UNDER THE RADAR with Host Frank Fear

  1. 08/12/2024

    America Today? What Would H.L. Mencken Say

    One hundred four years ago—on July 26, 1920, to be specific—cultural critic and journalist H.L. Mencken wrote a column in The Baltimore Sun entitled Bayard and Lionheart.  I read that column during college, never thinking I would draw from it years later in my work. That work included writing a commentary, which was published in LA Progressive a few months after Donald Trump took office in 2017. I'm back at it seven years later, wondering if words written over a century ago apply to America today. My conclusion is that they do. You be the judge. Episode 12:34 seconds with opening and closing music, "Wheels,' courtesy of Jason Shaw at Audionautix.com Cover photo courtesy The Paris Review.

    America Today? What Would H.L. Mencken Say

  2. 12/16/2023

    Denny Brown, Difference-Maker

    Dennis (Denny) Brown had a fabulous career spanning multiple pursuits. He was a star high school athlete, an All-Big Ten quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines, a UM assistant coach, WVU Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach, Arizona State Defensive Coordinator, high school head coach and administrator, and U of Michigan assistant athletic director. Denny Brown was a difference-maker no matter what he did or where he did it. Mentored along the way by giants of the game--including Bump Elliot, Bo Schembechler, and Don Nehlen--Denny Brown helped elevate average programs, and he transformed successful programs into great ones. Denny Brown, difference-maker. Cover photo of Brown in 1981 as WVU DC, courtesy of Denny Brown and Scott (Dave) Voithofer.

    Denny Brown, Difference-Maker

  3. 11/27/2023

    Christopher A. Snyder on a Liberal Arts Education

    We are pleased today to welcome Christopher Snyder, professor of history and founding dean of Mississippi State’s Honor College, who is joining us from the University of Oxford, where he is a visiting research fellow and working on a book manuscript associated with today’s topic. Professor Snyder will speak today on the principles of a liberal arts education, drawing in his talk on an article published by Inside Higher Education in October 2023, entitled, A Liberal Arts Education in Name Only. The article is a response to administrative actions being taken across the country that are remaking what it means to use the words higher education, college, university, and what a college education is for. Too much is at stake to permit this trend to continue. We are also pleased to welcome discussant Adrian Lenardic, professor in the Department of Earth, Environment, and Planetary Sciences at Rice University, who has written extensively on neoliberal influences in higher education and is a frequent contributor to Future U.  Also offering commentary today are Ruben Martinez, professor and director emeritus, Michigan State University and founder of FutureU; and Nathan Rousseau and Lewis (Terry Dibble), professor and senior lecturer, respectively, at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus.  Today's forum is hosted and produced by Frank A. Fear, Michigan State University professor emeritus and FutureU's Managing Editor. Follow FutureU: Conversations about Values and Change in Higher Education. The Forum was taped on Friday, November 24, 2023.

    Christopher A. Snyder on a Liberal Arts Education

  4. 10/06/2023

    FAF interview with Dimitri, Living Dangerously

    Taped on September 12, 2023

  5. 09/29/2023

    Moundsville Promo

    Moundsville promo

  6. 09/22/2023

    Samuel H. Johnson Talks About His Life, Book Writing Experiences, and His Newest Offering, "HBCUs The Living Legacies"

    In 2020, I referred to Samuel H. Johnson as a Renaissance Person. By that, I mean a person with wide-ranging interests/knowledge who draws on both attributes to create new and valuable things for public consumption. That description fits Sam to a "T." He has been a radio host, award-winning public TV producer, Hollywood actor, activist, trailblazing Federal staff writer, and (in retirement) a novelist and author of children's books. His ability to pivot from one endeavor to another--and do each well--is one reason (among many) why I hold Sam in high regard. Today, Sam discusses his personal background, including the impact of his collegiate years at Miami University (Ohio). He then talks about his book writing projects (two in particular), The Cherokee and the Slave (2013) and Gabriel's Favorite Angel (2018), before focusing on the centerpiece of today's program, HBCUs The Living Legacies, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2022). (All three books are available on Amazon.com.) I know you will enjoy getting to know Samuel H. Johnson. (⁠You can read my review of his HBCU book here⁠.)

