Outside of our families there is arguably no greater source of our political socialization than schools. And the reality of schools in America is mixed. Many have focused on the falling ranking of American K-12 education with respect to the rest of the world. We will discuss some of this in class. For now, however, I would like you to focus on higher education. There is no doubt that we have a huge number of high paying jobs in America that do not have enough sufficiently trained applicants to fill available jobs. You should explore recent debates about controversies on college campuses including whether they are too politically correct or not and how views about the benefits of going to college have changed a lot and some reasons why. You can start the discussion by answering any of the prompts below:
- What are the most important challenges pertaining to higher education in America today?
- How do you think the experience of higher education affects our perceptions of politics or political culture?
- How has being in college affected your view of American society or American politics?
- Do you think colleges are too politically correct?
Be sure to comment on your classmates posts and start an online discussion, instead of simply answering the question prompts.
I think the most important challenge in relation to higher education in American today is students finding and receiving good jobs. I have had friends who have found not much luck in finding jobs that are correlated to their major and constantly worrying of needing to pay off student loans. Whereas a few have found success. Now I am not so strong in believing that higher education institutions can do something about this since this seems to mainly base on the status of our economy. However through talking to others in higher education and thinking about my own future after graduation, finding employment after college is one of the most important challenges. In addition, I do not necessarily believe that college campuses are too politically correct. However, I have found myself to agree to some of the arguments made from both articles that is in support or against the question. I agree with Madeleine Ngo that barring controversial speakers will not allow an open discussion to occur and that throughout life we will have moments of disagreeing with others. Whereas I also agree with Cameron Okeke that "Safe Spaces" can be very beneficial to many students on college campuses.
ReplyDeleteI believe that some of the most important challenges pertaining to higher education in America today include: rising costs, uncertainty of future by students, and mental stability. To explain the first issue of rising costs and why this is a problem is it creates a bad relationship between university and student. I think that college charging students extraordinary amounts for tuition, student debt following recent graduates around for a long time creates a level of distrust and dissatisfaction with the university. There is also a major issue with college and deciding what a student wants to focus in academically. The average student changes the major roughly eight times. I believe that it is perfectly legitimate for society to ask if we are making our youth grow up to quickly or if we simply don’t think about interests and careers soon enough. Finally, mental stability for students, the stresses of college and all the issues I cited prior to this directly correlate to the staggering statistic that as cited in an NBC article by Susan Donaldson James, “More than 75 percent of all mental health conditions begin before the age of 24, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.” These issues create a major challenge that show how much and in what ways colleges need to and can change for the better in America.
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised that most of my classmates are bringing up cost as a challenge to higher education. I completely agree. I really found your point on mental health interesting and did not initially think of it while reading through the questions. The pressure on students is horrific and I know that we are all feeling it. To answer the 2nd and 3rd question, I think that I am completely different because of my decision to go to college. As a political science student it has been ingrained in my the power of the individual. The political efficacy that I might have felt (which most people in the United States feel) is not present. I know my rights and how to use my vote to create a better country. Though I often find myself extremely concerned about the current political climate, going to college has opened my eyes to ways to fight the current political climate.
DeleteI complete agree with your statement that tuition costs hurt what students want to focus on academically Mathew (I elaborated on this a lot in my answer). The affect tuition costs have on students stems further from simply being a large amount owed to influencing a students decision to study what they desire.
DeleteI feel like a lot of this discussion is going to be beating the drum about how expensive higher education is, and I absolutely agree with that sentiment. Colleges, particularly public universities, need to find a way to charge students less (and pay teachers more), because if the goal of those in charge (of colleges and of political institutions) is to help the future generations, then they need to not burden them with mountains of debt that may take decades to get rid of. Another problem that faces the administrators/concept of higher education in general is motivating young people to want to go to college even when the cost is so high. I also wanted to highlight what happens to your political perceptions when you go to college: college is like any other environment in that it influences your perceptions of certain things, and depending on the classes or the friends you make, brings up issues you may never have thought to be concerned about or even shift your political leanings somewhere. And I do think that a lot of colleges, particularly ones in big cities, have a certain liberal bias, whether it's from the staff or the other students, so that standing might affect you as a person well. But ultimately college is about finding yourself, amongst all the numerous influences.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to higher education in America today, I believe one of the most important challenges is figuring out how to lower public tuition costs so that the choice of going on to higher education after K-12 isn’t a financial decision, but an academic one. I know many people who either couldn’t go to their top college, or even attend college at all because they and their families couldn’t afford it. Simply possessing a high school diploma isn’t enough anymore-a college degree is now necessary when applying for more skilled jobs. Despite the growing expectation of a college-educated workforce, it has become inversely more expensive to attend. For many people, college is the first time that they are exposed to a wider range of people-diverse in race, religion, and political ideologies. Higher education should become more accessible in order to prepare younger generations for the increasing globalization and professionalism of modern job markets.
