The tour has begun. More than sixty alumni, parents, and friends who attended the Reed on the Road: Campaign Edition event in Seattle welcomed President John R. Kroger last night. After a brief introduction, John accepted clarifying questions and words of advice. For a summary from Randall Barton, roving reporter, including comments by the alumnae panelists, read this post on the Sallyportal blog of Reed magazine.
These are interactive events, and we kindly request that participants read the following article by Louis Menand. As part of the future strategic planning discussions he will be leading, John asked participants to weigh in on three questions.
Posted below each question are the brief comments from some attendees. Now you can expand upon these and add to the discussion (in your comment, please note the numbered question to which you are referring):
1. In the years since Reed, which has proved more important: the subject matter of the courses you took, or learning how to learn? What is your most lasting insight from your time at Reed?
2. In the aftermath of the Great Recession, careers have become a major focus of the alumni board. What, if anything, should the college do to help student transitions to “life beyond Reed”?
3. The faculty recently added an interdisciplinary major in environmental studies. Looking ahead, should Reed’s faculty consider modifying the curriculum in any other way? What do you think Reed’s curriculum should include or emphasize in the future (for instance: computer science, gender studies, study abroad)?
As our roadshow has gone on, folks have preferred to color outside the lines and create additional topics, so feel free to weigh in below! Additionally, Mike Teskey, director of alumni & parent relations, has been logging summaries of the sentiments heard around the country, also below.
Here are the comments from the Seattle event that attendees at the table discussions posted: Lasting Insight:
“Curiosity and trouble making require practice. P.S. At the next event I think you should offer 1 free drink coupon.”
“Learning how to learn, think analytically, critically. To write.”
“Learning for the sake of learning has shown a noticeable impact in how we approach to how we teach others.”
“Critical thinking, creativity/flexibility/’thinking outside of the box’, dealing with challenges and not getting overwhelmed by them and seeing challenges as growth opportunities.”
“Mandatory discussions for Juniors/Seniors with Career Services. Panel discussions with Alumni on variety of careers.”
Curriculum:
“Reed might consider skipping ‘Computer Science’ and emphasize ‘Information’ or ‘Information Science’. The world is moving on.”
“Beefing up CS is a good idea.”
“One of Reed’s unique qualities is the discipline of focus (e.g. Hum 110 focus on a few historical events rather than overview). Interdiscipline studies weakens Reed’s core strength.”
“I’ve always been sorry Reed does not offer science class beyond Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. I loved science and ended up a Political Science major. Got a solid background for my future career. Who knows where I might have gone, though.”
“We like disciplinary education.”
Life Beyond Reed:
“I’m indebted to the Alumni network for my one real job between Reed and Grad School. Help students know it is not just OKAY, but GOOD, to grow up and get a broader outlook before grad school if they’re not ready. Some futures don’t require grad school – and celebrate the Reedies who don’t get Ph.D’s.”
“Felt bad about my grades when I left, but didn’t realize I had done well enough. I didn’t have the guidance.”
“Stop assuming grads will stay in Portland. Context around career services available to recent grads. Look at programs to help relocate.”
“Reed should develop ways to help students. Understand how they can fit in the career world–arrange to offer summer internships.”
“Oldie and new grads talked about how difficult it was to prepare for or find a job and to fit into the ‘real’ world. I agreed with this, most average businesses do not know Reed and they don’t care. They only care about a ‘profit’ generating human.”
“What is the financial situation for students with loans? Often after an undergraduate education a student needs some space before starting a career. High loan pay back could really change the focus of a student to more of a vocational outlook.”
“Interdiscipline studies weakens Reed’s core strength.” Ugh. What about the new environmental studies majors? Obviously those are not Reed’s strength, but only because the college treats them like bastard children. The world isn’t built on departments. You can maintain discipline within disciplines.
I am a current student and I believe that we are already in the process of coming up with an answer to question 2. Has anyone heard of the Switchboard? Started by a group of alumni who graduated in the early 2000s (and run charitably by Mara Zepeda ’02), it helps connect current students to alumni, professors, and others from the Reed community about internships, jobs, couches to sleep on or houses to sit. I’ve used it ever since its inception (and even before that, I was emailing continuously with Mara and the alumni she knew in economics, my field of interest) – graduation does not seem like the scary black void of unemployment that Reedies of years past report.
