Announcements
Schools want children to be eco-warriors to reform their parents
ALERT: Pelosi’s Health Bill Mandates Race-Based Preferences in Med School
Powerline Picks Up NAS's NEH Story
Nameless Blog Seeks Attractive Readers
Peter Wood and Steve Balch contribute to new book, The Politically Correct University
UW-Oshkosh students reexamine sustainability
10 Reasons Why Sustainability is a Waste
World Magazine article highlights NAS' work on sustainability
Help NAS compile political books list
Illinois affiliate president publishes new book
Congratulations to our Illinois affiliate president Jonathan J. Bean on the publication of his new book Race and Liberty in America: The Essential Reader. To read Professor Bean's announcement, as well as what others have said about the book, click here.
New Academic Questions issue available online and in print!
Browse NAS articles by topic, by special series, by college/university, by date
What would you do if you ran the higher ed zoo?
Video - Chairman Steve Balch Receives the Jeane Jordan Kirkpatrick Academic Freedom Award
Virginia Tech rescinds diversity litmus test
NAS has published an expose article on how Virginia Tech has imposed a political test on candidates for promotion and tenure. Specifically, Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences is making active support and advancement of “diversity”a requirement for faculty to keep their positions and for promotion.
This is a highly unusual step—one that flouts academic freedom. “Diversity” is not a category of academic accomplishment equivalent to high-quality teaching or success in scholarly research and publishing. “Diversity” is an ideology. The term summarizes a set of objectives popular on one part of the political spectrum. Virginia Tech, which is a public university, has no business turning a partisan political credo into a test that must be passed for faculty members to win tenure or to advance in rank.
To read Peter Wood's article ("Free to Agree") on the Virginia Tech policy, click here.
Chairman Steve Balch on Ward Churchill verdict
Today NAS Chairman Steve Balch was quoted in two articles on the Denver jury's finding in favor of Ward Churchill.
NAS Press Release
Inside Higher Ed article
Chronicle of Higher Education article
Baruch College Conference - Is the American Constitution Obsolete?
Americans revere their Constitution but are disturbed by growing signs of political dysfunction. We have placed in the White House candidates who have not won a majority of the popular vote. In this time of war, fears of an imperial presidency persist. Gridlock prevents reform in health care, immigration, and other vital areas. An economic crisis generates fears that the system may not be able to respond effectively. Can we solve the problems we face under the current Constitution or does the 21st Century call for a new Magna Carta? The Free Institutions Program of the Baruch College School of Public Affairs will present these questions for discussion on May 4th & 5th, 2009. Click HERE for a schedule of panels and registration information.
New Tradition-Minded Academic Geographers Subgroup
Academic geography has become more “humanistic” over the past generation or two. While this was a healthy reaction to the excessive positivism of modernity, the result has not been a balanced middle ground, but a radical shift to politicized leftist "scholarship." For many human geographers, the discipline’s reason-to-be has become dogmatic advocacy of a compulsory program of "social justice" and "environment integrity." Jim Norwine, Regents Professor of Geography at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, proposes the formation of a working group of “tradition-minded” academic geographers. Its first goal would be to discuss possible alternative approaches to the praxis of 21st century geography. Such alternatives might range from Christian scholarship to the old “noble” (Roger Scruton) or positive form of humanism. Interested NAS members are urged to contact Jim at kfjrn00@tamuk.edu.
Presidential Search at the AALE
The American Academy for Liberal Education is a national 501(c)(3) accrediting organization that is soliciting nominations for its presidency. Applications and nominations should be sent to: Dr. Jeffrey D. Wallin, President, American Academy for Liberal Education, 1050 17th St., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 (fax: 202-452-8620; email: jwallin@aale.org). Applications should reach AALE by April 15, 2009, and should include a statement of interest and relevant background, a current resume, and three references that may be contacted as the search moves forward. The executive committee of the board of trustees is responsible for selecting the new president. PDF file HERE. Read text...
