JUST FYI POD: IDEAS: "Higher Ed in the ChatGPT Era, Part III: What, Exactly, Is the 'Crisis' in Higher Ed Today?"

The main task of JUST FYI POD: IDEAS’ third season is to discuss: “Higher Ed in the ChatGPT Era: How Did We Get Here? Where Is It Going?” Today’s episode will approach this overarching topic in two ways. First, my regular cohost Clark Elliston and I will welcome a special guest—Michael Burdett, Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham. Though Michael is well-known for his work on the relationship between religion, science, and technology—in fact, he contributed an excellent chapter to our recent collection Theological Discourses on Social Media—today we will focus on an issue that has garnered headlines in the UK over the last six weeks. In early November, the University of Nottingham announced the suspension of several academic courses, including American and Canadian studies, architecture, music, modern languages, plant biology, and theology. In an accompanying statement, university administrators explained: “[We had to] make tough decisions based on changes in student demand, the cost of delivering courses, and competition from other institutions offering similar courses.” Protests have followed, led by students and faculty. Still, one might wonder, what is really at stake at Nottingham? And who is right? Michael will give us his on-the-ground perspective.

Next, Clark, Michael, and I will broaden our scope and discuss how the situation at Nottingham is just one more symptom of an ongoing “crisis” in higher education in general. The nature of this crisis, however, is more than a little controversial. From political partisanship to grade inflation to artificial intelligence, any number of culprits have been identified by commentators. But can we drill down deeper and finally get to the root cause? Such, at any rate, is what we hope to accomplish over the course of our wide-ranging conversation, which will culminate in a few ideas about how higher ed might be fixed—even today!

Nota bene: we experienced a few technical difficulties during the recording of this episode. Thankfully, I was able to smooth out some, if not all, of them on the backend. Bear with us! I think the discussion is worth it! As always, please visit Just FYI (cbarnett.substack.com) for additional information, links, and much more content. Subscribe for free today, and, as ever, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!