Bob Morse Responds and the Coverage Widens to Include “Anti-intellectualism”
Here is how my day started—got a cup of coffee. Then a second cup. And then spit out the coffee after looking at my computer screen. I. Had. Email. From. Bob. Morse.
Me! Yes, me! An email response from U.S. News & World Report’s architect of the controversial annual survey issue!
I had written a blog entry on Wednesday about Mr. Morse’s blog, Morse Code, and encouraged him to allow for comments on the site. He serves as USN&WR’s resident lightning rod since he develops the methodology and surveys for its rankings of colleges and universities. Not sure if you noticed, but he’s pretty popular – or should I say infamous -- these days. Click here or here and here for the most recent thoughts on his surveys.
Mr. Morse responded to my statement that his blog wasn’t a true forum by saying, “you are 100% right that it's 100% one way.” He mentioned that all of the blogs on the U.S. News site are unable to accept comments but his website people promised to add that functionality to his site soon (with “soon” serving as the nonspecific timeline given to him).
He isn’t sure of the feedback format and thought it could either mirror the style used by Inside Higher Ed or instead feed to a dedicated email address. I joked with him that I hoped people would actually post comments. I’m not overly optimistic that he will receive many comments, since it is easier to say something behind someone’s back than to them directly. On the other hand, he may well be flooded.
He also pointed out that he includes links to stories critical of his approach as a way of getting the other side of the story out.
Now… back to the latest stories on everything USN&WR… Robert J. Samuelson wrote a column that appears simultaneously in The Washington Post and Newsweek. You should check it out because it is a good read.
Mr. Samuelson says, “What's so shameful about this campaign against the rankings is its anti-intellectualism. Much information is in some way incomplete or imperfect. The proper response to evidence that you dislike or dispute is to supplement or discredit it with better evidence. The wrong response is to suppress it. And yet, that's the agenda of these college presidents.”
Those are some of the strongest words exchanged in this year’s brouhaha and based upon the number of comments on the Washington Post site it appears he hit a nerve. I can’t wait to see the next round of articles!
Within SimpsonScarborough we run the gamut from those who say break away and don’t look back to my thought that you play within this system until you have better defined alternatives. What do you think? I would love to get your take on all things USN&WR.