Episodes
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America Today? What Would H.L. Mencken Say
One hundred four years ago—on July 26, 1920, to be specific—cultural critic and journalist H.L. Mencken wrote a column in The Baltimore Sun entitled Bayard and Lionheart. I read that column during college, never thinking I would draw from it years later in my work. That work included writing a...
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Denny Brown, Difference-Maker
Dennis (Denny) Brown had a fabulous career spanning multiple pursuits. He was a star high school athlete, an All-Big Ten quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines, a UM assistant coach, WVU Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach, Arizona State Defensive Coordinator, high school head coach and...
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Christopher A. Snyder on a Liberal Arts Education
We are pleased today to welcome Christopher Snyder, professor of history and founding dean of Mississippi State’s Honor College, who is joining us from the University of Oxford, where he is a visiting research fellow and working on a book manuscript associated with today’s topic. Professor Snyder...
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FAF interview with Dimitri, Living Dangerously
Taped on September 12, 2023
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Moundsville Promo
Moundsville promo
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Samuel H. Johnson Talks About His Life, Book Writing Experiences, and His Newest Offering, "HBCUs The Living Legacies"
In 2020, I referred to Samuel H. Johnson as a Renaissance Person. By that, I mean a person with wide-ranging interests/knowledge who draws on both attributes to create new and valuable things for public consumption. That description fits Sam to a "T." He has been a radio host, award-winning…
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Jim Holland: "The Investment Was Worth Every Minute"
The title of this episode was written by today's guest, Jim Holland. The words are drawn from the end of his memorable autobiography, My Fortunate Detour: Making a Right Turn into a Baseball Career Among the Mountains of West Virginia. The book describes how Holland made a "fortunate detour" from…
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Mark Parsons, "The Person Behind the Feed"
Thousands of West Virginia University sports fans know the name Mark Parsons because they see his name just about every day in their Facebook newsfeeds. That's because Mark is a prolific poster on various Facebook pages and groups of news, views, and commentary about WVU sports. While many fans...
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Will the University Survive? Austerity, Political Repression, and the Attack on Academic Freedom
Our guest today is Professor Ellen Schrecker, and she will speak on highly concerning issues in higher education today--the impacts of fiscal austerity, political repression, and the diatribe regarding academic freedom. For over fifty years, American higher education has been attacked by a…
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WVU "Band of Brothers" Tribute to Greg Crist
Greg Crist is one of the most recognizable names in West Virginia sports, the host of COURTSIDE WITH COACH CRIST on the New River Network @newrivernetwork5468, and a member of the West Virginia Sports Legends Hall of Fame. Greg was gracious enough to promote efforts surrounding the publication of...
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Against Entrepreneurship
Our guest today is Professor Kirsty Morrin. Rather than view entrepreneurship as a uniformly positive concept/practice, something that is beyond the need for investigation and evaluation, Professor Morrin critically examines a subject matter and approach that has become a movement (if not rage)…
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The Quantification of Quality in Higher Education
We welcome guest speaker John W. Traphagan to our audio series. Today's presentation, Neoliberalism and the Quantification of Quality in Higher Education is based on his recently published FutureU commentary, So You Want to be a University Administrator? Professor Traphagan analyzes the ongoing...
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Resisting the Neoliberal University
For those of us who have long been concerned about the neoliberalization of North American and other universities, now is a particularly disheartening time. Not only do longstanding issues of managerialism, commercialization, audit culture, surveillance, precarity, and others persist, but there…
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The Culture War on Higher Education
The Political Right has Public Higher Education in its sights. A series of actions undertaken by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature lead the way, and similar actions are underway in North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and Ohio, among other states. The legislative overreach includes...
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Professor Adrian Lenardic, "Humility in the Age of Attention"
The drive for attention is central to the quest for success as colleges and universities compete for students, faculty, and funding. The branding/marketing mania is reaching into the faculty, too. Many colleagues feel increasing pressure to generate attention and visibility for their work, and…
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Jim Carlen Deserves to be in the College Football Hall of Fame
Jim Carlen, head football coach at West Virginia, Texas Tech, and South Carolina, 1966-1981) is on this year's ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Leadership set Jim Carlen apart, not just leadership in the football sense, but in terms of leadership writ large. Carlen was...
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Conversation with Mike Balow, Candidate, MSU Board of Trustees
Mike Balow will be on the November 2022 ballot in Michigan (statewide) as a candidate for the MSU Board of Trustees. In this 40-minute podcast, Mike talks about his background, why he decided to run, and what he hopes to accomplish should he be elected. Mike has lived most of his life in…
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"So Lucky in My Life to be Supported by People Who Believe it is Possible to Strive for Greatness on Multiple Fronts," Cassidy Krug
It is impossible to describe Cassidy Krug without using the word "success." A high-profile athlete in the sport of diving, Cassidy was an All-America (high school and college), a 10-time national champion, a member of Team USA, and a participant in the 2012 London Olympics. But when you listen to...