ReplyDeleteAs many of our classmates have stated, a significant challenge regarding our higher education today is the debt we obtain after. Today, a bachelors degree is necessary in order to obtain a well paying job. Even then, I feel as time goes on, students may have to obtain a graduate degree as well in order to put them in the best position for success. This will force more students into debt and create more challenges to attend a college. As said by many others, something needs to be done in order to lower college tuition and ease the burden on students. Times have changed. High school education is not sufficient any longer and college, in my opinion, has become an absolute necessity in order to obtain a well paying job. I also feel college provides the opportunity for us to mature, enhance our knowledge on a specific subject we find interesting, and figuring more about ourselves and how we see the world.
ReplyDeleteFor me, college has affected my view of American society because I learned how complex it is to be knowledgeable on issues relating to American society because of the diverse voices in America. For example, Madeleine Ngo and Cameron Okeke present different opinions that brings out both pros and cons of politically correct culture, and I believe both of these voices are needed to shape people’s opinions. I learned the importance of listening to multiple voices during my freshman year English class. This class was during the 2016 election, and the class had students read articles from the New York Times supporting Hillary Clinton. I thought Clinton would win the election after reading all these articles from the one source, but she didn’t. I learned from this class I should not rely on only on one source or voice to teach me about issues relating to American society because hearing one perspective would limit my understanding of these issues.
ReplyDeleteSince entering college I have learned a ton about politics. Growing up my friends and I never talked about politics, oftentimes we would say "I don't really care about politics", but in college I've learned that there is politics in everything. It is unavoidable at times, and since being at college I think it's fair to say that I have broaden my horizons in terms of learning about all different types of people. While I do think colleges can be a little too politically correct I understand why they are like that. Colleges cater to many different types of people and the best way to operate would be not too offend anyone.
ReplyDeleteI share a very similar view, Gerald. Politics before entering college to me were a very vague concept to me that I felt would best be left alone. Much like you said, they can be unavoidable which is how I started to get involved. Seeing as most hot topics today have a certain political twist to them, I felt as though there were a lot of things I could not give my two cents about - at least in an educated manner. That being said, I can't speak for everyone that college opens eyes regarding politics. I feel that there is still a large percent of the student body and college aged students that share very uneducated political views without understanding they may be inaccurate. I also feel that higher education can do a better job of encouraging opinion sharing. Often times, it feels as though conservative views are shut out by others, and vice versa. Whether or not you agree with the opposite side of the spectrum's views, allowing them to share is not only important in terms of equality, but it can also educate you as to how others think in terms of politics. Overall, to a degree, I feel personally that everyone can benefit from a little political science.
DeleteLike many of the students before me have said, I believe the greatest issue facing students today is the debt of college, as well as the importance. Many of my peers have begun using the saying "college is the new high school." This not only forces many more people into higher education based on the assumption it is needed, but also into graduate schools and doctorates in order to have a leg up since most everyone is getting a bachelors now. The issue of how to fix the student debt is currently one that I have been interested in and have seen many different ideas such as government paying students debts, free state colleges, and free community colleges, yet all seem to be extremely hard to accomplish at this moment but worth researching more into. I believe that it is hard for me to judge how college affects one politics due to the fact that I am a political science major, and I decided to attend a university where the majority represents the same political views as myself. I do think that college is a time to open oneself up to politics in a greater degree, but I believe I have made that harder for myself unfortunately. I believe political correctness is important, but I also believe that there is a learning curve with many of these terms and ideas. I saw a speech when I was at a training last year from a DePaul professor at the Theater School about how safe spaces have begun to ruin people's willingness to speak up. This idea struck a chord in me as I have always wanted to be politically correct but have not been entirely educated on what every term means. Something my boss had introduced me to at the start of the year helped me understand this issue in myself, replacing safe spaces with brave spaces. Brave spaces are areas where you should feel safe to say what you would like, but know that you may be corrected if some terms may not be politically correct. In this instance all you must do is apologize recognize the mistake and move on knowing you have learned from it. I think this is much more important so that people can begin to learn all these terms and feel comfortable speaking out more.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the greatest issue facing students being the debt of college and the rising cost of higher education. In terms of Safe Space vs. Brave Space, I have personally viewed a safe space as just serving as a space where anyone can say what they need without any bias or influence, where Brave space is a space to learn and engage with others in discussions. I am certified in restorative justice practices, specifically peace circles, and firmly believe that a safe space is necessary for people to just get out what has happened to them and to share experiences. The actual learning should take place in a brave space in the form of a discussion. Both spaces are needed in my restorative experiences for all sides to understand each other.
