Thanks to Jess for asking Fran about her background because I always find it interesting to see the circular paths people take to get where they are. A degree in art-- like my degree in political science and history-- I know how to "think" but it took some help to figure out how studying what I was interested in could help me find a job that I enjoy. Also shows again that who you know is helpful-- yes, you need to make opportunities for yourself but a foot in the door never hurt.
Fran provided a great framework and discussion of the 2011 Higher Education Opportunity Act of Virginia and the 2005 Restructuring Act. Language plays such a large role in these laws, especially who was initiating it and why. Big differences—Restructuring was a ground up initiative while Higher Ed was top down and much more political. As a top down act, 100,000 more degrees are wanted from VA, and this comes from grow by degrees (if you multiply this number by 50, this is the amount of graduates encouraged by some federal law
• Mass differences across the state schools what they need to do—help with retention and grad (comm colleges) to take more students in (WM, already high graduation rates)
She also gave us some background into the process and the different laws-- to test drive the language of these acts before going in for a vote, public meetings were held. I'm really interested in this. In class and in the readings, we have talked about different laws and how the laws provide the framework but not the money or infrastructure to enact these laws. Do the people at the public meetings know this? That the law may not actually be enacted as written due to vague language and no funding?
My last bit of my notes from Fran's talk is:
SCHEV is drowning in data—great dissertation, would love to help. THESIS topic?? SCHEV data compared to the student satisfaction survey that college seniors complete (would be interesting to compare the SCHEV data and graduation/job placement to college satisfaction from one school in the Commonwealth to the other, especially for WM as liberal arts school-- Fran's comment that WM grades don't make more than other recent grads in Commonwealth but have higher growth potential, potentially, but take advantage of opportunities of gap year, Peace Corp, etc). I think I'm getting a little ahead of myself....
From the Fowler reading, here is my order of my social values:
- Liberty
- Equality
- Efficiency
- Individualism
- Order
- Quality
- Fraternity
- Economic Growth
I'm not sure why economic growth is last (since it drives so much of life around us), but I have somehow been okay when the economy has not been. I guess I care about the other things more, but I imagine my list would change as my life circumstance alter.
Fran is amazing. I tend to think she speaks her mind in most settings, but may do so using a particular language format--think about Anne's talk. I would think you'd find plenty in the SCHEV data sources for a thesis and a dissertation!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about your list changing over time and in different context. Think about reordering next year and comparing.