The Myths of an Ivory Tower Watcher

Editor’s note: The original article that initiated this response, “Myths of the Ivory Tower,” can be found here. Jay Schalin’s final word in response to Professor Railsback, “Back to the Dark Ages,” can be found here.

With apologies to Mr. Schalin and Mr. Letterman, lists of  ten are fun but they don’t bring us closer to reality.  Nevertheless, as someone who has learned or worked in that dreaded Ivory Tower for 33 years, I thought it would be cool to muck it up with a “paid observer of academia.”  Here’s another look at the Ten Myths, as superficial as Mr. Schalin’s.

1.  There is no liberal bias in academia.

The bias depends on where you happen to be.  I don’t think anyone would argue there is no liberal bias at Berkeley or conservative bias at Liberty University.  Many institutions, like mine, are somewhere in between.  At Western Carolina University, I’ve met liberals and conservatives (but alas never a communist). 

The perception of bias is tricky because of the subject matter you work with and the nature of students encountering new ideas.  In one survey of American literature class I taught, we began with the Puritans and many students sighed loudly (some atheists in class were disgusted).  Toward the end of the term, we read Allen Ginsberg and the Baptist Student Union students were enraged.  The class erupted into a heated debate among the students about the value of literature and what does or does not belong in the canon—nothing wrong with that!   

2.  Everybody should go to college.

I’ve never heard anyone tell me this and I don’t believe it.  For a variety of reasons, there are students who are not ready to go to college or who don’t belong there.  Trouble is, we live in a democracy.  Everyone is entitled to a shot at college.  Some have to work for awhile or go to the community college before they can enter a four-year institution; some get in just barely meeting minimum qualifications.  Many stop out or fail out. 

We could create a system with standardized tests that would result in a separation of college and non-college material; some would be allowed to go to college and others could be the “waitresses, convenience store clerks” that Mr. Schalin notes we all need.  This could be an efficient system, though I’m not sure Americans in the “real world” are ready for their sons and daughters to live in it. 

3.  Academia is more noble than the business community.

I haven’t heard this one, either.  As an administrator, I’ve observed that universities more and more try to emulate business practices (with varying degrees of success). 

It’s fun to generalize, as Mr. Schalin does, that people in other professions have it easy.  I’ve heard about the fat cats in Washington, the rich doctors on the golf course, or the cops in the donut shops (now I’m wondering about the paid observer of academia).  The majority of us keep our jobs because we work hard.  My colleagues in the faculty work year-round and are paid on a nine-month contract.  I know co-workers who are physically and mentally run down to the point that they suffer short-term or chronic disease.  This is nothing to be proud of, whatever your profession.

4.  Diversity makes everything better.

I’ve never heard this put this way.  But there is a recent ideal in our culture that diversity of people and ideas (and wildlife) make for a healthier country.  I agree with this ideal but worry we fall short.  Too often at the university we play it safe (intellectually we might be liberal but in practice we are a conservative lot).  I am concerned about university policies that make it difficult for the student or faculty member to innovate or take a risk.  Universities should be the place for a diversity of ideas and bold experimentation, even if some ideas are bad or some experiments fail. 

5.  All faculty research is necessary and/or important.

Haven’t heard this one, either.  Deans, department heads, and faculty committees take a lot of time each academic year deciding whether or not a faculty member’s research agenda is important or not through the tenure and annual faculty evaluation processes (there is also a post-tenure review process in the UNC system).  Yes, you can review conference programs and cherry pick some absurd titles (some designed to attract attention) but for every one of those you’ll find plenty more that make sense.  But the occasional wild idea can lead to interesting concepts or debate.  Not long ago Facebook might have seemed like a useless notion, rather than a pioneer of the multi-billion dollar social networking industry.

6.  Academic freedom means anything goes.

A handful of professors “say the darndest things” and they make news.  But most faculty members are careful with academic freedom, especially in times when articles like Mr. Schalin’s threaten the entire concept.  A university should be the place for a free exchange of ideas and what we should be watching for are instances when freedom of expression on campuses is curtailed.  I once saw an art student erect a giant penis on campus and I have seen preachers scream at passing students to let them know they were all going to hell.  Both instances disturbed me and made me think.  I like thinking.  I’m glad the art student and the preacher had their moments on my campus.

7.  Higher Education drives the economy.

At last—I have heard this one!  I agree with Mr. Schalin: the US economy is too complex to imagine one factor drives it.  Universities play a role in regional economies, but universities are far more important in the long run; the system of higher education in the United States has supported our incredible success.  Countries like India and China are making huge investments in higher education to catch up.  We are putting the brakes on because of the recession.  If we are surpassed by other nations in the race for human intellectual capital, we will understand only too well (and too late) how important our universities were to our economic and cultural achievements.

8.  Natural aptitude doesn’t matter.

This one restates Mr. Schalin’s second Myth, so there’s no point in redundancy here.

 9.  Morality is relative.

This one isn’t a myth.  What one group or culture calls virtue, another might call a sin.  If all human beings held to one creed, one religion, one government, and one communal identity—well, then we might be able to create one standard for all.  But the world doesn’t work that way.  Students who are not introduced to the incredible complexities of moral and ethical reflection are intellectually shortchanged.

10.  All cultures are equally good.

I have never heard this one uttered on a campus in my 33 years of college life.  What is important, however, is that all cultures are worth understanding.  I doubt members of our military identify the Taliban as a “good” culture, but I hope they are working hard to understand its history, beliefs, and objectives.  If our students and future leaders better understand the vast diversity of cultures, perhaps they will approach the world with greater care and wisdom than we have seen in recent years.