Hello, everyone!
It's been some time since we were all here together—but it feels good to be back. The summer is hot, the air quality is poor, and the investment we call 'Education' is rotting in the Sun like a forgotten tomato.
If you're looking at this post, then odds are you've seen the email from Dr. Sanders about Kean's accreditation. You should know that, while it doesn't come straight out and lie about the situation, it's a load of crap. Have you ever heard of Rank's model? It's basically a schema for identifying, and effectively negating, intensification and downplay in communication. The way it works is simple: When a critical eye notices intensification, it's owner responds by downplaying it; when that eye finds downplay, it's owner intensifies. As you might notice from the rather strongly worded title of this article, we're rank's-modeling the shit out of this one.
Sanders first tells us to "rest assured" because "Kean University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education." Yes, this is true: Kean is still accredited—-but that's because Middle States won't pull accreditation all at once. Rather, Kean's accreditation is on warning. To put it in layman's terms, Kean has been told to get its shit together for us, the students, or lose its status as a center for higher education. For Kean to be put on warning, it must not have been in compliance with standards for accreditation. That means, if you follow the logic, that Middle States believes Kean does not currently deserve accreditation.
Furthermore, this is the second time MSCHE has warned Kean about this scenario: The first time it happened was in 2006, but the warning was unofficial. The administration was given five years to fix the problems addressed at the last overview, and rather than fight their way to compliance, they told us all would be well and let the whole ordeal slide. Sanders claims that MSCHE "warned" Kean to "make improvements." This is true, but only when speaking about the 2006 review. MSCHE didn't simply 'warn' us about standards this time--they put us on 'Accreditation Warning,' which is a completely different situation. Sanders is downplaying peril our school is in, and doing it hard.
Sanders also states that we "excelled" in 12 of the 14 standards for accreditation. That's not what Middle States says—-we "comply" with 12 standards for accreditation. To say we "excel" is to warp the true meaning of the report with glorifying language. Yes, we meet most of the requirements to be an accredited university; but WE STILL DON'T MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS to be an accredited school.
Just before the end of the spring semester, our self-study team reported to the Tower (our Comm. Department's newspaper) that we were not in any danger of being put on warning. According to Sanders, they admitted we fell short in two categories. If this is true, then they lied to the newspaper, and to the students.
Last but not least, let us not forget the constant barrage of language in the email that equates Kean to the ivy-league. To say that we provide the finest education in NJ is a load of crap (no offense intended towards our professors, of course). To say that is to ignore the existence of reputable and ivy-league schools inside our state (Princeton for instance, or Rutgers our State Research University). To claim that our warning is something that these schools have faced as well is also a lie. To the best of my knowledge--and we'll be looking into it to be certain--Harvard, Cornell, and NYU have never received a probationary judgement from MSCHE. Neither have Princeton, Rutgers, or TCNJ just to name a few.
Don't forget to take the words in these emails with a grain of salt. Nothing is ever exactly what it seems, especially at Kean University.
OH! Almost forgot: MORE TEACHERS, LESS TREES!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
CNBC Reports on the Day of Action and NJUS
Here's the article:
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Students from the state's public colleges say they need to hold jobs and take out loans to be able to afford a higher education in New Jersey.
Students met with lawmakers Tuesday to plead for more higher education funding. An action day is scheduled on campuses Wednesday.
Rutgers University President Richard McCormick told a Senate budget panel Monday that the state's four-year schools expect to hold tuition increases below 10 percent if Gov. Chris Christie's budget is approved.
The budget calls for $714 million in operating aid. That's about the same as last year.
Rutgers senior John Aspray said a 9 percent tuition increase would mean about $1,100 more per student.
Daniela Jorge of William Paterson University says 70 percent of students work 25 hours a week or more.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Students from the state's public colleges say they need to hold jobs and take out loans to be able to afford a higher education in New Jersey.
Students met with lawmakers Tuesday to plead for more higher education funding. An action day is scheduled on campuses Wednesday.
Rutgers University President Richard McCormick told a Senate budget panel Monday that the state's four-year schools expect to hold tuition increases below 10 percent if Gov. Chris Christie's budget is approved.
The budget calls for $714 million in operating aid. That's about the same as last year.
Rutgers senior John Aspray said a 9 percent tuition increase would mean about $1,100 more per student.
Daniela Jorge of William Paterson University says 70 percent of students work 25 hours a week or more.
Kean Buys Student Publicity...
If any of you have seen the recent facebook post on the Kean University fan page, or gotten an email about the 'Share your experience' contest, then you might be excited at the prospect of doing a small amount of work (writing 250-300 words about you life at Kean) to win an iPad, Dell Netbook, or color Nook. What you might not have thought about is this: Is Kean really so messed up that it needs to buy good publicity from its students?
I'm not saying that there's nothing good to write about at Kean... But I do recognize that students who really, really want that iPad are probably going to sugarcoat their submissions, if not lie outright. I know, for instance, that I could write the shit out of that contest and tell only truths--but is it worth it to ignore all the heartbreaking experiences I've endured here just to play around on an iPad?
The truth is, I really love iPads. And I would totally enter a contest to own one--but not at the cost of betraying my own beliefs. Certainly not at the cost of betraying all of you out there who read this blog, and most assuredly not at the cost of misleading prospective students who might check out the Kean Facebook page to see what current students are saying about their school.
I looked at the contest on the Kean University facebook page today and saw a comment left by a student, Adolfo, who is in a similar situation to mine. He wrote, " I originally came to KEAN UNIVERSITY to major in Philosophy but then I found out it was dismantled and could no longer major in it." I was a Philosophy Major when I entered Kean, but I am no longer. The department that once fed my intellectualism is dead, the courses that first led me to question the 'system' at Kean are gone, and yet I definitely took a moment to think, Man! I could totally win an iPad in this contest!