DeleteI believe the biggest problem in today's higher education system is the cost. But for two reasons that contradict each other. If we're still looking at this through the lens of class being a social construct, then it wouldn't make sense for education to cost so much money. Why would it make sense for someone who doesn't get good grades or care much about school to be able to go to college simply because they can pay for it? That makes for a very uneven playing field considering the fact that there are people out there who are insanely smart but don't have the money to attend higher education and eventually find trouble when it comes to getting a job. However, the other side of the argument is that if everyone has the opportunity for a college education (like if college was free) then would the degree lose its value? Because the higher education system is based off of if you can afford it or not, it seems like it would lose its value. If I could change anything about the process of getting into/going to college I would change it to being so you could only get into college because of your grades. If you get good grades and show that you care about academics then perhaps it could be free. I know that is a very idealistic view but nonetheless, our higher education is most definitely in need of a reform of sorts.
ReplyDeleteLike most of my classmates, I also agree the rising costs of high education is the largest issue we're facing within the education system. I thought it was exceptionally interesting to see how different identified groups of Americans felt about the value of a college degree. The most education a person has, the more likely they are to think higher education is worth the cost, and it is flipped when compared to lower income Americans. I think this has to do with how education was originally implemented as a way for the upper classes to further distance themselves from poorer people and people in rural area. Education is not valued as a right, like it is in other countries where higher education is either free or at a significantly lower cost. Education is a class issue in America. As a first generation college student, the article written by the U Chicago grad really resonated with me. If the systems of higher education want to boast about how inclusive and diverse they are, they need to offer support systems and programs so higher education can be affordable and also manageable. Coming into college, first generation college students and student of color tend to lack the knowledge of how to complete the FAFSA or register for classes when compared to their peers. In order for education to become less of a pathway for the rich to get richer, higher education needs to be valued in America and offered at a free or significantly discounted rate. Otherwise, the same classism, sexism, and racism that's wired through these institutions will continue.
ReplyDeleteMairead I completely agree with the idea you brought up about education not being seen as worth something in America as it is in other countries. People do not value higher education as much as they used to and it seems more like a chore that is necessary in order to succeed in the workforce, almost as if it is now required. I also agree that education has become a class issue. If these universities want to be top tier, then I totally agree with what you said, these universities need to offer support and other resources for students to really prove they are more than your average university with a prestigious label. Going to a top tier school won’t mean anything if you won’t be able to pay for it. This is something that just continues the problems that are going on now that divide classes of people from pursuing higher education. Providing these resources is something that people need in order to experience college and the barriers now only go to keep these individuals out.
DeleteAfter reading the blog by Brandon Busteed, I resonated with both reasons that he presented for why most Democrats and Republican's are dissatisfied with higher education. I think one of the biggest problems today with higher education is the way that society ingrains the idea into young Americans into thinking that they cannot succeed without a college degree, thus forcing them to pursue a higher education, and for most students, a lifetime worth of debt. The other issue faced with higher education is the promoting of open ideas and free speech on college campuses. I recognize that most universities tend to have a majority liberal student body and faculty, but I think that the political climate in many universities have a problem of silencing the ideas of the minority. Where, those who don't agree with everything that is seen as the norm or "politically correct" are scared to speak their mind because they are scared they will be labeled as a "racist" or a "bigot", and their opinions are seen as illegitimate. And this is coming myself, who identified as a left-leaning liberal before attending college.