The Switchboard is particularly brilliant for jobs and internships. Everyone knows that networking is key to scoring opportunities and it allows alumni to connect with the Reed community that I’m sure many of them miss. As another commenter mentioned, businesses rarely know Reed’s name. The Swithchboard fosters connections that gets Reedie’s their foot in the right door. Feel free to check out a link to the site below.
http://beta.reedswitchboard.com/
Here are some of the responses to the questions from San Francisco:
Lasting Insight:
“in addition to the exemplary undergraduate education,
clearly,
clearly,
clearly the Reed community did an exemplary job of fundraising for the Centennial Campaign. Yay to Colin Diver, Pres. Kroger, and to everybody who gave.”
“John, you are an engaging person and speaker, and I wish you a wonderful decade. But please, “unique” can not be modified.”
“The question is no the subject matter of courses vs learning how to learn but what fundamental interdisciplinary skills should be taught in the 21st century. Analytical reasoning and writing are obvious timeless ones, but today logical reasoning, the scientific method, mathematical reasoning, artistic thinking, and computer science are equally foundational skills. Come out of college being able to do these well and you set for a 21st century career of life.”
Curriculum
“Re: interdisciplinary study- the student must first be grounded and self aware with respect to a discipline. When they confront a problem that challenges and demands breaking outside that discipline. Otherwise you are a generalist with less to contribute.”
Life Beyond Reed
“What is the state of career services for graduating Reedies? How do we provide an alternative to to students who want to get a job and career without being called a sellout? (commenter volunteers to help on this).”
“Virtual clubhouse. Working Weekends in Chapters. Reed Switchboard Meet-ups, Linked In.”
“Reed should develop ways to help students. Reed switchboard. Understand how they can fit in the career world–arrange to offer summer internships.”
“life beyond Reed was the most concern and discussed topic. Oldie and new grads talked about how difficult to prep/fit into “real” world. I agree. Most any business do know Reed and they don’t care. They only care for “profit generating” human.”
“Needs to be some way to inform women students in particular how to manage the upcoming stages in life cycle and the various labor demands those stages will require of them–and still stay sane, informed in one’s chosen profession, productive, and happy.”
“If we could gather 13 Reed reed alumns -’50-’03 in Israel (one from the continent), why not have a lunch every month in each city–e.g SF perhaps 1000 grads– max 20 attendees or by decade- friends”
“Mandatory? discussions for juniors/seniors w/ career services.”
“Use alumni as role models/mentors. Events at the presidential inauguration were good.”
“Career services and alumni involvement is stronger now. GREAT for first graduate in his family. We ALL need help to get started. Working Weekend is a great start. Alumni need to be aware of this. Insternships?”
“Students change their majors-harder to finish in four years. It is good that Reed caps the Students’ debts.”
“Hard to get financial aid now. Even in the sciences.”
Here are the comments from the Washington, DC event:
“Life Beyond Reed”
International involvement at every level – students, faculty spreading the concept of liberal arts around the Pacific Rim.
Lifelong “take charge of your own education” – how liberal arts can help you think this way.
Liberal arts education + emphasis on developing/freedom in critical thinking = adaptability, flexibility, passion, rigor to adapt, reinvent yourself. Tell the stories of highly successful Reedies to help students feel confident of their futures.
Reed education can position you very well to maneuver in current world.
Developing critical thinking is essential in most careers – Reed has got something that is working.
Reed can prepare you to make a decision about what career to pursue. Adaptability and self-confidence are important and are being learned at Reed.
“Lasting Insight”
Need to train students to be active alums. Promote and support and cross discipline. Faculty support of students great, student support of each other good. Promote community. Curriculum probably doesn’t need changing. “Reed Switchboard” website is excellent.
Strengthen and integrate international students and professors. Increase student overseas experiences (esp. internships and in Asia rather than Europe). Introduce courses in Islam/Arabic, China.
Reed has had a reputation as a place with a top, rigorous science eduation. Reed science greatness could/and to some extent still go anywhere for their ph.D. scientists with a Reed background so well. Emphasize this and the benefit for the Reed students rigorous science courses. Build on this reputation for top flight science at Reed.
The most important lessons I learned at Reed: 1) You will not always be the smartest person in the room, and that’s okay. 2) How to fail: keep going, get better.