Subscribe to NAS articles with RSS Feed
NAS now has an RSS feed! RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, is a feature found on most blogs. It is a convenient way for readers to stay up-to-date with their favorite websites. When you subscribe to the NAS feed, you’ll receive every article, initiative, brief note, and press release that we post to our website within 15 minutes of the original posting. Now that we are publishing new articles every day, this feed will become an important way for readers to stay updated on our activities and writings.
We hope you’ll subscribe to the new NAS feed, keep up with what we’re doing, and share it with your friends! (Look for the orange icon at the top right corner of our homepage.)
Peter Wood quoted in Chronicle of Higher Education article on sexual harassment programs
NAS president Peter Wood is quoted in the February 20, 2009 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education, in an article on sexual harassment programs. Here is the paragraph in which he is quoted:
Peter W. Wood, executive director of the National Association of Scholars, a group that has been vocal about the problems it sees with institutions' sexual-harassment policies, says that such policies and the training related to them "frequently go too far. They're telling people things they must believe, rather than behavior they must refrain from." Making information on sexual harassment "available to people who might need it is advantageous," Mr. Wood says, but making such training mandatory or "pressing it on large numbers of people seems to be more of a political statement."
To read the entire article, click here (subscription required).
Write in! What is good practice in higher ed?
NAS has opened a series on good practice in higher education. What is the best way to teach a course? To organize a curriculum? To administer a college? To serve as a trustee? This is an open-ended series on good practices in higher education. We hope that this will draw diverse contributions from many readers. The only restrictions we put on this thread are (1) seriousness, and (2) positive proposals only.
To submit your specific ideas of good practice in higher education, post here as a comment on this article or send an email to nasonweb@nas.org. Please give your remarks a title.
Academy Ovoids - nominate your choice for the worst excess in higher ed
NAS has created the Academy Ovoids: the goose eggs of academic pretension. We are starting with 4 categories:
A. Who are the top ten weathervane college presidents in the U.S.—the ones that most reliably and consistently shape their policies to follow the trends?
B. Who are higher education’s top ten braggarts?
C. What are the top ten colleges and universities rated by degree of misrepresentation?
D. What books assigned in actual courses you have taken deserve to be on the list of most biased, worst written, and/or trivial time-wasters? Tell us the text, the course, and why you think the book belongs on our list.
Send in your nominations for any category today! To make a nomination, you must supply at least one paragraph supporting your choice. We will post the nominations, though we may engage in some copyediting. We'll post the lists of winners on April 1.
DISCOUNT: "Diversity" book only $5.00!
Now on sale for only $5.00! Buy Larry Purdy's book Getting Under the Skin of "Diversity", the definitive answer to Bowen and Bok’s celebrated defense of racial preferences in higher education, The Shape of the River, and the one book that you need to read to understand racial preferences in college admissions. Purdy, one of the lawyers who represented the plaintiffs in the Gratz and Grutter cases, understands the pro-preference side’s core arguments (and evasions) like no one else. His response in Getting Under the Skin of “Diversity” is Ciceronian in its combination of cool mastery of the facts with deep moral urgency.
Read La Shawn Barber's 12/22/2008 review of the book at Townhall.com.
$5.00 price includes shipping.
NAS Affirms Academic Freedom for Students
The National Association of Scholars issued a press release on its recent statement "Genuine Academic Freedom," which contrasts the position of the NAS and that of the AAUP in defending true academic freedom.
To read the press release, click here.
To read the original statement by NAS President Peter Wood, click here.
Debating and Celebrating at the NAS Conference
The 2009 NAS conference in Washington, DC (January 9-11) was a great success! For a recap of highlights, click here. Be sure to click NAS Conference Video to see video footage of conference events.
NAS Bestows Awards on Ward Connerly, Carol Iannone, Victor Davis Hanson, and Bruce Cole
At its national conference, the NAS was proud to recognize four individuals who have greatly contributed to the quest for academic reform.
