Saturday, January 30, 2016

The Rich And Powerful Are Getting Into Your Head.


The Guardian
Philanthropists have evolved from unconditional giving to conditional giving.

Tech Times
Professor wrote a book about philanthropic influence on education

Pando.com (02/2014)
The demise of PBS was well underway long ago as underwriting congealed to only a few very large influential donors.

AAUP (2012)
Did you notice more outspoken conservative professors at your college lately?

Crooked Timber
When looking at collges and universities, get a list of the members of the board of trustees, and ask who the big donors are.

In These Times
As long as Progressive professors still remain on campuses across America, the oligarchs must settle for disparaging education and intellectual achievement.
The rich and powerful may be spending a lot on politics to make the world a better place for themselves, but politics is not the only means to their end.

As the middle class alumni of colleges and universities are too far in debt to support their alma maters', colleges are relying on ever-more wealthy "philanthropists" for support.

It seems the common assumption about philanthropy is that donors find a worthy cause to support, and that's it. But it's not it. There are strings attached. More now than ever before.

Institutions of education such as museums, public television, colleges, universities are falling under increasing pressure by rich donors to modify themselves to influence their agenda. Under threat of withholding donations and grants, they influence the makeup of board members, deciding who gets hired and fired, and which professors get tenure, and which professors are relegated to part-time Adjunct work so minimal they are forced to resign.

How does one cut off such tentacles of influence? Literally?

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