Colleges and Universities Books

Toni McNaron spent 30 years in the classroom at the University of Minnesota. During that time, she looked directly into the varied faces of homophobia. Most times, she looked without blinking.
In "Poisoned Ivy" McNaron, to paraphrase a comment she makes in the book, names the elephant in the living room of academia. She addresses, head on, the issues of blatant homophobia and heterosexism which are faced by lesbian and gay academics on a daily basis.
As an educator at the high school level interested in lesbian and gay scholarship, McNaron's book has remained near and dear to me; I have read and re - read its pages repeatedly. When I first read it, I lost sleep attempting to complete it. The writing is engrossing and (although I do not as of yet teach at the college level) very familiar.
"Poisoned Ivy, arguably McNaron's magnus opus, is strongly recommended for all gays and lesbians who are members of the work force. For those working in the field of education, it is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ. McNaron's story and the story of the other acadmeics who participated in her survey, is the story of thousands upon thousands of people in this country who continue to suffer in silence.

As a woman starting her own academic career soon, I found this book wonderfully helpful. It has given me a deeper appreciation and respect for lesbians and gay men who struggle with how out they can be on their campuses. It has also made me think about how I will approach and respect gay and lesbian issues in my own classroom. Just as straight people may look at their collegues and students and wonder who may be gay or lesbian, gays and lesbians are looking at straight people and trying to figure out who they can safely come out to.

McNaron's work also emphaszied the vital connection between our personal lives and our academic work. When the two are painfully separated from each other, they both suffer. Her story, and many of the others she includes, demonstrate how much more fruitful and satisfying your work can be, for yourself and the larger acadmic community, when your personal and academic lives can work together. This is a lesson all of us, regardless of sexual orientation, can learn from.

This is a solid resource for anyone beginning or stuck in the middle of a dissertation. I wish I had this one from the start. There are several chapters spent on narrowing the thesis, focus, organization, writing, editing, and defending the dissertation.

This book has served as an invaluable guide as I write my qualitative dissertation. Qualitative research is not the "norm" in my university program, and my professors (much as I love them) were providing little guidance on how to approach writing up my research. Recommended books on completing the quantitative dissertation did not seem useful, and I was feeling lost and confused. Biklen and Casella's book is a road map that provides both the big picture and specific signposts. Examples of the authors' suggestions that I have found useful include writing the data analysis chapters first and separating the methods chapter into methodology and procedures. This powerful little book has served as my Bible or perhaps my Strunk & White as I plan and write the chapters of my qualitative dissertation. Thank you!

J. Fisher and J. Koch tell us, instruct us in almost every field and aspect of the presidency of the colleges and universities. I am from Tbilisi, Georgia and the issues are related to every institution. Thanks are due to the authors.

Fisher and Koch have written an interesting book on the college and university presidency. Essentially, they have taken the time honored precepts of Machiavelli's The Prince and updated it to pertain to the modern college presidency. Their observations are a must read for any prospective college president as well as an interesting read for anyone who aspires to lead any organization.

With that said, there are two concerns that any reader should have about their research. First, while it is true that to be a good leader you must desire power and nuture the power; there is a world of difference between an enlightened dictator and a despot. Fisher and Koch do not make any distinction. Second, their research upon which they base their thoughts has a single perspective flaw. They surveyed higher education leaders, particularly presidents, as to who were the most effective presidents. Then they surveyed these "effective" presidents.

There is no assurance that those presidents who win the public relations battle are necessarily the best presidents. Similarly, by only interviewing presidents, they present a skewed picture that relies upon the veracity and ability of the individual to see themselves as who they truly are. Few humans are actually able to see themselves for who they are. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the presidents interviewed all thought that they should have more power.

Overall, this is an excellent work that will one day be considered a classic in the field. It is a colorful read that is well written and supplied with appropriate anecdotes. However, the good scholar should balance out his or her reading with other viewpoints.

The books is not only for the Presidents of universities. It is great for eveery CEOs and CFO if they want to be very effective. I bought the copy and when my friends saw it, they asked me to get extra copies for them. Do not wait and go and get the copy from Amazon.com! Dr. Flawn's language is very plain and easy. He is a great scholar and a wonderful President. The book is in great demand at the universities.

