I didn’t realize how close I was to a higher education “big shot” until this semester. I hope that all of our questions don’t get on either of our uncles nerves! I think I’m also going to be keeping track of how my uncle’s seminary is doing to see if I can spot some of the ways he’s had influence on its direction.

I shared you skepticism of the mission statement, and hearing about the strategic plan concept helped me see how they accomplish the mission. Although I assume that there are universities that don’t use the mission statement as aspirations and informing of their plans; which instead use it solely as a PR tool.

Yeah, I’m definitely going to have more in-depth conversations with my uncle about higher education after this semester. It is a bit humorous that a university could change their mission statement as a response to changes instead of preceding changes. Institutions seem to like giving the impression that they know exactly what direction they’re headed.

Yes, I get worried about the little control that some professors at large universities have over the direction of the university. I wonder if a democratic system could be implemented into universities so that all professors are able to give voice to the vision they have for the university going forward. I think new members and junior faculty occasionally act in deceptive ways just to please a department head or other senior faculty, which I wish didn’t happen.

I shared some of that same surprise when I looked more at how varied each university can approach higher education. For instance my undergraduate university and my uncle’s seminary are both accredited by the same exact organization, which I thought couldn’t be more different.

I definitely see your point about university strategic plans getting separated from their actual actions. It makes me think that there might be an optimal size of university, just like there can be an optimal class size when it comes to teaching a single class.

Thanks, Sara. I try to think of ways to approach those situations that lead to the greatest net benefit, which is not always the most obvious. The situation my friend was in was especially egregious, but the less outrageous offenses I wouldn’t try the same direct confrontation over. Someone may very well deserve a whistle-blow on their error, but this can lead to them doubling down or taking it as a personal attack, which escalates the argument. Guiding them slowly to an alternative perspective may feel we are treating the issue as if it isn’t important enough to escalate (when it is), but this way could lead to a changed mind in addition to a positive outcome.

The situation my friend was in does anger me, which is why I would support a direct confrontation against their accusations. And it should have been discussed openly rather than behind closed doors. The other response method that I hinted at, the stoic and measured response, is one that I try to adopt in most cases. It has similarities to Street Epistemology and the Socratic Method which I think guides people towards a shared perspective rather than becoming defensive and escalating to an all-out war.

I agree, it is frightening to imagine the consequences of the Overton Window. It also reminds me of the concept of moral relativism, which has been used to justify horrible acts like slavery or persecution as necessary for that time. I wonder if future generations will look on ours as despicable for the current social issues we deal with or the treatment of our planet and resources.

Thanks, Antonio. I struggle with choosing between the ‘activist’ approach and the ‘transcends’ approach because I know that my choice will effect my students. Maybe the situation at hand will make one stand out as more beneficial than the other, but I wish I could know which role to emulate before encountering that stress on my or my stuendent’s life.