Gresham's Law and Universities

Dennis, thank you for this PLC workshop.  Here is my feedback after watching it.


1.  I loved the discussion about Wikipedia.  Above all, I am at peace knowing that my colleagues share the same view of it as do I.  It is not a professional source. 

2.  I liked Michelle's caution about having third party witnesses for phone calls with students.  Amen.

3.  I also laud the discussion about the need for student orientation to online library resources.  As you may know, I earned my M.A.L.S. (Library & Information Studies) at Wisconsin - Madison and worked in the field a good number of years.  So, I have a special place in my "heart" for promotion of library resources and librarians too!

4.  The discussion of the dissertation style guide was exciting!  I love the overall high standards of my colleagues at XYZ; we share common core professional values.  This means we are not undermining each other or at cross-purposes when it comes to standards.  This was not the case at my last online doctoral teaching gig.

5.  I found the talk about students hiring editors and stats experts disconcerting.  I think such services ought to be part of the university, e.g. the library, not "ghost writers" who do the work for students.  Recently, I was on the campus of my alma mater, Wisconsin-Madison, and in the campus bookstore I found stacks of leaflets for hiring tutors to help students with their assignments.  This is cover for hiring people to do the work.  Oh well, at least the erosion of standards is out in the open in this example.

6.  To date, I have found the students and standards at XYZ to be professional; I hope they remain this way.  The colleagues who called  into this training session are on the "right" professional path.  I hope we stay on it.  As Gresham's Law teaches, "Bad money drives out good money."  If XYZ keeps its standards, it will attract persons who really want an education, not a career document.  There are always persons who will pay for quality, as my Wisconsin-Madison high education ethics professor taught us.  So far, XYZ is on target.


Thanks.


Paul Rux