“Curriculum”
Keep curriculum focused on science, math, humanities. Focus on educational rigor, stay hard! Increase calligraphy, chinese, middle eastern, Arabic, English, science, math, botany, biology, chemistry, elder studies, arguemeat, critical thinking.
Not just “computer science” or “information science” but informatics for the sciences and social sciences.
These are the compiled contributions from the last few events (LA, Boston, and New York):
Curriculum
Intentionality for summer experiences. Own all three summers as part of
the Reed educational experience.
Disciplines not just “computer science” or “information science” but
“informatics” for the sciences and the social sciences.
Study abroad (arrow downward). Computer science (arrow upward). Career
counseling.
Creative requirement like PE requirement. Commitment to faculty in the
performing arts.
The unpretentiousness of Reed- keep it simple if you can. Culture of
Reed. “Pickle barrel reactor”
Part of the problem with careers is the employers not the students. The
way employers look for employees.
Life Beyond Reed
I spent most of my summers reading and riding bikes, which is great, but
I think that I would have been better off if I had been directed towards
internships or other opportunities that would expose students early to
the realities of life in the world outside of Reed. Justin ’07
Students don’t go to Reed to be treated like small children. Students go
to Reed to be treated like adults. Respect student autonomy, John Kroger.
Make advisors part of the career planning process. As Reed reaches out
to people who need financial aid, it should help those people figure out
how to build a career.
I so wish Reed had helped me understand the range of possible
jobs/careers that might be satisfying to me and help me continue to grow
and learn. I emerged ignorant of the possibilities, the incredible
diversity of fields and jobs that have been emerging. I hope Reed does
a better job these days.
Own the summers. Valuable opportunity for career skills, advancement.
Q: who drives the plan?
Lasting insight
Have an official motto rather than “Communism, Athiesm, and Free
Love”–something to do with the theme of “the Quest” Comrades of the
Quest” “Seek and ye shall find”
The subject material and the learning to learn are not wholly separable.
The subject material is the special case that illuminates the process
of learning–the latter generalizes over time, but the context of what
was learned while learning to learn remains a critical and illuminating
underpinning.
Resiliency/Adaptability- recognizing the skills* you have that allow you
to jump in and solve problems. *= developed in service of your thesis
(down the rabbit hole) but broadly applicable- you know how to figure
things out.
Learning how to learn, but also recognize that some subject matter has a lasting impression (Poli Sci w/Darius for example)
Answered a philosophy question wrong, but well reasoned and she still got credit.
Question on a bio exam was answered in med school years later–real life application.
Value acquisition of information and organization of information.
Ability to take criticism well
High contact vs low contact society
Good to be humble-profs take us down a notch, so do peers.
Learning how to learn vs. influencing how to think. Reed helps students develop critical thinking schools–slightly different than learning how to learn.
Common theme: important thing that happens at Reed-students are left to figure out the questions, not just “what do you want me to learn” like in many other schools. Don’t rely on professors to set the discussion. Professors meet you at your level and help you through individual thoughts. Allow students to lead their thoughts. Encourages people to think for themselves.
Leaves students interested in learning even if they are not ultimately successful at Reed. Liberal arts education leaves people feeling like they have a more vast knowledge, having been exposed to a lot of things.
Common core of Hum 110 is a crucial connection to alumnu and students.
Reed sponsored clubs (suggested by one of the panelists) are a DREADFUL idea. Reed’s social life is what it is-unique!- because it is student-created and driven.
Networking- life is not a meritocracy. Not asking for a job or a handout, just a connection or information.
The administration of a college, and the vision of a college.
A response to the controversy concerning the college Presidency and the oversight of student life at Reed.
Action against irresponsible drug use was needed at Reed, as indicated by mandates from law enforcement, and by two recent drug overdoses. However, the prioritizing of this action, to the extent that it becomes the apparent primary mission of the college President, is an indication of a loss of vision by the college.
John Kroger, as depicted in his autobiographical ‘Convictions’, is a remarkable person: a man able to prosecute Mafia criminals and Colombian drug lords, with a philosophical perspective, and a genuine intention to maintain honesty in the legal arena. Present in the book are some thoughtful reflections; a favorite, on page 108: ‘what appears to be a difficult ethical quandary is sometimes the product of ignorance of your options’. Missing from the book is evidence of qualities that might be sought by a presidential search team.
