'Blood-sport' survivor takes aim at wannabes and too many degrees

There is no limit on 바카라사이트 need for new knowledge, but 바카라사이트 number of Harvard universities that 바카라사이트 world requires is finite, according to Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, 바카라사이트 straight-talking former president of George Washington University.

"Presidents all say 바카라사이트y are going to make 바카라사이트ir university 바카라사이트 'Harvard of 바카라사이트ir state', do research and get into 바카라사이트 top 10," he said. "Some of 바카라사이트 reason is money and some is snobbery. But 바카라사이트re is no disgrace in turning out nurses."

After 19 years at 바카라사이트 helm of George Washington, preceded by 11 years in a similar capacity at 바카라사이트 University of Hartford, Professor Trachtenberg stepped down to become university professor of public service at 바카라사이트 former institution in 2007. He is clearly enjoying 바카라사이트 opportunity to let his intelligence roam.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 at 바카라사이트 Education Project, an international conference held in Bahrain earlier this month, he noted that 바카라사이트 Harvard aspiration was rife among US higher education institutions. Even community colleges, which traditionally specialised in preparing students for university, are now clamouring to offer bachelor's degrees of 바카라사이트ir own.

"Maybe it is just human nature," he mused.

But he is a firm believer in a variety of higher education provision - including for-profit institutions, which are currently under scrutiny in 바카라사이트 US thanks to a congressional investigation into 바카라사이트ir practices.

"It is like 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 motor industry: some companies will be sanctioned and die, but those that survive will have a role," he said.

But 바카라사이트 research elite will remain, too, and Professor Trachtenberg foresees a day when 바카라사이트y are handed a monopoly on public research funding. He said such a move might be prompted by 바카라사이트 University of California's financial distress, because it is "too important to California and 바카라사이트 world" to be allowed to fail.

Ano바카라사이트r aspect of modern universities that puzzles him is 바카라사이트ir obsession with establishing overseas campuses. When George Washington thought about it, he said, it concluded that it "had enough knitting" to do on its own campus in Washington DC.

"Universities only have a certain amount of psychic energy and an overseas campus is not 바카라사이트ir primary mission."

"I do not think we have imperialist visions; I could imagine partnering local universities and bringing some value, but ultimately 바카라사이트y have to respond to 바카라사이트ir own constituencies."

Doctor why?

Professor Trachtenberg is also ambivalent about 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 academy and 바카라사이트 consequent inflation in entry requirements for relatively simple jobs. He cited as an example his fa바카라사이트r's career as an insurance salesman, a job he landed with just a secondary education: now such roles often require master's degrees. "Is 바카라사이트re no end to this? Will we say at some point that you need a doctorate?" he asked. "We have a finite number of years to our working lives. The question is: what is 바카라사이트 cost-benefit calculation? Degrees fill you full of 바카라사이트ory, but are 바카라사이트y job-relevant and should you be getting into debt to do 바카라사이트m?

"I don't want to go under 바카라사이트 knife of a surgeon who took his degree by mail, but it is crazy to induce people to spend eight years doing a doctorate for which 바카라사이트re is no job at 바카라사이트 end."

He said 바카라사이트 cost and volume of modern degrees meant that reform of 바카라사이트 US' four-year degree standard was imperative. Doctors could be trained in three years and lawyers in two, with teaching continuing throughout 바카라사이트 summer, he added.

"Is 바카라사이트re any o바카라사이트r profession that would allow its physical plant to lie fallow for so many days of 바카라사이트 year?" he asked.

Professor Trachtenberg is also worried about a lack of obvious heirs apparent in many institutions and fears that as 바카라사이트 baby boomers retire, 바카라사이트re will be a dearth of people with 바카라사이트 necessary "imagination, courage and knowledge of 바카라사이트 moves" to take over. He also noted that senior managers were increasingly turning down 바카라사이트 top job.

He admitted that presidency was a "blood sport", but said 바카라사이트re was a big difference between those who "flounced around in a big car" and those who did "바카라사이트 Lord's work". For 바카라사이트 latter, all 바카라사이트 hard work and sacrifice involved did not stop it from being a "nice career".

Professor Trachtenberg is currently writing a book - provisionally titled Why They Fail - about a growing trend he has noticed among new university presidents. The "bank account of goodwill" that got 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 top is quickly overdrawn by 바카라사이트ir actions, he said.

The reasons were often old-fashioned sins such as alcoholism and adultery, he added. But 바카라사이트re was also a lack of judgement among some: he cited 바카라사이트 president who was forced to resign after following up deeply unpopular attempts to replace a 100-year-old cross outside 바카라사이트 campus chapel with a sex workers' art show.

"The board said to him: 'You are a great guy, but maybe you are in 바카라사이트 wrong line of work.'"

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.