    Samuel H. Johnson Talks About His Life, Book Writing Experiences, and His Newest Offering, "HBCUs The Living Legacies"

  7. 08/31/2023

    Jim Holland: "The Investment Was Worth Every Minute"

    The title of this episode was written by today's guest, Jim Holland. The words are drawn from the end of his memorable autobiography, My Fortunate Detour: Making a Right Turn into a Baseball Career Among the Mountains of West Virginia. The book describes how Holland made a "fortunate detour" from a general business career into an executive management career in minor league baseball. In one sense, his is a baseball book. But as my recent book review emphasized, it's about that and much more. The autobiography tells us much about Jim Holland and what makes him tick, and I found the sports-personal narrative connection incredibly appealing. I hope you will too. You can purchase Jim's book at ⁠⁠⁠Amazon.com with Kindle and paperback options available.⁠ Cover photo: Jim Holland's photo as enshrined in the Appalachian League Hall of Fame (2019), lauded (among other things) for serving as General Manager of the Princeton, WV Appalachian League franchise for 24 years, earning the League's Award of Promotional Excellence five times, and being named Appalachian League Executive of the Year in 1993.

    Jim Holland: "The Investment Was Worth Every Minute"

  8. 08/27/2023

    Mark Parsons, "The Person Behind the Feed"

    Thousands of West Virginia University sports fans know the name Mark Parsons because they see his name just about every day in their Facebook newsfeeds. That's because Mark is a prolific poster on various Facebook pages and groups of news, views, and commentary about WVU sports. While many fans know him by name, many aren't as familiar with the person behind the feed. That's the purpose of today's podcast. Greg Crist, host of Courtside with Coach Crist on the New River Network, joins me in an entertaining 45-conversation with "The Person Behind the Feed," Mark Parsons. (Video produced for The Sports Column by Frank Fear.

    Mark Parsons, "The Person Behind the Feed"

  9. 08/19/2023

    Will the University Survive? Austerity, Political Repression, and the Attack on Academic Freedom

    Our guest today is Professor Ellen Schrecker, and she will speak on highly concerning issues in higher education today--the impacts of fiscal austerity, political repression, and the diatribe regarding academic freedom. For over fifty years, American higher education has been attacked by a powerful right-wing network of libertarian billionaires, ideologues, and ambitious politicians engaged in rolling back its efforts to provide the inclusive, high-level public education a democratic society requires. At the same time, because the academy has also had to cope with the austerity brought on by a neoliberal polity that seeks to defund the public sector, its leaders adopted corporate practices that have undermined the university’s ability to defend itself against the current culture wars. This presentation explains how this situation developed and how the academic community can fight back effectively against the most serious threat it has ever faced. Professor Emerita Ellen Schrecker of Yeshiva University is one of America’s most persistent and determined voices on the described matters. She has written extensively about McCarthyism, political repression, and American higher education. Her latest book is The Lost Promise: American Universities in the 1960s (2021). Earlier work, especially No Ivory Tower: McCarthyism and the University (1987) and Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America (1998), resonates today. Her forthcoming publication, The Right to Learn: Resisting the Right-wing Attack on Academic Freedom, is a collection of essays co-edited with Valerie C. Johnson and Jennifer Ruth and will be published by Beacon Press in 2024. Today, she is joined by Professor Jennifer Ruth, film professor at Portland State University’s College of the Arts. FutureU’s founder Dr. Rubén O. Martinez, Michigan State University professor emeritus and FutureU's founder, hosts the forum. Today's program was produced by Emeritus Professor Frank Fear for ⁠FutureU, Conversations about Values and Change in Higher Education⁠.

