Whose University, Our University

Sherluna Vien

ASA2

Section #3

Blog #4

“Why We Should Fear University, Inc” by Frederik deBoer is a wakeup call that universities are being taken over by corporations in the United States, including our university. deBoer talks about how Purdue University has been having ongoing expansion projects to attract potential undergraduates. Similarly at our university, we are constantly going under construction to build new things like the international student center, a museum, and a new dormitory. Although some of these projects have been given a ton of grants, most will be using student fees, current and present, to build. Essentially, we will not be able to use these buildings and our students fees are going towards these projects without our permission. This makes me question where student fees are going and makes me critical of whether we needs to have these projects going. Additionally, the reading brings up how there are more senior administrators than professors and how students are seen as customers while professors are seen as servants. This slightly frightens me knowing that senior administrators are there to serve the corporation and not the students or professor. After reading this article, I know I should question my surrounding and seek ways for student voices to be heard.

My question for this week’s reading is: what should students do to gain voices? Do we need to go to the media to pressure these corporations/senior administrators?