ReplyDeleteI remember being deeply embarrassed when students from our university kicked Milo Yiannoplous off campus and when the university prevented Ben Shapiro from speaking at DePaul. Not because I agreed with them and really wanted to hear what they had to say, but because it showed that our university does not truly care about the expression of free ideas and discussion, they simply care about maintaining the status quo and appearing "politically correct". To me, it seems like most Americans support the idea of free speech, but very few support free speech when the opinions being spoken differ from their own.
A great challenge all college students face is the cost of their education, and it affects them not just financially, but the cost of higher education might also damage a students’ morale when wanting to achieve their dreams within the context. This hurts how someone views themselves within the context of American society. The cost of receiving higher education is ludicrous not only at face value, but because it directly influences how a student wishes to enter the workforce, or how easily a postgraduate student is able to pay off any student loans or debts. Relatively, students in different career paths could study, work, and owe an equal amount within the same time frame in a university; once both enter the workforce, however, one will undoubtedly have more opportunities for finding work simply because of the demand of their profession. Based off what many of my friends and classmates have experienced, trying to attain our true goals and “ambitions” might not be worth the risk, for both the time invested and the ability to pay off our tuition. Obviously every major comes with certain risks, however it really is not worth the cost of a higher education to try and achieve certain degrees that are not guaranteed a job once a student graduates (degrees in the arts would be the best example). Being in college has greatly affected my view of American society. It is true that hard work and dedication can lead to success, however the very platform where students can launch their lives (Universities and other institutions of higher education) actually counters what those students try to attain. If you love painting, why even go to college unless you know you will be successful afterwards? As an animation student, I’ve often doubted my future and whether or not I’ve actually wasted four years of my life. The problem is not attending college deprives us all of experience, connections, and mentors (or professors) to help guide our way. American society and education favors those who can financially support themselves, so it does not surprise me that 60% of high income earners support college (from the Carrie Dann article) and that roughly 50% of the population thinks a degree is not worth the risk; I would be equally as interested in seeing how people view the worth of college based off of what their desired degree is.
ReplyDeleteComplications such as the cost gets in the way for many students trying to get a higher education. The certain types of issues you have in your life, you will be more engaged with changing politically. For example, the presidential election in 2016. Bernie Sanders supported free education so a lot of his supporters were students. Higher education allows us to become more open minded. I am a political science major and I have learned that things are not always what they seem. A lot of the American people are ignorant to issues and events today. I took an American foreign policy class last quarter that brushed up on so many basic facts that I should have known already. Basically what I am suggesting is that higher education should be offered and encouraged for every American. Spending on education should not be cut to increase defense spending we already do not need. I also agree with Hadlya Afza, college allows students to enter into a more diversified environment. Which is ultimately beneficial in helping end polarization.
ReplyDeleteI think the "political correctness" debate is extremely nuanced and hard to nail down in a short blog like this. However I am almost always a free speech absolutist, in that I believe colleges should allow any speech short of calling for violence or violating the rules of civil discourse. John Stuart Mill makes perhaps the best defense of free speech in his book "On Liberty." I highly recommend it for this debate. He essentially argues that if one shuts down an unpopular opinion from being presented, that it is not defeated. If it goes unchallenged it will continue to be held by the person and in fact may even be held stronger. It certainly can bolster a movement and galvanize the already polarized sides further which I would argue happened with Ben Shapiro across the country and speakers of that ilk.
ReplyDeleteUltimately I think this sort of dialogue is not good for society. Instances on campuses like Evergreen College and the recent Berkeley riots demonstrate political correctness run awry. However I think there is a tendency to cherry-pick these examples and project this onto the whole higher-education system. It is not this easy. Of course when free speech is successful it is not a major news story and therefore the running narrative is that intellectual debate is dying in university. There are instances of both occurring throughout the country even at the same school. One might condemn DePaul for not allowing Ben Shapiro yet at the same time I think the Charles Murray event is an example of debate done correctly, with protesters making their voices heard and the event going uninterrupted. So all told I think there is a lack of nuance in this discussion.
Since the spring of 2016, the debate over political correctness in colleges has been a conversation that I’ve had repeatedly — and at this point I’m drained by it. The incidents of Milo Yiannopoulos on campus sparked a bigger change in my life and my friends lives than I think any of us expected.