The Sidney Hook Memorial Award, "for distinguished contributions to the defense of academic freedom and the integrity of academic life," was bestowed on Ward Connerly, Chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute.
The Peter Shaw Memorial Award, recognizing "explary writing on issues pertaining to higher education and American intellectual culture," was bestowed on Victor Davis Hanson, Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
The Barry R. Gross Memorial Award, "bestowed on an NAS member for outstanding service, through the medium of the organization or responsible citizenship, to the cause of academic reform," was given to Carol Iannone, Editor-at-Large of NAS's journal Academic Questions.
The NAS Award for Service to the Humanities was granted to Bruce Cole, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Stephen Balch Becomes Chairman of NAS Board, Peter Wood Becomes NAS President
After nearly twenty-two years of service as its president, Stephen Balch, founder of the National Association of Scholars, has left that position to become the chairman of the NAS board. On December 6, the NAS board of directors voted unanimously to elect Peter Wood, formerly executive director, to become the new president. Steve and Peter assumed their new roles on January 1, 2009. To read more about their leadership and to read the NAS board's resolution honoring Steve, click here.
NAS General Conference January 9-11, 2009
Get ready for the 13th NAS General Conference in Washington, D.C., to convene January 9-11, 2009. Our keynote speaker is Victor Davis Hanson, Fellow of the Hoover Institution and the Claremont Institute. This year's conference theme is "The Changing Landscape of American Higher Education" and will feature a debate between NAS executive director Peter Wood and AAUP president Cary Nelson, and panels on "The Military and Academe" and "Are the Dorms Being Politicized?" NAS looks forward with great excitement and anticipation to the conference and the chance to ponder together these important issues. For more information about the schedule, and other details, visit our conferences page. To register, Click HERE.
Year End Issue of Academic Questions
The National Association of Scholars publishes a quarterly journal, Academic Questions, in which scholars ponder many aspects of the university today. Our most recent and final issue of the year presents an essay by David Rothman on "The Surprising Career of Stanley Fish." The issue also features the following articles:
"Feminizing Science" by Patricia Hausman
"Diversity's Discontents" by Russell K. Nieli
"Dis-Accreditation" by Anne D. Neal
"Academic Governance" by Stephen H. Balch.
Subscription and online access to Academic Questions is free with NAS membership. To learn how to access AQ online, click here. To learn how to subscribe to Academic Questions as a non-NAS member, click here.
NAS salutes Nebraska and Colorado Affiliates for their efforts to end ethnic/gender preferences
The National Association of Scholars congratulated its affiliates in Nebraska and Colorado for the roles they played in supporting state voter initiatives to end ethnic- and gender-based preferences. The Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, of which the Nebraska Association of Scholars was a formal sponsor, passed handily with almost 58% of the vote. The Colorado initiative, endorsed by the Colorado Association of Scholars, was very narrowly defeated with 49.4% of the vote.
Peter Wood's radio broadcast on anger in America
NAS Executive Director Peter Wood was interviewed on XM’s POTUS ’08 channel on the topic of his recent book A Bee in the Mouth: Anger in America Now. The interview aired at 1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 29. Dr. Wood's segment appeared about 22 minutes into the show (nearly the halfway mark). Click here to download the radio show.
New NAS chapter in Arkansas! Read text...
NAS's sexual harassment statement cited in dispute at Southern Illinois University Read text...
Illinois Association of Scholars introduces blog
The Illinois Association president has set up a blog called Free SIU, dealing with issues of academic freedom and declining intellectual rigor. The group blog has attracted wide attention and contributors from the Left and Right on issues such as religious freedom, free speech, the future of the university, and sexual harassment.
Check it out!
Should bias in higher education be reported?
NAS on front page of New York Times!
