Many MSW-level social workers make the decision to earn a doctoral degree in social work or a related field. A large number of so-called predatory doctoral programs lack rigor or much academic substance and are ultimately of little value in advancing one's career. This article describes the characteristics of legitimate social work doctoral…

As seen through the recommendations of University Education Commission (1949) and Education Commission (1964), till about National Policy on Education, 1986, as markers of educational discourses, the concern was to resist expansion, to guard against dilution of quality and standards of higher education and excellence and reputation of higher…

The presence of honor societies and programs on a university campus is an important component of its reputation for excellence. While we may quibble with the methodologies employed by various rankings, reputation is one of the key drivers of choice when students and their families are making that all-important decision about which university to…

"What is the right use of books?" Responding to the question he famously raised, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that "books are for nothing but to inspire," which we take as endorsing a pragmatic and pluralistic view of reading literature and other kinds of texts in a manner that keeps books open to a flow of continual questioning and renewal. The…

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is leading the charge to return "higher" to higher education. We are challenging the status quo to restore academic freedom, academic rigor, and real accountability to higher education. And, we are doing so with an ever-widening network of supporters and partners.

Grades are the fundamental currency of our educational system; they signal academic achievement and noncognitive skills to parents, employers, postsecondary gatekeepers, and students themselves. Grade inflation compromises the signaling value of grades and undermines their capacity to achieve the functions for which they are intended. We challenge…

Last July, the Atlanta Public Schools became the poster district for teachers and principals behaving badly. State investigators found that, in 44 schools across the city, 178 teachers and administrators had systematically cheated on the state standardized tests taken by their students in 2009. The largest cheating scandal by far has cast a pall…

While the policies of the Coalition Government will divide learners and limit opportunities, education for the upper secondary years will continue to experience a more systematic "credibility crunch" with schools and colleges facing a crisis of legitimacy and posing major challenges for reformers. (Contains 1 note.)

I discuss, on the basis of experience in Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, some common fears and negative opinions about the equality agenda in higher education. These include: (1) "Standards will drop."; (2) "Our reputation will suffer."; (3) "It's not our problem."; (4) "It's social…

In this study, the authors problematize the use of slogans when it comes to leading major organizational change. Specifically, they outline the slogans that Border University leaders used to explain and justify the university's transition from a regional, primarily teaching-focused university to an aspiring nationally recognized, Tier One research…

Quality rankings of undergraduate institutions and programs do exist although they are hard to find and often ignored. The accuracy of these ratings and how they can be improved are discussed. (MLW)

Robert B. Sloan, Jr., president of Baylor University (Texas), has encountered controversy over issues of faith, governance, and his style of leadership. Mr. Sloan wants to heighten both the university's Christian identity and its academic stature. (MSE)