The Coddling Of The American Mind

Do you think college censorship has crossed the line? Comment with your thoughts!

Rather than trying to protect students from words and ideas that they will inevitably encounter, colleges should do all they can to equip students to thrive in a world full of words and ideas that they cannot control. One of the great truths taught by Buddhism (and Stoicism, Hinduism, and many other traditions) is that you can never achieve happiness by making the world conform to your desires. But you can master your desires and habits of thought. This, of course, is the goal of cognitive behavioral therapy. With this in mind, here are some steps that might help reverse the tide of bad thinking on campus.
— Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, The Coddling Of The American Mind

Read the full story from The Atlantic, here.

This Week in the News: August 2-8

It's been a big week-here's what we've been reading:

How Michael Brown's Death Changed Our Perceptions of America by Collier Meyerson, Fusion: http://fusion.net/story/178654/how-michael-brown-changed-our-perceptions-of-america/

Are We in the Midst of a New Civil Rights Era by Rebecca Onion, Slate: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2015/08/ferguson_and_black_lives_matter_are_we_in_the_midst_of_a_new_civil_rights.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_ru

The Lost Promise of the Voting Rights Act by Ari Berman, The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/give-us-the-ballot-expanding-the-voting-rights-act/399128/

Confederate Symbols, Swastikas and Student Sensibilities by Joseph Berger, The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/education/edlife/confederate-symbols-swastikas-and-student-sensibilities.html?_r=1

 

This Week in the News: July 26-August 1

It's been a big week-here's what we've been reading:

Samuel DuBose’s Death in Cincinnati Points to Off-Campus Power of College Police by John Mura and Sheryl Gay Stolberg, The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/us/samuel-duboses-death-in-cincinnati-points-to-off-campus-power-of-college-police.html?emc=edit_th_20150801&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=49161484&_r=0

Cincinnati Shooting Begs The Question: What Kind Of Limits Should Campus Police Have? by Michelle R. Smith, The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/campus-police-limits_55bceafce4b06363d5a267f1?utm_hp_ref=black-voices&ir=Black%2BVoices&section=black-voices&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000051

NJ Universities to Offer Improved Healthcare for Transgender Students by Kelby Clark, USA Today: http://college.usatoday.com/2015/07/31/nj-universities-transgender-healthcare/

The Shooting of Samuel DuBose by Charles M. Blow, The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/opinion/charles-blow-the-shooting-of-samuel-dubose.html

This Week in the News: June 27-July 4

It's been a big week-here's what we've been reading:

Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide by Adam Liptak, The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/us/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

White Supremacists Without Borders by Morris Dees and J. Richard Cohen, The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/opinion/white-supremacists-without-borders.html?_r=0

Columbia becomes first U.S. university to divest from prisons by Wilfred Chan, CNN TImes: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/23/us/columbia-university-prison-divest/index.html

Republican Who Kept Confederate Flag Flying Is a Rebel Sympathizer by Bill Davis, The Daily Beast: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/23/republican-who-kept-confederate-flag-flying-is-a-rebel-sympathizer.html 

Watch President Obama Break Into "Amazing Grace" During His Extraordinary Charleston Eulogy by James West and Mark Follman, Mother Jones: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/06/obama-amazing-grace-pinckney-eulogy-charleston

This Week in the News: June 6-13

Here's what we've been reading this week:

Charges Dropped Against Martese Johnson, UVA Student Bloodied During Arrest By Alcohol Agents by Larry O' Dell, The Associated Press: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/11/martjese-johnson-charges_n_7565116.html?utm_hp_ref=college

Song for Sophie Helps College Students Fight Hate Crime by Boston Standard: http://www.bostonstandard.co.uk/news/local/song-for-sophie-helps-college-fight-hate-crime-1-6795214

SPLC lawsuit: South Carolina tuition policy discriminates against students, violates U.S. Constitution by The Southern Poverty Law Center: http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/news/splc-lawsuit-south-carolina-tuition-policy-discriminates-against-students-violates

Why Are College Buildings Still Named After White Supremacists? by Alexandra Svokos, The Huffington Post:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/11/college-buildings-white-supremacists_n_7554958.html?utm_hp_ref=college

SPLC on Campus Announces Four Program Focuses for 2015-2016 School Year

 

SPLC on Campus is an opportunity for young people to partner with a nationally recognized social justice organization that is committed to fighting hate, teaching tolerance, and seeking justice.

