“Several books have appeared, written from a liberal point of view, that take colleges and universities to task on various counts: they are too expensive; the education they offer is sub-par, especially in relation to costs; they are administratively top-heavy; their faculties are too specialized; they do not emphasize teaching; their catalogs are filled with bizarre courses; and, more importantly, they are not providing the liberal arts education that students need and deserve. “
Category: issues
Artists, Funding Bodies, And The Expectation Of Gratitude
“Nothing wrong with wanting great plays, concerts and books. But I have a sneaking suspicion that we want something more from artists. We expect them to be grateful. This is a sensitive subject that is rarely spoken about publicly: the relationship between artists and the funding bodies, sponsors and donors who enable them to do what they do.”
Developers Gone Wild: Will Planning Reforms Kill Historic Sites In Britain?
Goodbye, green and pleasant land? “Dame Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust, warns that millions of acres of countryside are being placed at risk by the draft National Planning Policy Framework.”
That Language You Spent A Decade Learning? Forget It.
After 9/11, the U.S. government encouraged a flourishing of language programs from Pashto to Kazakh. Now? Not so much: Funding has fled, and along with it, opportunities and departments.
Kansas Governor Supports The Arts, Except When He Really Doesn’t
At the grand opening of the Kansas City Ballet’s new building, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s proclamation in support of the arts creates disbelief and anger at the man who defunded, and essentially destroyed, his state’s arts agency.
The Middle Class Is Dying. Thanks, Internet
Jason Lanier: “If you had talked to anyone involved in it twenty years ago, everyone would have said that the ability for people to inexpensively have access to a tremendous global computation and networking facility ought to create wealth. This ought to create wellbeing; this ought to create this incredible expansion in just people living decently, and in personal liberty.” But it’s not happening. Why?
The Cultural Costs Of 9/11
“Al-Qaida, while not conquered, no longer appears to be the threat that loomed so large in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. But the price paid in getting to this point, in the U.S. and elsewhere, has been enormous—and mostly avoidable. The legacy will be with us for a long time.”
Big Changes (And Adventure) Expected For Salzburg Festival’s Next Incarnation
In October, Alexander Pereira, currently director of the Zurich Opera House, becomes artistic director. Patrons foresee changes on a magnitude not seen since the decade of Gérard Mortier, who succeeded the conductor Herbert von Karajan
Steve Jobs’s Greatest Legacy: Persuading The World To Pay For Content
“Ten years ago, if you wanted to download some music, your best bet was Napster or one of the filesharing systems such as LimeWire or KaZaA.” Then along came iTunes and its 99-cent songs. “Nowadays Apple sells TV shows, films, books, apps, as well as music. We take the explosion in available content for granted. But without Jobs, it’s likely we wouldn’t be here at all.”
Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Neighborhood Is Pricing Out Artists
Monster Island “arts centre has been home to artists, musicians and retailers, but the building is scheduled for demolition in November. Rumour has it that Whole Foods supermarket may open a branch in its place. Demand for property in Williamsburg has been steadily rising.”