The National Association of Scholars is pleased to have been highlighted in an "above-the-fold" front page article of the 22 September New York Times. Entitled "Conservatives Try New Tack on Campuses," the article describes how NAS and other higher education organizations have been building institutions for "the teaching of Western culture and a triumphal interpretation of American history." The article also credits the NAS with lobbying for the American History for Freedom Program (in the newly passed Higher Education Act), which will help fund "traditional American history, free institutions or Western civilization." Despite the (incorrect) inference in the title that the NAS is a politically conservative group, the New York Times piece specifies that these programs and centers for Western civilization "have a decidedly nonpartisan and nonideological face." NAS President Steve Balch and Executive Director Peter Wood are quoted in the article.
Hungry for attention: ACPA's response to NAS statement
The American College Personnel Association savors its moment of notice after NAS published our statement on the new residence life movement, Rebuilding Campus Community: The Wrong Imperative. NAS comments on the ACPA response here.
New Academic Questions! Special Issue: The Future of Race Preferences
NAS has just published a new issue of Academic Questions, our quarterly journal. This is a special issue on "The Future of Race Preferences," and features articles by Ward Connerly, John Ellis, Peter Wood, Carl Cohen, Charles L. Geshekter, Roger Clegg, Joe Hicks, and George Dent. Subscription and online access to Academic Questions is free with NAS membership. To learn how to access AQ online, click here. To learn how to subscribe to Academic Questions as a non-NAS member, click here.
Social Work Update
We're heading into round two of our correspondence with state social work boards.
How We Spent Our Summer Vacation
A handy guide to the highlights of the first season of NAS's new website. Come here first to see what we've been up to and find the best of NAS since our web upgrade! Read text...
NAS responds to Hersh and Keeling on "Whole Person Approach" in the Chronicle
NAS executive director Peter Wood wrote "'Whole Person' Approach Belongs to the Liberal Arts" in response to a commentary by Richard H. Hersh and Richard P. Keeling in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In his article, Wood defends the NAS statement on residence life, "Rebuilding Campus Community: The Wrong Imperative" and argues that "the real education for the whole person remains where it always was—in a rigorous liberal arts education."
To read the article, click here.
Peter Wood in Wall Street Journal about U Chicago's Milton Friedman Institute
NAS executive director Peter Wood responded to a Wall Street Journal article that expressed suspicion that there might not "be room for true academic debate" at the University of Chicago's newly established Milton Friedman Institute. Dr. Wood rejoined that far from being in danger of domination by capitalists, "Higher education is rife with programs and institutes engaged in outright advocacy of left-wing economic and social ideas."
Peter Wood quoted in sexual harassment piece at Inside Higher Ed
After a professor at the University of Iowa was arrested for bribing students with A's in exchange for sexual favors, the university announced that all faculty members would be required to attend sexual harassment training. NAS executive director Peter Wood stated that “One case does not make a pattern. There is a history of harassment at Iowa, but it involves student-on-student harassment by athletes. So why in effect punish faculty members and employees when, if there is a problem, it lies in coddling out of control student athletes?”
NAS executive director Peter Wood publishes "How Our Culture Keeps Students Out of Science"
In today's Chronicle of Higher Education Point of View section, NAS executive director Peter Wood published, "How Our Culture Keeps Students Out of Science." The article discusses how an education of self-esteem and a fascination with "identity" cripple the study of science in America.
Inside Higher Education publicizes Argus project
Inside Higher Education highlighted NAS's Argus project in its top 3 news stories today. The article quotes NAS president Steve Balch telling about the project. Entitled, "Big Argus is Watching," the article sought to frame NAS as practicing Orwellian surveillance, but President Balch affirms that Argus volunteers will only be dealing with publicly available information.
Read Chronicle article assessing NAS's call for renewal of liberal education
Richard H. Hersh and Richard P. Keeling evaluate NAS's recent statement "Rebuilding Campus Community: The Wrong Imperative" in a point of view article in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In the print edition, the article spans the back cover of the August 1, 2008 issue.