ReplyDeletePolitical correctness makes people safe. If not for the Milo incident, a black student wouldn’t have found a noose hanging outside her dorm room. If not for the Milo incident, the Center for Identity, Inclusion, and Social Change would still exist and tons of students who used that space to build community and feel safe wouldn’t have been broken up and relocated to the new centers DePaul established.
The debate on political correctness is very personal to me. Because of the lack of support DePaul initially showed, I now feel disconnected from the establishment I initially thought supported me.
Certainly one of the most pervasive issues in higher education is the cost of attendance. The significant debt students struggle to pay off post-grad is only compounded further by a highly competitive job market. College debt not only makes life after graduation more difficult, but I believe it also hurts students in the classroom. A university is supposed to be a place where students grow both personally and intellectually. It’s meant to challenge students’ ideas, perceptions, and teach them valuable life lessons. Countless times, DePaul professors have asked students in my classes if they are attending college because they want to get a good job, or for personal/intellectual growth. Unsuprisingly, almost everyone agrees with the former - partly so they can pay off their loans. I would argue that today’s student debt crisis not only cripples students financially, but it also curbs students’ intellectual curiosity by forcing the student to prioritize employment.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you, Daelen. A university is absolutely where people should be challenged intellectually with their beliefs, it should be very uncomfortable at times. The emphasis on tuition costs turns a university from an institution of designed to promote intellectual growth and the betterment of its students/society, to nothing more than 4 year phase that one must push through in order to find some form of financial success.
DeleteCertainly one of the most challenging aspects about higher education is the constant rising cost of tuition, that I believe we can all agree on, as well as universities doing everything in their power to squeeze every penny out of their students (cough cough, DePaul). In terms of higher education affecting our perception of politics, the vast majority of schools are very overtly liberal, politically. During my time in college (between DePaul and UIC) I've definitely found myself becoming more liberal politically. However, at times it feels that liberal beliefs are sometimes forced upon students/written into the curriculum. This isn't surprising though, due to the hostile political climate we're in, and the ever growing insanity of Republicans in office. In many ways, college has shown me that the nation appears to be much more divided than it may seem to some. In terms of political correctness, I believe it's natural for a university to be very politically correct as they should promote inclusiveness on their campus to all people regardless of race, religion, beliefs, gender, etc.
ReplyDeleteI do believe getting a four year degree or some sort of post high school education is very important, whether it is vocational school, on the job training, or a traditional university. However I also can see why some may question whether or not the four year degree is worth the money. The US needs to invest in higher education, it will be a long term investment but when more of our population is highly qualified, innovating, and stimulating the economy, it will pay off. We are starting to see the number of skilled workers in the US decrease when we need innovation and new business the most. Perhaps it would be helpful to look at some example from Europe were education cost little or nothing at all. Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland, all offer higher education for almost no cost, some states will even pay living costs for students to attend. Granted taxes are higher in these countries but there is also investment from multiple business sectors. Creating a solid framework for employment after graduation.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest challenge associated with higher education in the United States is the rising cost of such schooling. Many Americans, particularly young students, are being forced to take out loans to pay for their years in college. This means that they begin accruing debt before they even enter the workforce.
ReplyDeleteHigher education is one of the main ways that Americans experience political socialization outside of their family. Students may undergo such processes from their friends, teachers, and classes, as well as the many clubs and political organizations present on their campus.
Being in college has affected my view of American society and politics in many ways. My classes have made me aware of new concepts, and exposure to classmates and teachers has given me the chance to see what others see and believe.
I do not think colleges are too politically correct, but too repressive with their correctness. It is one thing to try to respect everyone's beliefs and identities, but it is another to attack those who are not as couth or sensitive as you.
I agree on the challenges on the topic of education, I also see the repressiveness within the college's politically correctness. It might just be a case by case issue, but I have to agree with you as well, that some colleges foster some of the majority's of peoples beliefs and correctness, while some are completely exiled within the community.
DeleteAs one of the articles briefly mentions, political correctness on college campuses is not an easy problem to solve and there is answer that says a PC campus is completely right or completely wrong. Like most things that have to do with politics there has to be a balance, and the end result has to at the very least attempt at solving issues for both sides of the debate. I think it is entirely necessary for a college campus to have safe spaces for people to talk, and there has to be some ability to cater to the diverse groups of people that make up a university. Like the U Chicago student pointed out, a school can not boast diversity and then not allow those diverse people to thrive on campus. At the same time however, it is important to acknowledge that there are other opinions out there. Even if some of these opinions are harmful to others it is important to not just brush them aside, ignore them, and ignore the problem. There has to be some form of dialogue about those opinions in order to change them.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is important to protect diverse and marginalized groups, it is just as important to allow others to voice their opinions, and the balance between the two is crucial for a successful political climate.