    Will the University Survive? Austerity, Political Repression, and the Attack on Academic Freedom

  10. 08/17/2023

    WVU "Band of Brothers" Tribute to Greg Crist

    Greg Crist is one of the most recognizable names in West Virginia sports, the host of COURTSIDE WITH COACH CRIST on the New River Network @newrivernetwork5468, and a member of the West Virginia Sports Legends Hall of Fame. Greg was gracious enough to promote efforts surrounding the publication of Frank Fear's Band of Brothers, Then and Now: The Inspiring Story of the 1966-70 WVU Football Mountaineers.  It's now a time when turnabout is fair play. WVU football alumni Mickey Plumley, Charlie Fisher, and Dickielee Roberts join host Frank Fear in this entertaining and informative session with Greg. (60 minutes). #newrivernetwork #Courtsidewithcoachcrist #wvufootball #bandofbrothersthenandnow #wvsports

    WVU "Band of Brothers" Tribute to Greg Crist

  11. 08/10/2023

    Against Entrepreneurship

    Our guest today is Professor Kirsty Morrin. Rather than view entrepreneurship as a uniformly positive concept/practice, something that is beyond the need for investigation and evaluation, Professor Morrin critically examines a subject matter and approach that has become a movement (if not rage) in higher education. Today, colleges and universities worldwide offer entrepreneurship majors, minors, and programs. However, analysis reveals (as Dr. Morrin puts it) that "entrepreneurial agendas conceal precariousness and reproduce inequalities." She argues against the current discourse for entrepreneurial initiatives in education and suggests the need for a critical conversation about its repeated failures. Professor Morrin is a lecturer in sociology at the University of Liverpool, England. Her research explores social inequalities and focuses on public-private partnerships in state education. Kirsty has published on many issues, including educational inequalities, entrepreneurship education, social inequalities (race, class, and gender), and critical social theory. She is a co-author with Christy Kulz and Ruth McGinity of Inside the Education Lab: Critical Ethnographic Perspectives on the Academies Experiment (Manchester University Press, 2022). Dr. Morrin is also the author of the forthcoming Academies, Entrepreneurship, and Inequality: The Politics of Successful Failure, scheduled to be published by Bristol University Press in 2024. Joining Professor Morrin today is Professor Rubén O. Martinez, professor emeritus of sociology and director emeritus of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University, and FutureU’s founder. Professor Martinez is today's program host. Dr. Nathan Rousseau, professor of sociology at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus and frequent FutureU contributor, will serve as the session discussant. Today's program was produced by Emeritus Professor Frank Fear for FutureU, Conversations about Values and Change in Higher Education.

    Against Entrepreneurship

  12. 06/21/2023

    The Quantification of Quality in Higher Education

    We welcome guest speaker John W. Traphagan to our audio series. Today's presentation, Neoliberalism and the Quantification of Quality in Higher Education is based on his recently published FutureU commentary, So You Want to be a University Administrator?  Professor Traphagan analyzes the ongoing infusion of metrics into all aspects of “measuring” quality in higher education. From course surveys to rubrics, the overarching approach is to quantify all aspects of higher ed around a simple equation: good metrics —> good optics —> marketing opportunities. Dr. J. W. Traphagan is an anthropologist and a Visiting Professor at the Center for International Education at Waseda University in Tokyo. He is also a Professor Emeritus in the Program in Human Dimensions of Organizations at the University of Texas at Austin. His research has appeared in numerous scientific journals. His most recent books on Japan include Cosmopolitan Rurality, Depopulation, and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in 21st Century Japan (2020) and The Blood of Gutoku: A Jack Riddley Mystery in Japan (2021). His popular podcast series, How to Be Wrong, is available on the New Books Network. Joining Dr. Traphagan today is Forum host Rubén O. Martinez, professor emeritus of sociology and director emeritus of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University, and FutureU’s founder. George Styles a biochemist with broad-ranging interests, including critical thinking, philosophy, and science, offers commentary as a discussant. Dr. Style’s podcast, The Socratic Method, is available on YouTube. Lewis (Terry) Dibble, a humanities professor at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, offers comments. Frank Fear produced the program for FutureU on June 20, 2023. The cover graphic is courtesy of Curatti.