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Massacre of Black Buffalonians Puts Segregation in Spotlight
When it comes to social issues, America isn't willing to do what needs to be done. Instead, America puts individual rights over social responsibilities and elevates "me" over "we." Even trying to change that formula elicits calls of radical, socialist, and un-American. So we have racism, a gun...
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Understanding America's Political Divide Through the Lens of History
With sociopolitical identities on steroids these days, the overarching proposition is us versus them, and heaven help those who seek to bridge the political divide. How did we get here and what can be done? We'll tackle that question with the help of Cassandra and an Old Testament story, the…
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(Film Review) "Master," Watch What You Wish For
Here is my review of the film Master (2022), written and directed by Mariama Diallo, produced by Animal Kingdom/Big Indie Pictures, and distributed by Amazon Studios. Starring Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, and Amber Gray the film focuses on the cutural and social dynamics facing three African American...
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Larry Busch on “What Good is Higher Education?”
Larry Busch delivered this keynote address at the conference Neoliberalism and Public Higher Education, which was held at Michigan State University on March 27-28, 2015. Professor Busch, who held the title of distinguished professor, passed away in December 2019. “Thank you for all the moments…
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John S. Levin on the Interplay of Academic & Market Values in Higher Ed
In this episode, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Levin (University of California, Riverside) draws on his work, including his article with Aida Aliyeva, “Embedded Neoliberalism within Faculty Behaviors," published in The Review of Higher Education, and his book with Marie C. Martin and Ariadna…
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Performance Check--First Round NCAA Mid-Major Picks
When it comes to March Madness, I focus exclusively on Mid-Major teams that might spring first-round upsets. Here’s how I did this year. (Cover photo, Getty Images; basketball stats cited in this audiocast courtesy of NCAA NET, ESPN, and Caesars Sportsbook)
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Tribute to County Mayo's Terry Gallagher
Terry Gallagher, community developer and activist, cared deeply about County Mayo Ireland and its people. I was blessed to work and learn from him. Terry passed away in February 2022 at 89 years, a month shy of his 90th birthday. This audio was to have been part of Terry's birthday celebration.…
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"The Line" Keeps Gets Crossed in Revenue-Generating College Sports
Just when you think you've seen more than enough money and commercialization in major college football and basketball -- in what was intended to be amateur competition — you see even more money and commercialization enter the system. The line gets crossed again and again. To explore this subject...
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My Annual Predilection: Scoping out Mid-Major Bracket-Busters (Take 1)
I love screening not-so-big colleges that might spring upsets in the opening round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and then sharing the outcomes of my research. I've been doing it for about five years with fairly good results, and I'm back at it again in 2022. This is the first of two...
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My Review of Netflix's "Don't Look Up!"
The film invites us to answer an all-important question: How will I respond? The answer is for each of us to do the responsible and constructive thing, each in our own way. It requires us to do both of those things now — before the proverbial comet hits.
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Review of Andrew Yang's New Book, FORWARD: NOTES ON THE FUTURE OF OUR DEMOCRACY
Andrew Yang announced recently that he was leaving the Democratic Party. In a crisply written piece entitled “Breaking Up with the Democratic Party,” Yang declared, "I believe I can reach people who are outside the system more effectively. Making partisan arguments—particularly expressing what I...
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The Economics of Commercialized College Sports
I am pleased to welcome Professor Andrew Zimbalist, Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics at Smith College. Dr. Zimbalist is a national leader in studying and writing about the money side of revenue-generating college sports—an enterprise that has migrated over the years from an amateur to a...
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"The Quantified Scholar"
Professor Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra, the University of California, San Diego, discusses his forthcoming book, The Quantified Scholar (Columbia University Press, 2022). The Quantified Scholar provides a compelling account of how scores, metrics, and standardized research evaluations altered the...
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"The Entrepreneurial Intellectual in the Corporate University" with Professor/Chair Clyde Barrow and Dean/VP Emeritus Fred Poston
While much has been written and discussed regarding the impact of neoliberal philosophies/practices on contemporary higher education, far less available are compelling interpretations of the circumstance linked directly to practical responses. That is where Professor Clyde W. Barrow and his work...
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The "Band of Brothers" that Changed the Course of WVU Football
Over fifty years ago, a group of coaches and players changed the course of WVU football, migrating the Mountaineers from the Southern Conference to a national-level program that today is in the Top 20 of all-time wins among major college teams. But their story is more than a football story. It’s...
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That Netflix Blockbuster Called "Squid Game"
The juxtaposition of an iconic American love song playing in the background with contestants falling dead, murdered as part of a 'game,' should tell us all we need to know about this nasty brew. But for every person who tells me they have clipped the program from their viewing schedule, another...
