Here's a long an thoughtful piece by Frank Bruni of the NYTimes;
In College Turmoil, Signs of a Changed Relationship With Students
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/23/education/in-college-turmoil-signs-of-a-changed-relationship-with-students.html
The rising cost of college is turning students into "customers" who expect to be treated as such, he suggests. Some of it is manifested in amenities like luxurious "leisure pools" for students.
Profs are under pressure to grade more easily (a paying customer shouldn't get a "C", right?) and adapt their style to what the students want.
The article quotes Swarthmore psych prof Barry Schwartz: “Costs go up. Parents expect to get value for money. They measure value in a different way. We provide that value, which raises costs, which creates more demand, and the cycle continues.”
Ironically, perhaps, Schwartz is the author of "The Paradox of Choice."
Oberlin students complained about the ethnic accuracy of sushi served in the cafeteria. They also demanded the school issue no grade lower than a "C" to ensure students had ample time for social activism.
As Bruni puts it, "You are also defining the higher-education experience in a way that has nothing to do with academic rigor, with intensive effort, with the testing of students’ boundaries and the upending of their closely held beliefs."
This topic isn't huge news to CC members, but Bruni's article provides a nice summary.
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