinking about is getting *out* of the immediate gravitational
> pull of institutional education. I don't pretend it's possible to get
> *away* from it. It's too pervasive and, though decrepit, powerful enough.
>
> The current system will never privilege learning over evaluation,
> individual interests over institutional interests. That's why I suggest we
> think about breakaway efforts that are fundamentally different in shape.
> Provide learning opportunities that society perceives as more valuable than
> the expensive but futile crappola it gets from Education today. Give the
> institution a run for its money!
>
> --Eric Crump
>
> | Eric Crump
> | WLERIC@showme.missouri.edu --and-- http://www.missouri.edu/~wleric
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> | "To the extent that Civilization As We Know It depends on correct
> | spelling, Civilization As We Know It ain't worth saving."
> | --John Slatin
>