    The Quantification of Quality in Higher Education

  13. 05/22/2023

    Resisting the Neoliberal University

    For those of us who have long been concerned about the neoliberalization of North American and other universities, now is a particularly disheartening time. Not only do longstanding issues of managerialism, commercialization, audit culture, surveillance, precarity, and others persist, but there are renewed assaults on tenure, academic freedom, and the discussion – let alone remediation – of inequality and social injustice. After so many years of dealing with, critiquing, and challenging neoliberalization, why our resistance is so seemingly ineffective is worth asking. In this talk, I answer this question by critiquing our general approach to making change and highlighting an important missing piece in our activism. I also encourage collective discussion of alternatives to enhance our resistance’s scope and effectiveness. Today's guest and speaker is Professor Claire Polster. Dr. Polster is a Sociology and Social Studies Professor at the University of Regina. Her research focuses on the ongoing transformation of Canadian (and other Western systems of) higher education and its implications for the public interest. She has published widely on, and worked collectively with others to redress, various higher education issues, including government policy and policy-making related to universities, the privatization and commodification of academic research, and the erosion of university autonomy, democracy, and collegialism. Along with Janice Newson, she is co-editor of Academic Callings: The University We Have Had, Now Have, and Could Have and co-author of A Penny For Your Thoughts: How Corporatization Devalues Teaching, Research, and Public Service in Canada’s Universities. She was also a co-founder of the University of Regina Faculty of Arts’ Community Research Unit. Dr. Polster may be reached at claire.polster@uregina.ca. Rubén O. Martinez hosted today's program. He is a professor emeritus of sociology and director emeritus of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University. Dr. Martinez launched FutureU in 2015. Nathan Rousseau, professor of sociology at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus and frequent FutureU contributor, served as the session discussant. READINGS: Thomas Frank, What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America. James Hillman and Michael Ventura, We've Had a Hundred Years of Psychotherapy and the World's Getting Worse. Kevin Kumashiro, Surrendered: Why Progressives are Losing the Biggest Battles in Education. The Res-Sistas Manifesto, taken from I’m an Early Career Feminist Academic: Get Me Out of Here?” Encountering and Resisting the Neoliberal Academy, published in Rachel Thwaites and Amy Pressland, Being an Early Career Feminist Academic: Global Perspectives, Experiences, and Challenges. Frank A. Fear produced today's program for FutureU. The cover graphic (STOP Neoliberalism) is reproduced courtesy of KBOO, Portland, Oregon's volunteer-personed, non-commercial, and listener-sponsored community radio. (This program was recorded on Friday, May 19, 2023)

    Resisting the Neoliberal University

  14. 03/31/2023

    The Culture War on Higher Education

    The Political Right has Public Higher Education in its sights. A series of actions undertaken by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature lead the way, and similar actions are underway in North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and Ohio, among other states. The legislative overreach includes reconstituting governing boards, restricting/delisting campus-based Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and Critical Race Theory (CRT). A proposal before the Ohio Legislature would mandate what and how American history is taught to all state public university students. The incursion is akin to what is happening in K-12 education. School board races have become one of America’s most highly contested political sectors, and battles rage nationally about censoring books in public libraries. There is much to discuss, and we are pleased to have a panel of experienced educators with us today. Marty Ambrose completed her M.Phil. at the University of York (England) and has taught English at Florida Southwestern State College for over three decades. Her specialty is nineteenth-century British literature, and she has authored many historical fiction books set around the Byron/Shelley circle. Roger Barbee, a retired educator from North Carolina, has extensive experience as a public and private school English teacher and administrator. He has contributed to the Washington Post and Birmingham Arts Journal, and his poetry chapbook, Applewood Street (2022), was published by Plan B Press. Cindy Banyai earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and graduate degrees (master’s and Ph.D.) from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. A program evaluator, community developer, and community organizer, she has served as president of the international Community Development Society and was a candidate (Democratic Party) for the U.S. House of Representatives (FL-19) in 2020 and 2022. Banyai was an outspoken critic of the Trump Administration and is now speaking out against the DeSantis Administration. Nathan Rousseau is an associate professor of sociology at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus. He has published widely on various topics associated with social change, emphasizing neoliberalism's impact on individuals and society. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Between Past and Future: The Struggle to Transform Race Relations in the United States. Rubén O. Martinez will host today's program. A professor emeritus of sociology and former director of the Julian Samora Research Institute at Michigan State University, his scholarly interests include environmental justice, neoliberalism, academic freedom, and institutional and societal change. Frank A. Fear, emeritus professor at Michigan State University, produced today's program for FutureU, Conversations about Values and Change in Higher Education. (The program was taped on March 29. 2023)

