Building Consensus for an Idea Lab


I spend a considerable amount of class time each semester advocating “geography is a holistic discipline, infused in all things and in almost every action or choice made, and not merely by people but by all organisms. Geography is inescapable.” The problem with my perspective is many other disciplines could be argued to have the…

Low-Cost Higher Education Should Be A Federal Government Priority


Some general musings about college and university costs and financial aid concerns. President Obama is issued comments on June 9th regarding the cost of Higher Education, and since my following and readership is almost equal to his, I determined I should also release my own statements. {humor} The costs of Higher Education have risen to public…

The challenge of mapping the brain


Mapping can be applied to many different fields, disciplines, and interests. I teach a course in mapping once a year. I ask my students to define “mapping.” Students will offer several variations which I can summarize thus: “Showing on a piece of paper the location of things on the Earth’s surface.” For those that don’t…

Here’s Your Box: The Dismal Nature of Higher Education


How often have we begged, pleaded, or cajoled our students, “You have to think OUTSIDE the BOX!” I know I have. But, a couple of years ago, I got tired of using this aphorism (link: “Destroy the Box”). More contemplation led me to believe this is really a weak proposition. Last week, I came to…

The Case of Not-So-Nimble U.S. Higher Education


Several of my past essays grouse about higher education not being particularly nimble places despite administrators who implore faculty to be more so while they themselves are anything but nimble. My own workplace is warming to the idea the institution is not as nimble as we would like. My hopes are some administrators are awakening…

Book Review: Without Their Permission, by Alexis Ohanian


Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, by Alexis Ohanian. Hatchette Books. Hardback. (c)2013. $27. For those in the “know,” Alexis Ohanian needs no introduction. Alexis, together with Steve Huffman, built reddit, the “front page of the Internet.” Sitting in their living room, using nothing but laptops, two fellows, undergraduates…