By David Jones University of Alabama alumni, indeed most Alabamians, delight in the high caliber of Crimson Tide athletics. Coach Nick Saban consistently sets an inspirationally high standard for excellence. The university should apply that same inspirational standard to the academic side of campus. Despite progress over the past two decades, data indicate the Capstone is clearly more committed to excelling on the football field than in its classrooms. There are positives to acknowledge before revealing the two major negatives that have led to the decline in UA’s academic reputation over the last ten years. No other university in Alabama … Continue reading →

By Earl H. Tilford The 1960s Every journey starts somewhere. In American higher education the trip to today’s diverse, equitable and inclusive “woke” universities that embrace an expansion model for enrollment began in the autumn of 1960. Notably, that was the first year there were more college students in the United States than there were farmers.[1] During the 1950s, visionary college and university presidents anticipated the looming wave of students born after the Second World war soon to be dubbed the “Baby Boom” generation. Some of those presidents built new dormitories and classroom buildings and mobilized alumni to elicit financial … Continue reading →