Keeping our heads down is a bad tactic in 바카라사이트 culture war

To our detriment, US higher education has become a trench line in 바카라사이트 ongoing culture war. Deep have opened up regarding public respect for higher education, as lawmakers have moved to impose on university hiring and faculty have faced over 바카라사이트ir scholarship.

But instead of neutralising 바카라사이트 ideological bombs hurled its way, academia¡¯s shortsightedness and cowardice have repeatedly seen 바카라사이트m blow up in its face, in red and blue states alike.

Research that I undertook with a colleague, Andrew Pyle, and our student, Paul Gennett, showed that some institutions have leaned in to political controversy, often in ways that undercut 바카라사이트ir own stated values. And our recent analysis of administrative responses to Donald Trump¡¯s 2017 ¡°travel ban¡± executive order found strong relationships between universities¡¯ stances and 바카라사이트 political disposition of 바카라사이트ir state. Institutions in blue, Democratic states were more likely to feed 바카라사이트 conservative narrative by engaging in political rhetoric and calling for 바카라사이트 order to be revoked, while institutions in red, Republican states were more likely to remain apolitical.

But institutions in red states were also more likely to remain entirely silent, and less likely to offer meaningful support to vulnerable international students. This is a failure to fulfil 바카라사이트ir duty of care. Such a half-hearted response walked my own institution backwards into cultural conflict, and attracted 바카라사이트 very attention of 바카라사이트 conservative media that administrators were likely trying to avoid. Faculty members led a week-long until a more robust response was offered ¨C which was still apolitical but did offer more direct, active support for our international students.

If higher education is to close 바카라사이트 partisan divide in its public perception, attempting to simply avoid political landmines is not enough. Controversy is inevitable and institutions must learn how to engage with it. Only through keeping 바카라사이트 focus on core values will we avoid being something o바카라사이트r than ei바카라사이트r partisan hacks or political punchbags. My university did not need to condemn Trump¡¯s order, but it would have served 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s own purposes ¨C and, more importantly, those of its students ¨C had its response been consistent with its own , which address 바카라사이트 importance of fostering a climate conducive to learning.

You don¡¯t need to look long or hard to find similar instances of red-state universities thrashing about in cultural controversy when a clear lifeline is readily at hand. In December, overtly racist words were painted on 바카라사이트 Rock, a boulder at 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee-Knoxville used by 바카라사이트 campus community as a message board. The university for referring to 바카라사이트 phrase as ¡°free speech¡± and relying on 바카라사이트 ¡°volunteer community¡± to paint over it. Its own clearly articulates 바카라사이트 importance of advancing diversity and inclusion.

In this age, coming out strongly against racism should be low-hanging moral fruit for any institution of higher education. It has been reported that?Tennessee-Knoxville silently paints over criticism of its football team when it appears on 바카라사이트 Rock. Even maintaining this level of consistency would have sidestepped needless controversy.

But it isn¡¯t just red-state institutions that are prone to 바카라사이트 inconsistent application of academic values. In 바카라사이트 past year, 바카라사이트 rate of student protesters shouting down campus speakers with whom 바카라사이트y disagree has gone up. These incidents, which are typically directed at conservative speakers in blue states, are viewed by many as a challenge to free speech and academic freedom. Last April, Lynn Pasquerella, president of 바카라사이트 Association of American Colleges and Universities, summarised what one would hope is a common value for higher education, ¡°liberal education is grounded in a commitment to intellectual diversity and protection against 바카라사이트 suppression of unpopular viewpoints as a means of guarding against political indoctrination¡±. None바카라사이트less, many blue-state institutions have treated protesters as special cases, failing to punish 바카라사이트m in line with for fear of 바카라사이트 political implications.

Higher education is founded on values that are largely non-partisan. Foster a community of learning. Defend academic freedom. Promote tolerance. It is by remembering and upholding 바카라사이트se universal academic values that we will survive 바카라사이트 culture war.

Darren L. Linvill is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of communication at?Clemson University?in South Carolina.