Hangin' em up...

[oldandslow]

Well after 40 years, I am stepping out of a University setting come May.

Turned in my retirement papers yesterday. Gonna organic farm full time in the summer, and sit by the fire in the wintertime.

Kinda wierd knowing this will be the last freshman class I ever see.

It's a feeling of relief as well.

[Buck]

Congrats. You made it.

[mlyonsd]

So you're pretty sure you'll finally graduate?

Congrats.

[oldandslow]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

So you're pretty sure you'll finally graduate?

Congrats.

Finally, lol.

[DaFace]

Congrats, man. I've got a few years to go myself...

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Congrats, man. I've got a few years to go myself...

Maybe your boss will let you opt out early based on good behavior

[Groves]

Same job for 40? Give us the bullet points of nearly a half century at a University level.

[oldandslow]

Originally Posted by Groves

Same job for 40? Give us the bullet points of nearly a half century at a University level.

Two...Oklahoma and then South Dakota.

Universities have moved to a consumer model over the past 10 years. Lots more online...

Adjuncts and GTA's probably teach at least half the classes at major universities. At least at the 100/200 levels.Tenure track and tenured folk spend most of their time in a lab, writing, or attempting to get grants.

The top students today are much smarter than any I've ever seen. Unfortunately there exists a huge rich/poor gap in student ability. At least half this year's freshman class shouldn't be attending a major university. Six year graduation rates for most large colleges and universities is now less than 50%. Bunch of debt for no payoff.

IMO if you don't have an ACT of 24 or 25 you shouldn't consider a major school.

Top faculty are better today...but not enough of them. Most are mediocre.

I have been the chair of a department for the past 10 years. The amount of administrivia during that time has exploded. Everyone is CYA.

Lot's more to tell...but I won't bore you

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by oldandslow

Two...Oklahoma and then South Dakota.

Universities have moved to a consumer model over the past 10 years. Lots more online...

Adjuncts and GTA's probably teach at least half the classes at major universities. At least at the 100/200 levels.Tenure track and tenured folk spend most of their time in a lab, writing, or attempting to get grants.

The top students today are much smarter than any I've ever seen. Unfortunately there exists a huge rich/poor gap in student ability. At least half this year's freshman class shouldn't be attending a major university. Six year graduation rates for most large colleges and universities is now less than 50%. Bunch of debt for no payoff.

IMO if you don't have an ACT of 24 or 25 you shouldn't consider a major school.

Top faculty are better today...but not enough of them. Most are mediocre.

I have been the chair of a department for the past 10 years. The amount of administrivia during that time has exploded. Everyone is CYA.

Lot's more to tell...but I won't bore you

I agree with all of that. Keep going!

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by oldandslow

Two...Oklahoma and then South Dakota.

Universities have moved to a consumer model over the past 10 years. Lots more online...

Adjuncts and GTA's probably teach at least half the classes at major universities. At least at the 100/200 levels.Tenure track and tenured folk spend most of their time in a lab, writing, or attempting to get grants.

The top students today are much smarter than any I've ever seen. Unfortunately there exists a huge rich/poor gap in student ability. At least half this year's freshman class shouldn't be attending a major university. Six year graduation rates for most large colleges and universities is now less than 50%. Bunch of debt for no payoff.

IMO if you don't have an ACT of 24 or 25 you shouldn't consider a major school.

Top faculty are better today...but not enough of them. Most are mediocre.

I have been the chair of a department for the past 10 years. The amount of administrivia during that time has exploded. Everyone is CYA.

Lot's more to tell...but I won't bore you

higher education is a joke. Sorry bro, but it is. Once the universities figured out that student loans are guaranteed, it all went to hell.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by oldandslow

Two...Oklahoma and then South Dakota.

Universities have moved to a consumer model over the past 10 years. Lots more online...

Adjuncts and GTA's probably teach at least half the classes at major universities. At least at the 100/200 levels.Tenure track and tenured folk spend most of their time in a lab, writing, or attempting to get grants.

The top students today are much smarter than any I've ever seen. Unfortunately there exists a huge rich/poor gap in student ability. At least half this year's freshman class shouldn't be attending a major university. Six year graduation rates for most large colleges and universities is now less than 50%. Bunch of debt for no payoff.

IMO if you don't have an ACT of 24 or 25 you shouldn't consider a major school.

Top faculty are better today...but not enough of them. Most are mediocre.

I have been the chair of a department for the past 10 years. The amount of administrivia during that time has exploded. Everyone is CYA.

Lot's more to tell...but I won't bore you

It's become all about how many bodies you can get enrolled. My wife is at the Registrar's office right now working. She's worked 18 of the last 20 days trying to keep up with transfer credit. Admissions promises incoming students the world and she has to play the bad guy. Even then, at times she is over ruled and BOR policy is overriden if the student can cry up the ladder far enough.

It's sickening watching the integrity of a university degrade all for the buck.

But anyway, congratulations again. I wish you well.

[oldandslow]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

It's become all about how many bodies you can get enrolled. My wife is at the Registrar's office right now working. She's worked 18 of the last 20 days trying to keep up with transfer credit. Admissions promises incoming students the world and she has to play the bad guy. Even then, at times she is over ruled and BOR policy is overriden if the student can cry up the ladder far enough.

It's sickening watching the integrity of a university degrade all for the buck.

But anyway, congratulations again. I wish you well.

This is so true. And unfortunate.

[oldman]

Originally Posted by oldandslow

Two...Oklahoma and then South Dakota.

Universities have moved to a consumer model over the past 10 years. Lots more online...

Adjuncts and GTA's probably teach at least half the classes at major universities. At least at the 100/200 levels.Tenure track and tenured folk spend most of their time in a lab, writing, or attempting to get grants.

The top students today are much smarter than any I've ever seen. Unfortunately there exists a huge rich/poor gap in student ability. At least half this year's freshman class shouldn't be attending a major university. Six year graduation rates for most large colleges and universities is now less than 50%. Bunch of debt for no payoff.

IMO if you don't have an ACT of 24 or 25 you shouldn't consider a major school.

Top faculty are better today...but not enough of them. Most are mediocre.

I have been the chair of a department for the past 10 years. The amount of administrivia during that time has exploded. Everyone is CYA.

Lot's more to tell...but I won't bore you

I agree with you. The value of a college education has been diluted by 5 year degrees, GTAs, on-line universities, and the emphasis on numbers. I don't want to sound like one of "those guys", but I never had a class taught by a TA and damn few taught by anyone with less than a PhD. Frankly, we don't need any more MBAs or car salespeople with BAs in English.
What we need to do is emphasize quality over quantity and knowledge over fact retention. At the expense of sounding elitist, college isn't and shouldn't be for everyone. We need techs, we need nerds to write code, and many more fields that do not require a traditional college education.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by oldman

I agree with you. The value of a college education has been diluted by 5 year degrees, GTAs, on-line universities, and the emphasis on numbers. I don't want to sound like one of "those guys", but I never had a class taught by a TA and damn few taught by anyone with less than a PhD. Frankly, we don't need any more MBAs or car salespeople with BAs in English.
What we need to do is emphasize quality over quantity and knowledge over fact retention. At the expense of sounding elitist, college isn't and shouldn't be for everyone. We need techs, we need nerds to write code, and many more fields that do not require a traditional college education.

That was the good thing about going to an AACSB accredited school. They had requirements of who could teach business courses. I only had one class taught by someone who didn't have a PhD or JD.

Courses out of the other schools, not so much. And I think at the bigger schools, it was really bad.

I very much agree with the poster that said not all people should be in college.

[Mr. Laz]