    The Culture War on Higher Education

  15. 09/16/2022

    Professor Adrian Lenardic, "Humility in the Age of Attention"

    The drive for attention is central to the quest for success as colleges and universities compete for students, faculty, and funding. The branding/marketing mania is reaching into the faculty, too. Many colleagues feel increasing pressure to generate attention and visibility for their work, and they find that intellectual humility has become a hindrance. Academic work has always been based on balancing individual and community interests, and the need for attention is fostering hype, overselling, and the need to publish "sellable" research output.  Today's discussion will focus on how a drive for attention is reshaping the purpose of higher education, including academic practice, how contemporary forces are undermining public trust in higher education and science, and what can be done to restore intellectual humility and community balance, both of which are central to the pursuit of knowledge.   ADRIAN LENARDIC teaches modeling & design, skateboard videography, visualizing nature, and planetary science at Rice University. He was born in Zagreb, Croatia (he rarely misses a Croatian soccer match). His undergraduate degree is from UW-Madison, where he started as an art major before switching to physics (he still co-teaches a class in the art department). His Ph.D. is from UCLA, where he was introduced to planetary science (as well as learning to surf). Before coming to Rice, he was a president's postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley (the snowboard days). Adrian's scientific research relates to understanding interactions between the Earth's interior and surface environment, model development and uncertainty assessment, and multiple tangent meanderings. He is part of a first prize-winning art-car team and the recipient of the mayor's award, from the Jamail skate park, for the most improved skateboarder over 30.   Today's forum, sponsored by FutureU at https://futureu.education/, is hosted by Ruben O. Martinez, and the audio was produced by Frank Fear on behalf of FutureU.

  16. 06/19/2022

    Jim Carlen Deserves to be in the College Football Hall of Fame

    Jim Carlen, head football coach at West Virginia, Texas Tech, and South Carolina, 1966-1981) is on this year's ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Leadership set Jim Carlen apart, not just leadership in the football sense, but in terms of leadership writ large. Carlen was adept at doing the things that great leaders do, including visioning, personnel selection/deployment, establishing/reinforcing group norms and performance expectations, and day-to-day-management. Being a consummate leader translated into Jim Carlin being a great football coach (career record of 109-67-6). This audiocast is designed to offer testimony to that assertion, voiced by those who played under and coached with him at West Virginia University from 1966 to 1969. Those you'll hear include John Hale, Tom Kucer, Dick Roberts, Mickey Plumley, Phil Callicut, Richard Bell, Ken Juskowich, and Danny Wilfong. This 30-minute audiocast is a companion piece to the article, COMMENTARY: Great Leadership Set Jim Carlen Apart, published in The Sports Column. (Cover photo courtesy of WV Sports Now)

  17. 06/10/2022

    Conversation with Mike Balow, Candidate, MSU Board of Trustees

    Mike Balow will be on the November 2022 ballot in Michigan (statewide) as a candidate for the MSU Board of Trustees. In this 40-minute podcast, Mike talks about his background, why he decided to run, and what he hopes to accomplish should he be elected. Mike has lived most of his life in Michigan. He is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and a military veteran who served overseas. A family man, businessperson, and community servant, he is dedicated to helping MSU be the best university it can be. His daughter, Sophia, is an MSU undergraduate student. Learn more about Mike Balow at his website and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (This program was hosted by Frank Fear and produced for FutureU, Conversations about Values and Change in Higher Education. The cover photo is courtesy of The State News.)