I would have to agree with many of peers and stay that the biggest issue is tuition cost and the pressure for students to pay their loan back. The fear of debt coupled with the fact that jobs are not promised leads to students going through college constantly fearing their future and what it holds. Many institutions haven’t done much to assuage this fear by continuously raising the cost of attendance in addition to nickel and diming students for everything they need. The raised stress levels of those attending college only make matters worse for students. As stressful going to college is, it does present the opportunity for people to meet and interact with people who have completely different opinions from their own. This is probably the way that college affects perceptions of politics the most. While attending to college people can be introduced to completely new ideas that strengthen or challenge their own. Being in college has put me in some situations where I've had to be around people who are very ideologically different from me; these interactions haven’t changed my opinion, but they have taught me how to argue my own better. One place where opinion has been held firmly is in the case of political correctness. To me something being “too politically correct” is virtually impossible. People who think that some politically correct term is being taken too far usually don’t hold the identity that term has been created for. As someone who hold several marginalized identities, I can’t imagine why I could modify my language to not oppress other people.
ReplyDeleteCertainly financial status poses as an imperative challenge for a wide array of students contemplating the path of pursuing higher education following their high school graduation. I feel, however, that it's also crucial to touch on other factors. Upon discussing this matter with fellow DePaul scholars, I feel that there exists a tendency for recently-graduated students to immediately make efforts to enter the blue-collar workforce. Rather than prolonging the opportunity to potentially make a generous salary by investing four years in college, in the eyes of those who may need money fast, this avenue could be more appealing. Furthermore, receiving a college degree doesn't promise a career in a student's designated field of study, which could be a very real and concerning disincentive as well. Other attributes may include a lack of support in regards to applying for colleges, and later the necessary financial aid programs available to aspiring college graduates. In progressing this notion, you are then presented with the question of how college education does or doesn't not construct a partition in political literacy. While one can certainly acquire political comprehension and knowledge without attending a college or university, it seems that being exposed to politically diverse opinions, student demographics, and even class content allows for more opportunity to evolve and establish a strong sense of political literacy.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, Ben. Cost has a huge effect on many students. I also know a number of recent graduates and current college students who have expressed at least some regret in their decisions to attend college instead of finding a trade of some sort. I also can't emphasize the importance of support some people get to go to college enough. The high school I attended had an entire department dedicated to helping seniors find colleges that are the right fit for them. I have family that essentially had an entire class dedicated to finding and applying to colleges. Having a good support network for simply applying to college, let alone finding a way to afford attendance is often a crucial part of entering higher education.
DeleteI think there is a growing trend on college campuses of being too politically correct. Universities and colleges are meant to be places where we learn and expand our minds, this means hearing new ideas that you might not agree with or that may be controversial. I've attended three institutions of higher education and at all three I have witnessed people being shouted down or chastised for expressing views that weren't considered PC. Now some campuses exhibit this behavior more than others, but it still presents an issue. In some severe cases, public speakers have been barred from presenting because of the ideas they've expressed. I think it's important for everyone to be able to voice their ideas and views. It's one of the fundamental principles that America was founded on.
