AKA Weekly Review– November 12, 2021

From The Economist:
The meaning of mission statements
By The Economist
A company’s mission statement is vital for helping investors understand the underlying goals and direction in which a business plans to go. While sometimes such statements come off as vague and ambiguous, a well-crafted mission statement will reveal a company's ambitions, how it plans to market itself, and the rationale for seeking funding– all of which is pertinent to universities and colleges. Read this article

From Times Higher Education:
Reaping AI’s potential requires more intelligent industry collaboration
By Greg Slabaugh
While many believe that AI will inevitably play a central role in business, technology, and everyday life in the coming years, it is essential that industry and academia collaborate more deeply and universities encourage multidisciplinary research between STEM and the humanities. Given the growing concern about the AI brain drain from academia to industry, it is vital that universities stay ahead of the curve in the classes offered in AI and data science. Read this article

From The New York Times:
Why We Need New Colleges
By Ross Douthat
The announcement of the new University of Austin has experts debating the value of a college degree and outlining aspects of traditional institutions that are ripe for change. Some argue that such universities seem "like the most corporate and cynical of American institutions", suffering from "self-inflicted McCarthyism" and that radical change is necessary for them to adapt to 21st century values and needs. While it is still uncertain whether the University of Austin will be successful, it is an important step in establishing a model for new institutions. Read this article

From The Art Newspaper:
'We don’t know when last orders will be called at the last chance saloon': how culture is feeling the climate change heat
By Adrian Ellis
The effects of climate change run much deeper than one might initially realize. Climate change-caused droughts were leading causes of the civil wars in Syria and Sudan; widespread famine and migration are leading to the loss of culture, customs, and languages, costing humanity vital indigenous knowledge; and ancient artifacts, cultures, and buildings are deteriorating at a much faster rate due to thawing permafrost, raising sea levels, and increased severity of storms. Preserving cultural knowledge is vital. Read this article

From PEW Research Center:
What’s behind the growing gap between men and women in college completion?
By Kim Parker
New insights are revealing the reasons women are entering and completing college at higher rates than men. When answering survey questions about why they didn’t attend college, 34% of men (25% of women) report that they just didn’t want to and 26% of men (20% of women) said there was no need for a four-year degree to get the job they wanted. Among college graduates though, men and women have similar views on the value of their degree: 45% of men and 43% of women reported their higher education useful in opening doors to job opportunities. Read this article