This weeks readings harks back to what we learned in week one, where for both weeks the theme revolved around a corrupt system that is currently taking hold of the nation's universities. The article "Why We Should Fear University" by Frederik deBoer accounts the transformation from a university of research and innovation to a citadel built for corporations. This reading is similar to the experiences of our instructor, Professor Valverde, where in her article she describes her struggle with the administration. Both parties have observed that the number of administrators are increasing and as a result, teachers and students are finding themselves fighting for what should be their university. Despite this, however; it is the efforts of strong student and teacher activists that keep the corporate illness on their toes.
The two articles made me realize something I have failed to notice before. I am now aware that in our university, there is some evidence of corporatization. For example, as students we are in constant need of materials and resources. Companies like Apple or the publishers that gives college students their reading material, capitalize on this need. As a result, prices for their products are often inflated which obviously negatively affects us students. This is unfortunate, but it can still change. Both articles call for those in opposition of what's happening to resist. It does not necessarily have to be about textbooks are laptops, but I am sure that somewhere in our university there is some company that is in control of it. This is cause for those active in trying to make our university better to rise up and give the higher-ups a piece of our collective mind.
This video describes the situation happening in all the UC's.
"Some people don't know that, that universities are in some ways a front...an investment front..."
References
DeBoer, F. (2015, September 9). Why We Should Fear University, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/magazine/why-we-should-fear-university-inc.html
The Corporatization of Universities: Tuition Hike at UC is only the latest chapter [Video file]. (2009, November 21). Retrieved April 23, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iopSdBFchM
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