SPLC on Campus is focusing on four areas in the coming academic year: Alternative Spring Break, Economic Justice, Juvenile Justice, and LGBT Rights. Chapters are eligible to receive free educational materials and programming ideas on these topics, which we selected to align with the current work of the SPLC. Of course, we invite chapters to promote other programming as well.

Alternative Spring Break is a growing trend involving thousands of college students who participate in service-learning experiences. The SPLC's Civil Rights Memorial Center welcomes hundreds of college students each year participating in these ‘alternative’ spring breaks, and we will provide service and scheduling suggestions for a Civil & Human Rights alternative spring break for your chapter, including a free tour of the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery.

Economic justice is an example of the SPLC's work on behalf of the most vulnerable members of our society. Industry-sanctioned practices like payday lending prey on low income individuals and families creating a vicious cycle of overburdening debt. SPLC on Campus will educate your chapter about these predatory lending practices.

Juvenile Justice is a key tenant of the SPLC’s work and a growing issue in the United States. We will provide your chapter with research and commentary about children tried as an adult and the school to prison pipeline. SPLC on Campus will help equip your chapter  with the tools needed to become an advocate for children ensnared in the juvenile justice system. to advocate for these youth.

LGBT Rights is at a pivotal point in the United States. From the U.S. Supreme Court hearings om marriage equality to our legal advocacy on behalf of LGBT community members, now is the time to engage students on your campus about this important civil rights issue. SPLC on Campus will provide your chapter with the resources needed to conduct Know Your Rights trainings, plus suggestions on other ways to get involved in this movement.

We hope to have your college on board for the 2015-2016 school year and look forward to advancing social justice together for many years to come. Our new SPLC on Campus guidebooks will be available July 15. For more information please contact SPLC on Campus coordinator Emily Mumford at emily.mumford@splcenter.org.

This Week in the News: May 3-9

Here's what we've been reading this week:

Students at Valparaiso University campaign against Chick-fil-A on Campus by Amy Lavalley, The Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-valparaiso-restaurant-st-0509-20150508-story.html

Texas Students Attack Statue Of Jefferson Davis, President Of The Confederacy by David Warren, The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/09/jefferson-davis-statue_n_7248132.html?utm_hp_ref=college

Baltimore Youth Are Not Thugs. They Are My Former Students--And They Are Loved by Joann Noll, The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanna-noll/baltimore-youth-are-not-thugs_b_7213506.html

This Week in the News: April 26-May 2

Here's what we've been reading this week:

Law school dean: If you help Freddie Gray protesters in Baltimore, you can defer an exam by Susan Svrluga, The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/04/29/udc-defers-exams-for-law-students-helping-freddie-gray-protesters-in-baltimore/?wpisrc=nl_buzz

A Baltimore College Student Reveals How Freddie Gray's Death Has Her Campus Divided by Gwenalle Thomas, MTV: http://www.mtv.com/news/2147662/baltimore-university-students-react-to-freddie-gray-death/

It is Georgetown Students vs. Westboro Church This Afternoon by Rachel Sadon, DCist: http://dcist.com/2015/04/georgetown_students_vs_westboro_chu.php

How Mississippi Discovered The Drug War’s “Golden Egg” by  Albert Samaha and Alex Campbell, BuzzFeed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/albertsamaha/mississippi-cops-are-using-college-kids-as-drug-informants#.lm394VaV1y

Possible hate-crime grafitti at Stanford by Jason Green, San Jose Mercury News: http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_28000514/possible-hate-crime-graffiti-at-stanford?source=infinite

This Week in the News: April 19-25

Here's what we've been reading this week:

Judge Denies Transgender Inmate's Request for Transfer by Deborah Sontag, The New York TImes: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/us/judge-denies-ashley-diamonds-a-transgender-inmate-request-for-transfer.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&_r=0

Diverse campuses, but still few black students by Laura Krantz, The Boston Globe: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/24/boston-area-colleges-struggle-attract-african-americans-campus/ULApCGSF8aIn74RKnZGgUK/story.html#

UNC Students Launch Twitter Campaign In Response To Anti-Muslim Comments by Alexandra Svokos, The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/24/unc-david-horowitz-comments_n_7128010.html?utm_hp_ref=college