Assignment:
300 to 400 words
Given the elements and factors described by Thelin (2019) that constitute the "collegiate ideal," or "collegiate way," reflect on the ways in which campus culture and popular perceptions of college life evolved over time. Compare those to attitudes and beliefs among college stakeholders today, as represented in the text- What Is the "Collegiate Way" Today? (linked in Resources). How are the shared beliefs of faculty, students, and the public today similar to and different from earlier times?
The history of higher education is vast and interesting. When we hear the word college, we might envision ivy-covered walls, a professor lecturing to a group of earnest students, or students walking across a campus with books under their arms. John Thelin (2019), the author of the primary text for this course, refers to these images or perceptions as part of "the collegiate ideal," while historian Frederick Rudolph (1990) used the phrase the collegiate way.
Parents, students, faculty, and administrators view the collegiate ideal from different standpoints. In this unit, you will look at several viewpoints and form some of your own. You will discover the perspectives of historical stakeholders, reflect on those of the present, and predict what the future "collegiate ideal" will look like.
References
Rudolph, F. (1990). The American college and university: A history. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press.
Thelin, J. R. (2019). A history of American higher education (3rd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.