It seems certain that the motivation for hiring Kroger was the intention to eliminate drug use on campus. This did not begin with his tenure. Colin Diver, in his June 2012 ‘exit interview’, was asked what he might change at Reed, if wishes could come true, and his reply: “The most obvious example is addressing illegal drug and alcohol use.” Diver followed his wish with the accurate thought: “It’s emphatically a legal obligation. I think it’s a moral one, too.” But recognizing a need should be followed by an appropriate course of action. The draconian efforts of Mr. Diver – police arrest leading to felony prosecution for a quantity of marijuana, of a student (who was however, forewarned by Reed) – has been followed by the micromanagement-level enforcement efforts of Mr. Kroger this year (as reflected in the tinted imagery of the Quest).
Given that a major reduction in use was needed; an appropriate counter-effort would involve mid-level administrators and the security staff. Choosing for President a prosecutorial attorney, a law enforcement officer, to accomplish this single-minded goal, indicates that the central vision of the college is a remedial one, that Reed wants to correct a student level problem by dedicating the highest office of the administration to this issue. One can question this strategy without faulting Kroger for accepting the job.
A college presidency is a well paid, very high status job, a notably interesting job that would burnish any resume. Potential nominees would not be scarce. A manager of large nonprofit bureaucracies, a college President or dean, a professor of education, or a successful fundraiser, could be appropriate. What is important is that the college have a vision, an intention, and that the primary administrator of the college reflect that vision and enact that intention.
The current strategy prioritizes the drug problem over the other wide-perspective problems faced by all colleges, in particular attracting and retaining the best professors, an ongoing problem at Reed as elsewhere. If financial inducements for faculty are already at their maximum, a vision of a college dedicated to teaching and learning, administered with a willful intent to perpetuate academic inquiry, would be the best possible inducement to faculty retention. The current vision implies to me that Reed is resting on its laurels in regard to quality of instruction. Surpassing mediocrity in a bureaucracy is never easy and, especially in a tenured employment situation, requires continual vigilance and effective action.
A higher vision of the college Presidency might seek a 21st century Mortimer Adler, a philosopher of education, an inclusive communicator between the branches of the academy, working to publish a 21st century Great Books, enhancing community outreach, and using the internet to facilitate wider education. This is one of several more noble visions that could have been pursued by those who select the President of Reed College.
I do not choose to second-guess the decisions of Mr. Kroger, who is enacting more than initiating, and who has been most willing to listen to students and alumni. However, I was, and remain, dismayed that the vision of the trustees extends to correcting deficiencies, but apparently not beyond the remedial to the elevated realms of higher education.
Peter Abrahams, class of 1977.
abrahams.peter@gmail.com
In regard to 2- life beyond Reed- Career Services should consider helping alum by educating potential employers on the value of a Reedie. Guide Reedies on possibilities and networking, but also have employer outreach to forge relationships with local and national businesses in order to fill positions with bright and capable Reedies. Win win. Reach out to the local community and beyond to let employers know “what a Reedie is.” I have found post-graduation that too few “real life” employers know who we are and what we are made of. Not every Reedie will go on to get a PhD, nor write the next great American novel. Alas, some of us in life will have to get a haircut and a get real job.
“Computer science” has been mentioned a few times as a desired part of the curriculum, or even a major. Can people discuss what they mean by computer science in this context?
The reason I ask is that computer science, properly speaking, is a branch of pure mathematics. For everyone to learn “computer science” or take a class in it is slightly less practical than having everyone take a class in linear algebra, unless it’s a watered-down “computer science for poets” class – which I would oppose. (I am not fond of the “science for poets” classes either. They damage rigor and they teach non-science majors either that they can’t hack an intro science course, or that what they’ve learned is just as rigorous as a science course, or in some particularly confused people, both at once. A non-rigorous computer science class would present the same problem.)
The phrase “computer science” also is used to refer simply to programming as a skill. I have a lot of sympathy with the view that everyone should do at least a little programming – nothing will teach you the importance of tight reasoning like having your program explode because you used “or” instead of “exclusive or” – but I question whether it should be a Reed curriculum element. There are a number of skills (reading music, for example) that I think everyone should have, but not all of them should be college class requirements.
(Also, what percentage of Reed freshmen these days have never done programming? It would be interesting to find out.)