What’s In a Name?

In an effort to attract English-speaking students, Japan’s Kinki University is changing its name. Actually, the old name probably sounds pretty attractive to most American teenagers ….

Kinki U (really “Kinki Daigaku”) refers to the school’s location in the Kinki (aka Kansai) region of Honshu Island, which includes the city of Osaka. Starting next year the school will be known as Kindai University.

More:

“Kinki no more: With eye on foreign students, university opts for new name,” Tomohiro Osaki, Japan Times

“Japan’s Kinki University changes its name due to awkward English meaning,” Justin McCurry, The Guardian

“Japan’s Kinki University decides to change its naughty-sounding name,” Casey Baseel, RocketNews 24

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Vonnegut on Computers

Commencement speaker at Agnes Scott College, May 15, 1999, Kurt Vonnegut: 

“Computers are no more your friends, and no more increasers of your brainpower, than slot machines…

Only well-informed, warm-hearted people can teach others things they’ll always remember and love. Computers and TV don’t do that.

A computer teaches a child what a computer can become.

An educated human being teaches a child what a child can become. Bad men just want your bodies. TVs and computers want your money, which is even more disgusting. It’s so much more dehumanizing.”

College Sports

“When the Texas Wesleyan Rams arrived here this month to defend their 10 straight national titles, the 14 players and coaches wore navy blue and gold track suits and carried matching bags. The walkie-talkies worn on the hips of tournament personnel crackled to life: ‘Texas Wesleyan has entered the building.’

The opposing teams,—most of whom brought only a handful of players, some in a mishmash of college sweatshirts,—stopped to watch in awe and dread.

‘We are the New York Yankees of table tennis,’ said Texas Wesleyan University Coach Jasna Rather. ‘Everybody hates our guts.'”

— “Don’t Call It Ping Pong: College Sports Rivalry Expands to Table Tennis,” Douglas Belkin, Wall Street Journal

So are college table tennis teams unionized yet?

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GWU Misrepresents Admissions Policy. Again.

You won’t find DC’s George Washington University in the US News & World Report ranking of best colleges. Last year GWU admitted that it had been inflating admission data for a decade. The school claimed that 78% of incoming freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school graduating classes, but the real figure was 58%. The stats may have been goosed to get a higher ranking in the USN&WR college listing.

Until October 21st the website of this $60,000-a-year school reassured applicants that “Requests for financial aid do not affect admissions decisions.” That was another misrepresentation. The first sorting of applications is done “need blind,” but after that applications from rich students go to the head of the line while those from the less-wealthy are wait-listed.

Before The Hatchet student newspaper revealed the truth, GWU’s website claimed that its admissions policy was “need-blind.” The university now admits it is “need-aware.” The school’s motto is Deus Nobis Fiducia, “God is Our Trust.” perhaps it should be “Got a Trust Fund?”

George Washington University may be named after a man who “cannot tell a lie,” but it seems to be run by Pinocchio.

More:

“Pretending to Be Need-Blind,” Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed

“George Washington University Has for Years Claimed to be ‘Need-Blind.’ It’s Not.” Marian Wang, ProPublica

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Banning the Constitution on Constitution Day

“Modesto Junior College security stopped a student from passing out copies of the U.S. Constitution in front of the east campus student center Tuesday, which was Constitution Day.

Robert Van Tuinen, 25, captured his furious but civil confrontation with the officer and campus administration on video and posted it Thursday on YouTube.

National attention garnered by the video prompted the Yosemite Community College District to issue a statement saying it was looking into the matter.”

–“MJC halt of Constitution handout lands on YouTube,” Nan Austin, Modesto Bee

(Video after the jump)

Give me an H! Give me an A! Give me a Z–I–N–G!

The human pyramid of championship cheerleading came crashing down at Towson University last week. The entire Towson Tiger Cheerleading Team, every single girl, was suspended for hazing. “Hazing in any form will not be tolerated at Towson University,” said university VP Deb Moriarty, and the school’s hazing policy is clear. The cheerleaders are also banned from performing or practicing their quasi-sport, but perhaps they will have a role in Towson’s Hazing Prevention Week, conveniently scheduled for September 23-27, 2013.

Spring Break

“Like Western democracy, Socratic philosophy, written histories, epic poetry, and every other foundational pillar of high culture, spring break began in ancient Greece.

Called ‘Anthestreria’ by the local teens, and their parents, it was a festival dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine and whoopee and just about every excuse to party. For three days, people would dance, singers would perform, women would deck themselves with flowers, and Greek men would compete to see who could be the fastest to drain a cup of red wine.”

— “2,000 Years of Partying: The Brief History and Economics of Spring Break,” Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

No wonder Greek letter societies are so keen on Spring Break.

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Image (“Glad Day for Surfin,’ after William ‘Hodad’ Blake”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Brandeis Art Museum: Under New Management

Three years ago the trustees of Brandeis University tried to close the Rose Art Museum and sell off paintings in the collection. This week the Museum chose a new director, Christopher Bedford, currently chief curator of the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State. Mr. Bedford plans to add paintings and sculpture to the Rose Museum’s collection. Mr. Bedford will start his new job in September.

More:

“Brandeis University’s Rose Art Museum names Christopher Bedford as new director,” Geoff Edgers, Boston Globe

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North Dakota Racism Referendum

In a referendum yesterday, North Dakotans voted to retire their state university’s “Fighting Sioux” nickname and symbols. We cannot confirm the rumor that University of North Dakota teams will henceforth be called the “Fighting Space Aliens” (above: new team logo?).

The North Dakota state legislature had passed a law directing UND to use the “Fighting Sioux” nickname and logo in perpetuity even though many constituents feel the practice is racist. “Sioux” is derived from an Ojibwe term for the Lakota people, many of whom live in the state, and is often regarded as an insult. The NCAA considers racial and ethnic logos and mascots “hostile and abusive” and sanctions teams for their use, and UND is one of the last holdouts. Perhaps this referendum will convince the National Football League to change the name and logo of the “Washington Ethnic Slurs.”

North Dakota ballot measure results here.

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Scholars in Pyjamas

Students at Oxford University’s Brasenose College (founded 1509) have been advised that sleeping costumes are not acceptible garb at breakfast. Young scholars are expected to wear academic gowns in the dining hall at dinner.

More:

“Oxford students told off for wearing pyjamas to breakfast,” Hannah Furness, Daily Telegraph

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