To make the UofM more welcoming to “transgender” and “non-binary” community members, the UofM is rolling out mandatory pronoun training. After the training, UofM staff “are expected to use the names, gender identities and pronouns specified to them by university members.” Failing to abide by the policy “could result in discipline.”
But abiding by the policy isn’t easy, even if one wants to. According to The College Fix, the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee promoted a guide that includes “(f)ae,” e/ey, per, ve, xe and ze/zie,” which are “analogs for ‘he’ and she.’” The UofM also reminded community members to remain aware of the nonstandard title “Mx.,” though no pronunciation of “Mx.” is given.
The backdrop to all of this is skyrocketing tuition costs, and colleges with bleeding enrollment numbers. Today, fewer Americans than ever before in the modern era say college is important.
Studies have increasingly questioned the worth of a college degree, and the return on a college education—while still positive on average—has declined dramatically, and is negative for many degrees and majors.
Meanwhile, conservatives charge that colleges have become ideological indoctrination factories, and bastions of radical secularism. For example, college professors donate to Democrats over Republicans 95-to-1.
One wonders whether or not elected conservatives will attempt to shake things up, given the vast some of state and federal government monies involved in American higher education. The federal government subsidizes student loans, which allows colleges to have a customer base who is not very price sensitive. States, meanwhile, spend oodles to bolster the state university systems—money goes to the UofM through the bonding bill, for example.
Thus far, however, elected Republicans have done nothing to address higher ed dysfunction in America.
Willis Krumholz
Willis L. Krumholz is a fellow at Defense Priorities. He holds a JD and MBA degree from the University of St. Thomas, and works in the financial services industry. The views expressed are those of the author only. You can follow Willis on Twitter @WillKrumholz.