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Reclaiming Education from Corporate Capture
Politically motivated donors are exerting undue influence on K-12 and higher education. UnKochMyCampus is responding by seeking to protect education from those who seek to privilege private interests over public good. Learn about how and what with Jasmine Banks, Executive Director, and…
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Want To Be College Football's #1 Team? (Think Again)
Playing to be 'the best' in college football is a futile game because only a few schools (and, I would argue, only one conference, the Southeastern Conference) are primed to win. The SEC's acquisition of Oklahoma and Texas, and the decision to form a 'football alliance' among the PAC-12, Big Ten,...
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Politically Engaged Scholars: Focus on Industrial-Scale Agriculture in California
Listen to co-authors Daniel J. O'Connell and Scott J. Peters discuss their new book, In the Struggle: Scholars and the Fight Against Industrial Agriculture in California. O'Connell and Peters are joined by discussants Raymond A. Jussaume, Jr. and Adalberto Aguirre, Jr. Jim Bingen and Joe Scrimger...
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In Netflix's, "The Chair," There's a Moral To The Story
Chairperson Kim (Sandra Oh) and Professor Dobson (Bill Duplass) are faculty members, first and foremost, even when that choice comes with personal and professional costs. Neoliberalism loses in The Chair. The Collegium triumphs.
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The Bobby Bowden I Knew
Whenever Bobby Bowden’s name comes up, you often hear a Bobby Bowden story. Here’s mine. (The text version of this recording is available at The Sports Column.)
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America's Struggle with Truth-Telling & Critical Race Theory
Recent condemnation of Critical Race Theory, including imposing restrictions about what can be taught in schools about America’s history, represents a major obstacle to truth-telling, an infringement of free speech, and an insult to academic freedom. It is another signal that democracy is in…
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John & Jim Magee: "It's Not About the Deal."
Michigan St. U. peeps may remember John Magee. John held several positions at the U, including Exec Staff Assistant, College of Arts and Letters, and staff assistant in Ag & Nat Resources. Today, John serves as Assistant VP & Chief International Officer at Madonna University, Lavonia, MI. John…
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In Higher Education, It's 'Follow the Money,' Too
Politically motivated philanthropy can influence who gets hired, who is awarded tenure/promoted, and what is taught/researched. Subject-matter priorities include promoting the primacy of free-market capitalism and safeguarding the ethic of American Exceptionalism. Recent efforts have focused on...
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Elevating Eulogy Virtues in Today's Resume-Driven World
There is a lot of pressure in leadership circles these days to beat the competition and score 'big wins.' Because of that emphasis, we can sometimes set aside the importance of what author David Brooks calls Eulogy Virtues, things like doing the right thing, being courageous in the face of...
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Politically Divided America Is Likely to Stay That Way … Unless
Nobody defends America's political divide, and most call it out emphatically. And yet, it not only persists, but it is arguably getting wider, deeper, and hotter. One reason is that millions of Americas make a habit of contributing to the divide. Dysfunctional? ‘Understandable’ is another way of...
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Stupid Is as Stupid Does? “There Is More to It Than That.”
What are they thinking? How many times have we heard ourselves or others speak those words? A lot, I'm sure. But what we don't say or hear as much is this: “I’m not sure why they believe and act as they do. I need to understand.” An exploration of the phenomenon 'stupidity' says that would be a...
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Neoliberalism in Higher Education in the Age of Trump
The five-decade-long evolution from institution to industry widened and accelerated during the Age of Trump–an era that persists–and the outcome has changed what higher education represents, how it operates, and what it offers. Drawing on their book, Neoliberalism and Academic Repression,...
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REBROADCAST (5/30/20): As Eyes Are on Minneapolis, Tulsa’s Experience Is Instructive
America's indefensible storyline includes mass killings of African Americans—not by police, but by fellow Americans. One such event--in Tulsa, OK--took place a century ago this week. The story didn't end there; it continues, and very differently from how it started. What happened in Tulsa a…
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Affiliation's Blind Eye
We all devote time and attention to affiliations, and there is great joy and fulfillment to be experienced that way. By the same token, there are times when it is important to step back, raise questions, and take counter-positions to prevailing choices. “It's harder to do than it sounds,” wrote...
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What Can We Learn From Agatha Christie?
Agatha Christie observed human nature in its various forms and proclivities. She wrote using an unpretentious platform—the mystery novel--too easily viewed for its entertainment value and too easily sold short as a portrait of human behavior and society. Today, I'll focus on the portrait.
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Major College Athletics Today: Pay the Head Football Coach $4 Million, Build an Addition to the Basketball Arena, and Eliminate Track & Field Because "We Don’t Have Enough Money"
That distorted picture, which mocks the purpose of athletics in higher education, privileges intercollegiate athletics in commercialized and quasi-professionalized forms. It's time to put an upside-down system right-side up.
About this show
Important issues and interesting people fly under the radar. Let's explore them together.
Hosted by
Frank Fear
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