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Declining by Degrees
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Misc
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By brianbirgen
Posted Tue Jun 28, 2005 at 01:38:17 PM PDT
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PBS recently aired a special called "Declining by Degrees" about the state of higher learning in the U.S. It is billed as a revealing documentary into the world behind the "ivy-covered walls".
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| There is a website for the show at www.decliningbydegrees.org at which you can purchase a copy of the show. I would recommend reading the synopsis of the show at www.decliningbydegrees.org/show-synopsis.html.
I personally did not find that much by way of revelation in the show: teachers responding to tenure requirements become more concerned about research than teaching, too many students not being able to afford rising tuition costs while academically priviledged and athletically talented students get full scholarships, the impact of fundraising and the "arms-race" of bigger and better buildings on campuses, and so on. I feel that the people who really should watch this show are the parents of high school students who want to send their children to college.
Did you find this show to be an accurate representation of the state of higher learning? Do you think it is approaching a crisis state as the show seemed to imply?
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