I have been asked, why go to the trouble of having a Blog at this point in your life. Well, I guess, that’s a reasonable question. I am comfortable, have a decent retirement, have a very good family life, including a supportive wife and kids who have done well with their lives. Have had a professional career that has had a measure of success. Indeed, I have the requisite aches and pains. We all seem to have a cross to bear and I, certainly, have mine; however, I remain on the green side of the grass.
The initial post, One More Shooting is One Too Many, was an op-ed article that was submitted to the local newspaper, The Tuscaloosa News, shortly after the tragedy in Parkland, Florida, and they did not print it. Obviously, there were no reasons given, but this experience mirrored other experiences in recent months with this news outlet. Given the absence of a means for sharing opinions, thoughts, concerns and suggestions on a variety of issues I decided to have the Blog developed. In the future, I will be posting articles about relevant and current subjects. There is a myriad of topics that lend themselves to a variety of perspectives, including, the safety of children in schools across the county; the local, state and national political arenas; the ever-changing environment in Washington with the present administration; the intrusion of technology into our lives; and, pending cases before the Supreme Court, to mention just a few examples. There will also be opportunities that arise due to a current event.
Considering my background in higher education, some of what I will be sharing will be specific to this venue. It is my belief that there are several issues in higher education that require some scrutiny and discussion. Examples include, salaries of administrators, faculty and staff; the level of productivity of faculty; the reliance on out-of-state students at public universities to bolster the financial coffers; the astronomical amount of debt that so many students incur and the impact this can have on their future; the for-profit programs that have arisen and modified the educational landscape; the overuse of the Internet to teach classes at the expense of face-to-face communication; and, the lack of personal interaction between faculty and students.
I do hope that you will be willing to indulge me and consider what I include in the ensuing days. I know that what I include will not resonate with all who might read a specific post and “Flying with the Crow” will offer you the opportunity to comment. Please take the time to send me your comments. I welcome you to do so.