I guess iPads are incredibly persuasive technological devices. I guess it's easy to forget the things that hurt us in the past when things are going well, again.
But its not worth it to forget just because the dissemblance of Social Work and Philosophy are in the past. Just because they're 'old news' doesn't make the fact that they happened unimportant. It doesn't diminish the cost to the students. I've learned to live with it, at this point--all of us have, mainly because we have to--but the fact that we can live with it doesn't mean we should have to. What we need to do is remember that we were wronged, remember that we deserved better treatment from the school, and the President, that claim to love us like their children.
Don't lose yourself in it, don't mope. Just remember.
That way, when Kean offers you an iPad or a laptop or some other mouthwateringly attractive device in exchange for a publicity sound-bite, you'll recognize that they're trying to pay you off to do it. So please, all of you out there who might have considered entering that contest the way I did, refrain from it unless you really do have only good things to say. Don't sugarcoat. Don't lie.
Or, even better, go ahead and post something--just tell the truth. Tell it like it is.
I'm not saying that there's nothing good to write about at Kean... But I do recognize that students who really, really want that iPad are probably going to sugarcoat their submissions, if not lie outright. I know, for instance, that I could write the shit out of that contest and tell only truths--but is it worth it to ignore all the heartbreaking experiences I've endured here just to play around on an iPad?
The truth is, I really love iPads. And I would totally enter a contest to own one--but not at the cost of betraying my own beliefs. Certainly not at the cost of betraying all of you out there who read this blog, and most assuredly not at the cost of misleading prospective students who might check out the Kean Facebook page to see what current students are saying about their school.
I looked at the contest on the Kean University facebook page today and saw a comment left by a student, Adolfo, who is in a similar situation to mine. He wrote, " I originally came to KEAN UNIVERSITY to major in Philosophy but then I found out it was dismantled and could no longer major in it." I was a Philosophy Major when I entered Kean, but I am no longer. The department that once fed my intellectualism is dead, the courses that first led me to question the 'system' at Kean are gone, and yet I definitely took a moment to think, Man! I could totally win an iPad in this contest!
I guess iPads are incredibly persuasive technological devices. I guess it's easy to forget the things that hurt us in the past when things are going well, again.
But its not worth it to forget just because the dissemblance of Social Work and Philosophy are in the past. Just because they're 'old news' doesn't make the fact that they happened unimportant. It doesn't diminish the cost to the students. I've learned to live with it, at this point--all of us have, mainly because we have to--but the fact that we can live with it doesn't mean we should have to. What we need to do is remember that we were wronged, remember that we deserved better treatment from the school, and the President, that claim to love us like their children.
Don't lose yourself in it, don't mope. Just remember.
That way, when Kean offers you an iPad or a laptop or some other mouthwateringly attractive device in exchange for a publicity sound-bite, you'll recognize that they're trying to pay you off to do it. So please, all of you out there who might have considered entering that contest the way I did, refrain from it unless you really do have only good things to say. Don't sugarcoat. Don't lie.
Or, even better, go ahead and post something--just tell the truth. Tell it like it is.
DAY OF ACTION TOMORROW!
Kean is hosting an NJUS State-Wide Day of Action event tomorrow:
New Jersey does NOT provide for its college students! Join us at Kean University to peacefully protest the problems with NJ's Higher-Ed system that are falling on the backs of public university students! The NJUS Day of Action is happening simultaneously at all of NJ's Public Universities—so don't be left out! Join the movement that's changing the game at the state level: Austerity is out, and Education is number one on April 13th!
The Frisbee-Toss for Student Freedoms:
Join fellow students outside the University Center and Library for lively games of frisbee—feel free to get competitive or just fool around. Bring your own frisbee and your own friends, or join a game and take the opportunity to meet other Kean students, discuss the problems that NJ Higher Ed faces both on campus and at the state level, and learn about the US's first-ever state-wide Student Union, NJUS.
The Towel-Lay Against Tuition Hikes:
You've heard that we're not allowed on the grass at Kean University? Well apparently it's A-Okay if you're laying or sunbathing on a towel, so bring one by and enjoy the grass that's so much greener without foot-traffic! Share your college experience with other New Jersey students and learn why our state is number 50 out of 50 in provision for Higher Education. Make your voice heard (in the most relaxing way possible) by laying on the grass!
New Jersey does NOT provide for its college students! Join us at Kean University to peacefully protest the problems with NJ's Higher-Ed system that are falling on the backs of public university students! The NJUS Day of Action is happening simultaneously at all of NJ's Public Universities—so don't be left out! Join the movement that's changing the game at the state level: Austerity is out, and Education is number one on April 13th!
The Frisbee-Toss for Student Freedoms:
Join fellow students outside the University Center and Library for lively games of frisbee—feel free to get competitive or just fool around. Bring your own frisbee and your own friends, or join a game and take the opportunity to meet other Kean students, discuss the problems that NJ Higher Ed faces both on campus and at the state level, and learn about the US's first-ever state-wide Student Union, NJUS.
The Towel-Lay Against Tuition Hikes:
You've heard that we're not allowed on the grass at Kean University? Well apparently it's A-Okay if you're laying or sunbathing on a towel, so bring one by and enjoy the grass that's so much greener without foot-traffic! Share your college experience with other New Jersey students and learn why our state is number 50 out of 50 in provision for Higher Education. Make your voice heard (in the most relaxing way possible) by laying on the grass!
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