CONTROVERSY in the Chronicle Read text...
Chronicle of Higher Education cites NAS in Intergroup Dialogue article
The Chronicle of Higher Education cited a National Association of Scholars statement in its article on Intergroup Dialogue, a multi-university program that seeks to prove diversity's educational benefits. Read text...
NEW NAS STATEMENT ON RESIDENCE LIFE
The National Association of Scholars released a statement of its position on curricular residence life and the wrong way to build campus community. The new residence life regime, NAS states, usually bypasses the faculty in its efforts to educate students on the evils of heterosexism and carbon footprints - and it is an affront to the liberal principles of sound education.
NAS endorses Civil Rights initiatives Read text...
In thankfulness for Sir John Templeton
The National Association of Scholars mourns the passing of Sir John Templeton: visionary investor, philanthropist and seeker after truth. We are honored and deeply grateful to have been touched by his generosity.
Front page New York Times piece quotes Peter Wood
Peter Wood, speaking for the NAS, was quoted above the fold on the front page of the New York Times on July 3rd, in an article entitled, "The ’60s Begin to Fade as Liberal Professors Retire." The story is about generational change in higher education and asserts that the old culture wars generation is retiring and being replaced by more moderate faculty members. To read the article, click here.
Read book by Gratz and Grutter lawyer Larry Purdy: Getting Under the Skin of "Diversity"
The National Association of Scholars is privileged to present an advanced look at Getting Under the Skin of "Diversity", a book by Larry Purdy, the lawyer who represented Jennifer Gratz and Barbara Grutter in the U.S. Supreme Court cases Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger. A printed version of the book will be available later this year. In the days and weeks to come, however, we will serialize this important book on our website. Each chapter will go up in PDF form until the whole book is present. We do this with the author’s permission. Mr. Purdy retains the copyright to Getting Under the Skin of "Diversity" and all legal claims to his intellectual property. To read it, go to the Books and Reports page of the NAS website.
Survey Error Fixed
Our Argus survey initially had an internal glitch that caused some surveys to be dropped. The error has been fixed and submissions are working perfectly now. If you got an error page when you tried to submit the survey, we ask you take it just once more so we can retrieve your answers. To do so, click here: Take Survey. I so appreciate your taking the time to help us here at the NAS. We are eager for you to join us in taking back the university!
Argus Project Launched
NAS today began sending invitations to 240,000 Townhall readers to take our Argus survey. Through this project, we are looking to find objective, informed observers of higher education. Join with us and take back the university as it should be.
Take our survey!
NAS has just opened an original survey as part of our Argus project. The goal of this survey is to learn the educational background and opinion outlook of those attracted by our concept of creating many different well-trained watchers of campuses and disciplines. We also see this as an opportunity to learn of new stories worth pursuing. The survey is an on-ramp for the Argus project because we are seeking people who have both the will to report and the objectivity to be skilled observers — and this survey is an excellent way to discern who those people are. All are welcome to complete the survey; in addition to the link on our website, we will be working with Townhall to send the survey to a database of 240,000 people.
Thank you for taking a few moments to fill it out and help us invest in higher education. Read text...
Leave Us a Comment
Our website host has recently set up an interactive comments feature for articles, initiatives, and briefly noted items on our website. We invite you to leave a comment on a piece you've read - we'd love to hear your thoughts. Simply click "Add a Comment" at the bottom of the article, set up a user name and password, then post something. Comments will be reviewed by an NAS administrator before appearing in public view. We are excited to see our hope of a more engaging website fulfilled.
Special Issue of Academic Questions: The Military and Higher Education Read text...
Wall Street Journal Quotes NAS in ResLife/ Sustainability Article
This Wall Street Journal article tells of UD's residence life program reinstatement and the rise of the sustainability movement in college dorms. The author quotes Peter Wood explaining how this movement came about. Read text...