President Emeritus Peter Flawn discusses the most acute issues going on at any big university. The book is dedicated to such issues as vision and structural organization at Alma Mater. Dr. Flawn is really a remarkable scholar, though his book is not loaded by some outlandish terms and cliches. I really suggest the book to any CEO's and CFO who try to become effective leaders at their respective organizations. The book is being widely read at the universities and especially at Higher Educational Administration classes. I read the book several times and I enjoyed every page of it.

I really enjoyed this book and found it very informative and helpful. With a wife planning on attending Northern Illinois University I especially liked the section on guns at school.

I recommend this book for any student planning on attending college or a parent of someone who will attend. This book is very easy reading and I liked the author's tips.

I am planning to give this book as my standard HS graduation gift. What I liked about the book was the ease of reading about the various topics of interest (and importance) to college students. Even thought HS students think they know it all, there was information here that I think they will find not only to be new and informative, but also a reminder of what could happen and how to be prepared. I did not find it preachy or judgemental, but a good resource of what to expect. I highly recommend the book.

The Public Ivies opens an exciting window of opportunity for parents and students who are concerned about how to gain a top education at an affordable price. As the authors indicate, today 80% of all students enroll in public universities and thus it is important to understand which are the best of the flagship institutions, and what skills and attitude it takes to succeed in them. Any family with a motivated student should make this book a must as they search for educational opportunities that will help them prepare for life. The book is well written, easy to read, adn full of intimate advice for both student and parent.

This book covers a huge amount of information on this subject, including: a) what kind of college student will thrive at a large state university, b) what is the role of parents in supporting their children's public college experience, c) how to reap the maximum benefits from a public college education. The authors analyze the major economic and demographic trends affecting public higher education. The book provides much qualitative and quantitative information on the best 30 state universities in the U.S.

The authors suggest that to succeed in a large public university, students should develop a reflective style of learning. This means learning by listening, reflecting, and reading. This is because given the larger class size, public schools typically do not facilitate class discussions or have questions and answer sessions. Also, students should be assertive so as to go after all the academic opportunities offered in large public schools. These include terrific honors programs, study abroad programs, and summer internships. Also, by being assertive, students can better develop valuable contacts with teachers, counselors, and mentors. Finally, reaping a superior college experience in large institutions will require much self-discipline and drive. This is because no one watches over you. No one is going to tell you what you should do unless it is illegal. No hand holding here unlike what a student could experience at a small private liberal arts college.

If a student abides by the advice mentioned within this book on how to succeed at a large state university, he can obtain a world-class education nearly comparable to the one offered by Ivy League schools at a fraction of the price.

Also, the reviews on the various schools are excellent and give you enough data to differentiate between them.

The authors written style is very user friendly, and it makes some of this dry information very easy to absorb. Any family college hunting for their children should consider the leading public university within their state. This book will provide the most valuable information on this subject that few other books specifically focus on.

If you are a layman in the world of higher education, with an interest in whether and how the opportunity for a liberal arts education can be made available to woefully underprepared urban students, Readin' + Writing' for the Hard-Hat Crowd will introduce you to the complexity of such an endeavor. The author is clearly an academic, but her writing is lucid even for the non-academic. She recounts the history of Urban State U., a real but disguised state university founded by a group whom aimed to provide an Ivy League quality curriculum based on the Great Books to working class youth with such weak high school backgrounds that some could not write a coherent paragraph. The politicians crucial to the founding and maintaining of USU rarely had the same aims. The faculty had to devise ways to actually teach writing and analytical skills, as distinguished from their own academic specialties. Over time, USU had to learn to respond to social changes that leave it today addressing the needs of mainly older, transfer students who view their USU experience more as consumers of education than scholars, looking at the practical aspects of a degree. The original nature of the curriculum naturally forced a focus on analytical reading and writing as the basis for all university education. The example of USU leaves the reader pondering various questions that apply to most public institutions of higher education today. What is the responsibility of public colleges and universities to teach what students should have learned in high school? For a public university, should the emphasis be on what consumers of education want or on what the faculty/administration believes is the right curriculum? Should the public fund both practical and classical liberal arts curricula? Is it important to a democracy to promote classical liberal education in public universities? This book won't answer these questions, but it will deepen the reader's appreciation of the numerous factors that must be considered in this arena.

