They didn't capture the essence of the debate nearly enough.
I would have done more to highlight the clash between experiential versus remote pedagogy and between the communitarian principles of the old Unity College versus the self-aggrandizing, individualistic capitalism of Our Dear Leader, the self-appointed "savior" of higher education.
And they minimized the angst, shock, and loss of the community.
But it made prime time, which is something.
I still don't believe they will get away with it in the very long run. The fond memories of the old place run too deeply to be successfully buried, while outside forces like accreditation regimes and competition are too stochastic to be successfully predicted.
The board must be aware by now that they have critics who have something meaningful to say, something thoughtful and just and deserving of a hearing, about the robbery that has taken place. The Fuhrer tried to paint his critics as behind-the-times ne'er-do-wells, but the fact that the national press is listening to said critics must be disquieting to his bosses, the board. They would probably prefer the quiet life to the place they find themselves, in the churning whirlwind of a Zeitgeist moment for higher education.
You can sweep all these kinds of awarenesses under the carpet, but only for so long. They tend to nibble at your soul in the wee hours.
Perish the thought! But it doesn't and won't. It will always be there, until the Right Thing gets done, and the correct state of things is restored.
One guy, in search of satisfaction for his own lame ego, chose to ride the tiger. But it's exhausting and it makes you angry, sad, and paranoid. The low grade underlying stress will never end. There will always be another destabilizing crisis just around the corner. Something will eventually give.
This year's ten-year accreditation review will be one more such stressor.
And the visiting team is now, thanks to PBS, on full notice about the controversy they are walking into.
Enjoy.
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