Being a Bean Bag
A "What's Up In the Academy?" Replay
It’s a holiday weekend. And on holidays, I do relevant holiday stuff. As such, it is a great time to replay a popular post of “What’s Up in the Academy?” This post, original published on December 21, 2023 has been banging around in my brain.
It ran when Biden was still president, but the country’s approval of his performance was stuck under 40%, and the US trust in Higher Education was at it’s lowest point in recorded history. Rather than respond effectively, HigherEd dug in their heels and refused to read the room. Jump ahead to this weekend when we found that the Trump administration has furthered the destruction of the Department of Education and 9 campuses having to respond to extortion for even the chance at being eligible for government grants. I wonder if our “bean bag status” has only made us most vulnerable?
Being a Bean Bag
What happens when Dad calls out your profession
A bit ago, dear reader, I introduced you to my father. A nearly 82 year old self employed attorney with two side hustles who works 7 days a week. He’s a very busy guy. It is for this reason that he doesn’t have much time to make phone calls and small talk. So, when he did call me this past Friday, I immediately picked up. Dad doesn’t say, “Hello.” Rather, he just rips into the conversation. Like I said, he’s a busy guy. “I have been watching these College Presidents and their testimony in front of Congress.”
Here we go.
You see, like most 82 year olds, Dad has opinions. He feels that the root of the division and anger that is penetrating our campuses right now is so complicated that even the most highly educated are struggling with how to respond. Based on what I am seeing in person, on the front page of the Chronicle of Higher Education, and on this week’s Saturday Night Live cold open, I agree. While there are a few campuses who are using dialogue and discussion well, the numbers are so small it’s embarrassing.
He also said something that I will never forget, “The big problem is that [former President] Trump created a real mess. He devalues a college education, except his own, and considers College Presidents and most faculty as a bunch of bean bags.”
“Bean bags.” That’s a direct quote. Truly a Dad term. If you were to ask me what it meant, I would have to say, “Ask my Dad, but based on 56 years of being his daughter, in this context, ‘bean bag’ is a fool. Definitely not someone to be trusted.”
Despite an odd turn of phrase, what Dad said about ‘bean bags’ made some sense. The record breaking lack of faith and trust people have in #HigherEd was bad enough before this past week’s Congressional hearing and subsequent SNL cold open. We’ve been struggling with how to balance the delivery of Yelp review inspired student success services with promoting the art of discourse and disagreement. This reality came through loud and clear last week in the use of the term: ‘depending on the context’, which sounded hollow and shallow all at once. If you ever wondered what the result of the death of in loco parentis would look like, well, you saw it in vibrant color on your C-Span feed.
Perhaps the most essential action we can take in attempting to repair our public image and move away from our ‘bean bag’ image is to return to basics:
Are we turning out adults? Adults need to learn how to listen and hear and disagree and feel discomfort. It sucks. But it’s real life. And, if the answer is, “no we aren’t turning out adults. But we’d like to.” There is some hope, but only if we take action.
Create mechanisms that balance good service with just enough friction. Why friction? An appropriate helping of friction encourages students to advocate for their own needs. Note, I’m not encouraging red tape. Rather, friction built into a process means that the student must voice their own priorities and identify what they need and why they need it, rather than have an administrator ask all the questions and do the work for them. Another step toward turning out adults.
Speak like educators, not like lawyers who wrote for educators. We really have to get back to our own authentic voices. Hard stop.
I am looking forward to my next chat with my Dad. I am also going to be wrapping up a pair of bean bags as a gift. Not for Dad, but for me. After unwrapping them on Christmas Day I will be sure to put them on my desk in the office. A constant reminder to be better. No matter the circumstances.
Fortify Features
Dr. Laura De Veau is Principal & Founder of Fortify Associates, LLC. Fortify Associates, LLC is unique in the higher education, not-for-profit, and public service market. They provide comprehensive workshops, program reviews and project management services with a combination of in-person and virtual delivery. Fortify Associates is committed to creating experiences that are unique to the needs and culture of each of their clients. Dr. Laura De Veau is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education & Human Development.