This is a gem of a book which illustrates the influences on public education at the college level over the past 40 years. A strong narrative thread unites the research into the evolution of higher education at a state university. The author injects humor and understanding of human foibles into this concise history, making it very readable as well as well researched. She creates a nuanced discussion of the complex evolution of the Freshman English curriculum, and its central importance as an entry portal into the university. The author takes turns in commenting from the perspective of observer, participant and narrator, and brings thoughtful arguments and counterarguments to the discussion. This book was fascinating reading, written by a master story teller.

As the subtitle of this book points out, Alexander's Bogdanov's "Red Star" was "The First Bolshevik Utopia." Bogdanov was a major prophet of the Bolshevik movement and while the red star of his title is the planet Mars, he is clearly envisioning the kind of society that could emerge on Earth after the victory of not only the scientific-technical revolution, a belief that can be traced in utopian literature back to Francis Bacon's "The New Atlantis," but also the social revolution dictated by Marxism. The future of "Red Star" is the radiant future of socialism that Bogdanov believed would eventually triumphant everyone on earth. At one point in the novel the hero, a Bolsehvik activist named Leonid, declares: "Blood is being shed for the sake of a better future. But in order to wage the struggle we must KNOW that future." Of course, Bogdanov believes that he does indeed know the future, thanks to the writings of Marx and Engels.

From a historical perspective the key thing to keep in mind is that Bogdanov is writing well over a decade before the Russian Revolution. In fact, he is writing in reaction to the 1905 revolution that compelled Tsar Nicholas II to issue a constitution and create a parliament. This came after the 1903 split of the Russian Marxists into the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Like the hero of "Red Star," Bogdanov went with the former and Lenin, and was one of the original "twenty-two" who met in Switzerland to form a group dedicated to disciplined revolutionary action. As part of this effort, Bogdanov wrote "Red Star."

What is most interesting is that the "tectology" that Bogdanov envisions in constructing his utopia on Mars does not ignore the dangers of collectivisim and high technology (which were at the heart of many of the anti-utopian fantasies of the late tsarist period). He even has a sense of humor: the vegetation on Mars is red, and Leonid calls it "socialist vegetation." On Bogdanov's Mars you will find clothes made out of synthetic material, three-dimension movies, and a death ray, but no political state. Citizens engage in both voluntary labor as well as leisure and culture. The conflict in the story comes when someone tries to change the Martian utopia. Ultimately, you can make the claim that "Red Star" is more science fiction than propaganda, since Bogdanov creates a perfect world where the "labor question" has been made moot by the industrialization of farming. There is no peasant class on Mars for Russian readers to relate too, provided, of course, they were inclined to reading a science fiction utopian novel.

"Red Star" was extremely popular during and after the Russian Revolution and is a fascinating example of utopian literature in that it deals with the problems faced by industrial nations, whether socialist or capitalist, such as atomic energy, the environment, biomedical ethics, and shortages of food and natural resources. The illustrations for "Red Star" are taken from the 1923 Moscow edition. This volume includes Charles Rougle's translations of the complete texts of not only "Red Star," but also Bogdanov's 1913 novel "Engineer Menni" and a 1927 poem "A Martian Stranded on Earth." These latter two works appear in English for the first time in this collection. "Engineer Menni" takes the then current beliefs about the natural history of Mars and uses it to tell a story about the construction of the canals as a parable of class struggle. The heroes of the story, as the title indicates, are the engineers, who would indeed do great work in transforming the Soviet Union in the 20th century. "Red Star" is an important example of utopian literature that should be back in print.

These two novellas, Red Star (RS) and Engineer Menni (EM), capture a fascinating time and frame of mind. The time was 1908 (1913 for EM), when the Bolsheviks were gaining strength but before their 1917 revolution against the Tsarists.

RS describes a Socialist Utopia on Mars, documented by a visitor from Earth. He is chosen among all earthmen for his properly revolutionary spirit, and whisked away to Mars as their earthly envoy. This Socialist paradise presents an odd paradox of individual vs. collective. Individual achievement is nominally scorned, because of the historical inevitability of a discovery, or because honoring the great inventor would implicitly dishonor the farmer or laborer. Still, the story focuses on the magnificent achievements of exceptional scientists, silently mocking the brotherly equality supposedly being celebrated. EM is a similar tribute of hero-worhip for a fictional engineer of RS's pre-Socialist past, with similarly hollow regard for the common proletarian.