NAS Has Moved
Our national office moved last week to a new space near the Princeton airport. Our new address is:
1 Airport Place, Suite 7,
Princeton, NJ 08540-1532
Our phone number and email address remain the same.
Please take note of our new address when mailing to NAS.
We are enjoying the added space and the view of the small aircraft coming in to land across the street. Read text...
UD Faculty, Students Stand Up Against Res Life Proposal
UPDATE: The proposed program was not accepted at yesterday's Faculty Senate Meeting. Instead, a vigorous debate took place, to be continued on Monday, May 12. Read text...
Peter Wood publishes "Sustainability's Third Circle" in Inside Higher Education
Today, Inside Higher Education published an article by NAS executive director Peter Wood, entitled, "Sustainability's Third Circle." The article explains how sustainability's agenda is political and ideological, as well as environmental. Read text...
Pacific Legal Foundation Essay Competition
July 1, 2008 deadline. For free society: legal research and writing program. Categories for law students, untenured law professors, and tenured law professors. $5,000 prize. Read text...
The 2008 Sir John M. Templeton Fellowships Essay Contest
May 1, 2008 deadline Read text...
Read Academic Questions online
How to access Academic Questions online Read text...
Academic Questions: Newest Issue Hot off the Press
The National Association of Scholars recently released a new issue of its journal, Academic Questions. The issue features articles by President Stephen Balch and Executive Director Peter Wood. Read text...
Our New Website!
NAS is pleased to launch our new website, designed and hosted by Princeton Online. We now offer a fresh, clean site that is better organized and can be navigated more easily.
Soon to come:
The website will also include an interactive feature that will enable readers to post comments on what we publish.
We welcome your insights and observations and invite you to peruse our website.
To Members and Readers
Say Cheese... Read text...
Position Available: Academic Project Director
The National Association of Scholars is seeking candidates for the new position of Academic Project Director. This person will manage several NAS projects aimed at stimulating reform in higher education. We need someone who has academic experience, writes and speaks well, can work under deadline, and is computer savvy. A Ph.D., earned doctorate, or ABD is required. Experience in advocating for educational reform is preferred, as is a record of publication in journals of opinion. This is a demanding job for an academic who has seen the contemporary university from the inside and who knows first-hand that our students and our nation deserve better. Salary commensurate with experience and skills.
To apply send a letter, your c.v., and sample publications to Peter Wood, Executive Director, National Association of Scholars, 221 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08542. Position is immediate. Candidates will be reviewed as they apply.
Ashley Thorne Joins NAS as Communications Director
Mrs. Ashley Thorne has been appointed NAS director of communications. Mrs. Thorne is a graduate of The King's College in New York City, where she majored in politics, philosophy, and economics. She is from Dallas, Texas, and has also spent considerable time in Russia as a Christian missionary. Mrs. Thorne is taking charge of our Argus initiative, which aims to recruit individuals who will examine particular programs, universities, and other institutions and report their findings to NAS in ways that we can post. She also takes charge of our continuing examination of schools of social work.
Latest Posting on NAS Online Forum
Looking at today's campus, Don Downs observes on the loss of the framework within which civil disagreement can take place. When personal becomes political, civility evaporates and with it goes free speech.
Noteworthy Achievement: NAS President Receives National Medal
NAS president Steven Balch received the National Humanities Medal at a ceremony in the Oval Office on Thursday, November 15.
Steve received the award in recognition of his success in building the National Association of Scholars and thereby strengthening the foundations of American education especially in the humanities and the liberal arts. Steve has been "institution building" for over twenty years, starting with NAS. He also played a major role in getting the AALE and ACTA off the ground, then helped to launch the Historical Society, the Association of Literary Scholars and Critics, and the Association for the Study of Free Institutions. He's also worked to create centers and programs focused on Western civilization and the study of free institutions on campuses around the country. Read text...