  18. 05/27/2022

    "So Lucky in My Life to be Supported by People Who Believe it is Possible to Strive for Greatness on Multiple Fronts," Cassidy Krug

    It is impossible to describe Cassidy Krug without using the word "success." A high-profile athlete in the sport of diving, Cassidy was an All-America (high school and college), a 10-time national champion, a member of Team USA, and a participant in the 2012 London Olympics. But when you listen to Cassidy talk about how and why success came her way, you will be hard-pressed to hear the word "me." Instead, "we" is her word choice--her parents, coaches, teammates, and others with whom she engaged, and all those who supported, mentored, and enabled her development. Listen as Cassidy talks about her life and other issues, including her thoughts about the status and future of Olympic-style college sports. She also briefs us about her interviews (for a book) with former Olympians, and what she has learned regarding their transition from the intensity of training and competing to post-Olympic life. Uplifting and inspiring--that is Cassidy Krug.  (This program was produced by Frank Fear for The Sports Column. The cover photo is courtesy of the U.S. Olympic Diving Team)  #character #swimminganddiving #TeamUSA #Olympics #collegeathletics #Stanford

  19. 05/24/2022

    Massacre of Black Buffalonians Puts Segregation in Spotlight

    When it comes to social issues, America isn't willing to do what needs to be done. Instead, America puts individual rights over social responsibilities and elevates "me" over "we." Even trying to change that formula elicits calls of radical, socialist, and un-American. So we have racism, a gun problem, and segregated cities--three things that came together in Buffalo, New York, and a murderer took ten lives. (cover photo courtesy of The Buffalo News)

  20. 05/16/2022

    Understanding America's Political Divide Through the Lens of History

    With sociopolitical identities on steroids these days, the overarching proposition is us versus them, and heaven help those who seek to bridge the political divide. How did we get here and what can be done? We'll tackle that question with the help of Cassandra and an Old Testament story, the Tower of Babel.

  21. 04/23/2022

    (Film Review) "Master," Watch What You Wish For

    Here is my review of the film Master (2022), written and directed by Mariama Diallo, produced by Animal Kingdom/Big Indie Pictures, and distributed by Amazon Studios. Starring Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, and Amber Gray the film focuses on the cutural and social dynamics facing three African American women at an elite college. "It is a tricky proposition to be "in" but not "of" an oppressive culture—to derive benefits without absorbing toxicity, interpreting everyday life as "normal," and (perhaps) becoming a cheerleader or (worse yet) an active agent." You can read the text version of this audiocast at Hollywood Progressive. Go here.

  22. 04/12/2022

    Larry Busch on “What Good is Higher Education?”

    Larry Busch delivered this keynote address at the conference Neoliberalism and Public Higher Education, which was held at Michigan State University on March 27-28, 2015. Professor Busch, who held the title of distinguished professor, passed away in December 2019. “Thank you for all the moments that have made my life an excellent one.” Larry wrote a few days before he passed away. We say the same thing to Larry, He will continue to teach and inspire us. "His ideas and love of humanity are carried on by those who knew him." wrote Professor Ruben Martinez recently. Martinez organized and convened the 2015 conference.

    Larry Busch on “What Good is Higher Education?”

  23. 03/31/2022

    John S. Levin on the Interplay of Academic & Market Values in Higher Ed

    In this episode, Distinguished Professor Emeritus Levin (University of California, Riverside) draws on his work, including his article with Aida Aliyeva, “Embedded Neoliberalism within Faculty Behaviors," published in The Review of Higher Education, and his book with Marie C. Martin and Ariadna I. López Damián, "University Management, the Academic Profession, and Neoliberalism" (SUNY Press). The program was hosted by Professor Rubén Martinez with Amy Jamison and Frank Fear serving as discussants. This program was produced by FutureU, Conversations about Values and Change in Higher Education at https://futureu.education/

  24. 03/27/2022

    Performance Check--First Round NCAA Mid-Major Picks

    When it comes to March Madness, I focus exclusively on Mid-Major teams that might spring first-round upsets. Here’s how I did this year. (Cover photo, Getty Images; basketball stats cited in this audiocast courtesy of NCAA NET, ESPN, and Caesars Sportsbook)

  25. 03/10/2022

    Tribute to County Mayo's Terry Gallagher

    Terry Gallagher, community developer and activist, cared deeply about County Mayo Ireland and its people. I was blessed to work and learn from him. Terry passed away in February 2022 at 89 years, a month shy of his 90th birthday. This audio was to have been part of Terry's birthday celebration. Now it is my memorial to him. So here are my reflections on Terry's life--a life lived with purpose, passion, and perseverance--dedicated to putting people first, especially small farm, non-farm rural, and village families in the Irish West.