Actual descriptions of the Martian Utopia sometimes sink under the weight of revolutionary rhetoric, but I consider that to be part of this book's value. The narrator's socialist zeal, bordering on ranting, seems to capture an actual mind-set of the time, or perhaps a fictional mind-set that Bolshevik propagandists wanted people to believe in. Every fact in the story had to be intepreted in a properly socialist way, down to details of physics and children's squabbles over toys.

This monomania, whether Bogdanov genuinely felt it or not, explains much of Soviet history up to the recent fall of communism in Eastern Europe. It appears in the narrator's fawning respect for a machine tool operator, one so devoted to his task that his supervisors were concerned that his zeal for work might endanger his health. It explains why the art museum has two sections, one where the inevitability of their contemporary art is traced in historical examples, the other where tools and consumer goods are displayed as the society's highest esthetic achievements.

An odd tone pervades both stories, though, an underlying melancholy that drives even the strongest of Bogdanov's characters to nervous collapse or to suicide. I don't know Russian literature very well. Perhaps that "memento mori" is part of their writing, perhaps there was thought to be something noble in ending one's own life before the weakness of age stripped one of his powers. A modern reader can only wonder why this profound sadness seemed to follow from the success of socialism.

Bogdanov's larger-than-life engineers and scientists remind me of Ayn Rand's characters in Atlas Shrugged, Anthem, and The Fountainhead. She was a Russian emigre, so she must have been exposed to the literary tradition and the kinds of heroes that Bogdanov portrayed. Her treatment of those very similar characters is very different, though. Where Bogdanov tried to diffuse their achievements across the socialist whole, Rand ennobled the individual. RS gives me a much better understanding of the trends and values that Rand answered in her own writing.

Although bland in themselves, RS and EM are informative. They show the ideals, whether heartfelt or imagined, that led to the revolution of 1917. They also show the core values that led to the revolution's eventual failure, so many years later.

//wiredweird

Restoring America's Failed Democracy: New Roles For The Elite College begins with a scathing criticism of past presidential leadership of the nation as Louis Benezet recounts his personal experiences within the political and educational culture of our society. Benezet documents in detail that contemporary American society is drastically divided between the 1% wealthy and powerful; 20% relatively comfortable middle class; and 79% who live lives of quiet desperation. Benezet makes a compelling case that the only way American democracy can survive is to train political and cultural leaders who have both knowledge of, and concern for, all the people of America and advocates that a coherent plan for organizing elite colleges along intercultural and multicultural models is the surest way to obtain that future leadership. Highly recommended for political science reading lists and school/community library collections, Restoring America's Failed Democracy is important, thought-provoking, challenging, and occasionally inspired reading.

The following review appeared on Page 4 of the November 2000 issue of:

WISCONSIN BOOKWATCH

Restoring America's Failed Democracy Louis T. Benezet Higganum Hill Books

Restoring America's Failed Democracy: New Roles For The Elite College begins with a scathing criticism of past presidential leadership of the nation as Louis Benezet recounts his personal experiences within the political and educational culture of our society. Benezet documents in detail that contemporary American society is drastically divided between the 1% wealthy and powerful; 20% relatively comfortable middle class; and 79% who live lives of quiet desperationion. Benezet rnakes a compelling case that the only way Amencan democracy can survive is to train political and cultural leaders who have both knowledge of, and concern for, all the people of America and advocates that a coherent plan for organizing elite colleges along intercultural and multicultural models is the surest way to obtain that future leardership. Highly recommended for political science reading lists and school/community library collections, Restoring America's Failed Democracy is important, thought-provoking, chalIenging, and occasionally inspired reading.

I am recommending the book to everyone who is interested in the organizational paradigms within the higher educational institutions. The author suggests many innovative ideas and his language is very easy and the style and the structure of the book very applicable. Mr. Mactaggart tried his best while illustrating the major problems associated with the issues of restructurization of these institutions and he succeeded in doing so.

This is the book we have been looking for and it is wonderful that we finally got the one. I am from Tbilisi, Georgia and dealing with the very problems associated with the rootly restructuring of most of the colleges and universities in my country. The book suggests many ideas to ease the problems and burden you accept when you want to change many aspects within the Alma Mater. I would suggest to everyone to get the book and read it thoroughly. I would rate the book with 10 stars!