ReplyDeleteThe higher education system in the US has numerous challenges, the one that I would see as the most important would be the enormous tuition cost of attending a four year university. This entails debt or loans for either the student or the parents, in majority speaking. This places a heavy drag on young student that must give half their checks in the workforce to paying this multi-thousand debt that they have accumulated. From a personal standpoint, College has allowed me to view and interact with several peers. Also, within courses that teach and develop skills that help me debrief what exactly is going on with politics worldwide. Being in college, it has showed me, that just like myself, many kids are faced with the same issue of how to pay for college. This alone has showed me the greater issue within our education within America; How the American society has just indoctrinated this notion of debt for a seemingly unsecured path to a profession. I do not see as colleges as institutions of in which political correctness is essential, but the environment on campus around the country vary when it comes to the topic of political correctness.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the greatest issue in higher education is the high costs. These are only continuing to increase. People should not be paying off debt into their 40s, just to be able to attend collage. But, going about changing this is an entirely different challenge that I do not know how to solve. Public institutions can have some government intervention, but private institutions such as DePaul cannot be forced to lower the tuition by the government. In college, you are exposed to people who have lived entirely different lives from your own. This allows for classes to have a very diverse set of opinions. This creates discussions that go beyond just your own opinions, allowing us to create new viewpoints. In college, I have been exposed to people of various backgrounds that have make the actions of politician more real. In college, being able to discuss the immigration ban with a Muslim student creates a lot of personal insight. I don’t know if colleges are too politically correct, as it is a difficult term to define, but I do think colleges have become too politically bias. This is an issue not with the students, but with the teachers. Student are here to voice their opinions, but teachers should play the mediator or even “the devil’s advocate” arguing competing opinions. Because, when 5 people voice more or less the same opinion, no student wants to be the person to disagree.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest problems pertaining to higher education lies in the echo chamber. Every university seems to be filled with young liberal college students and liberal professors. The like-mindedness of the student and faculty population leads to a circling of the same ideas. In this bubble, we lose sight of other people's opinions. I think a safe-space argument is a form of institutional discrimination. Ben Shapiro should not be turned away from speaking at colleges, protestors should not storm the stage of a speaker who they do not agree with. We live in a country with the freedom of speech, and everyone is entitled to speak their mind. The country needs to decide if it would rather be safe or free.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest challenge concerning higher education today is the astronomical tuition costs. Just recently, the student debt crisis reached $1.3 trillion, showing the enormous amount of money that one must go into debt to achieve a degree often thought of as necessary in the job market. Having the privilege of attending a university has exposed me to a diversity of people and opinions I would not have experienced otherwise. I agreed with the views of the Vox article, in that I don’t believe “safe spaces” and trigger warnings for conversations are a coddling tool used by universities to maintain a politically correct environment but rather a way to ensure mutual respect of ideas to foster a more nuanced exchange. Within that topic of nuance, I feel that being in college has given me a more realistic and balanced view of American society, politics, and history.
ReplyDeleteI believe that currently one of the most important challenges to higher education in the United States is the increasing cost of college tuition, especially when put into perspective with the accessibility to final aid and the burden of student debt. Although tuition keeps rising, opportunities for government assistance are not following this trend, putting students in a tough spot where at such a young age they must decide if this so-called investment is necessary and worth the financial strain put on themselves and possibly their families. When making that decision, they must account for the actual benefits of higher education in the job market since as bachelor degrees became more common in modern society, it lost some of its relative value before employers, leading more people to pursue an additional degree to have a competitive edge. Also, today’s new technological innovations present a challenge for the traditional college education as people have innumerable sources of information to pull from. However, I think that the experience of going to college opens a door for many people to dare to think and act differently than how they were raised and expected to by those around them. For that reason, I do think that colleges have become too politically correct because that is not the path to expanding your view of the world, for better or worse, you need to be exposed to opposition so you can reflect on it and evolve your own beliefs and values. Being an international student myself, I appreciate the unique opportunity the American college system gives students to freely explore their interests before declaring a major, and going to college in such a polarized country has made me more thoughtful of every-day politics and the role of the individual.
ReplyDeletePosted for Ben (on time):
ReplyDeleteI share in the opinions of the majority in acknowledging that the media presents a great deal of bias, therefore constructing a guiding framework for a wide array of facets comprising the political realm: policies, elections, international affairs, etc. Similar to Breya Jones and Mathew Wilkins, the media indisputably establishes a platform for the issues this industry deems necessary, though we must also acknowledge that the American public expresses a great demand for the issues that are presented, thereby prompting networks such as CNN and MSNBC to capitalize on that demand. Similar to Monica Pasupathy, I don’t entirely disagree with the overarching notion of media bias, whether it be present in the story itself, or the choice in what to cover. My concern comes into play when those who haven’t entirely grasped a strong sense of political literacy – certainly apparent in the midst of election periods - take sight of a captivating news headline that is plagued with false news content. Acquiring a more informed political identity is a stride that every American should take, though the process of achieving it should not be hindered by “fake news”. I have found that if I am loyal to CNN, hypothetically, I should also immerse myself in other networks’ news in order to attain a rounded political knowledge – read more laterally.