Category Archives: Swarthmore

Show Me the Money

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Timothy Burke

I’ve been following conversations here and at many other higher education institutions about financial issues. As I said somewhat sheepishly to colleagues yesterday, a lot of what I believed in when times were flush is still what I believe in … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 5 Comments

Mindful of Money

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Timothy Burke

Swarthmore, like virtually all American colleges and universities, is presently engaged in serious collective scrutiny of its spending habits. The hope in our case and many others is that small, incremental frugalities will head off any need for more drastic … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 9 Comments

New President

Posted on February 24, 2009 by Timothy Burke

Swarthmore has a new President, Rebecca Chopp, currently the President of Colgate University. You can read a few comments by her on Swarthmore at the Daily Gazette. Also her initial remarks at a reception can be found on the college’s … Continue reading →

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It’s a-Flat Like Your Head

Posted on September 2, 2008 by Timothy Burke

When I first taught my course The Production of History at Swarthmore, I wanted to show the Bugs Bunny cartoon “Hare We Go”, in which Bugs Bunny helps and then antagonizes Christopher Columbus on his first voyage. I was thinking … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Popular Culture, Production of History, Swarthmore | 11 Comments

M is for Mandarin

Posted on June 17, 2008 by Timothy Burke

Via 11D, here’s an article by William Deresiewicz that I like considerably more than his recent standard-issue world-we-have-lost complaint about contemporary English Departments. Deresiewicz is concerned about the particular character of meritocratic elitism in contemporary higher education, and about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 17 Comments

Walk This Way

Posted on June 1, 2008 by Timothy Burke

Swarthmore had its commencement this morning, on a very pleasant late spring day. I like to sit closer to the front so I can see the graduates and the audience, but it does mean you have to pay attention as … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 6 Comments

Letting Go and Keeping Weird

Posted on May 28, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I’ve had my finger hovering over the send button of an irritated email addressed to the Alumni Office at my alma mater, Wesleyan University, for about two weeks now. The main reason I don’t send it is that I would … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 9 Comments

Swarthmore News

Posted on May 9, 2008 by Timothy Burke

Swarthmore’s president, Al Bloom, announced today that at the end of his next contract in August of 2009, he will be ending his service at president of the college. This is a big deal for all of us. He’s the … Continue reading →

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Who’s That?

Posted on April 24, 2008 by Timothy Burke

Met with my undergraduate class that is studying digital games in World of Warcraft this week. One of them took an interesting name for his character…

Posted in Games and Gaming, Swarthmore | Comments Off on Who’s That?

Uncharacteristically Brief Remarks

Posted on February 20, 2008 by Timothy Burke

I’m very pleased by the vote in favor of open-access at Harvard. Not just because of open-access, but because it shows that it’s possible for faculty to choose dramatic changes or reforms in their way of business. I don’t know … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Books, Politics, Swarthmore | 2 Comments