What's a College Degree Worth?

Let's play a game. I list a college course, you tell me if it's real. Ready...Go!

Mail Order Brides: Understanding the Philippines in Southeast Asian Context-- Johns Hopkins University

Maple Syrup: The Real Thing -- Alfred University

Philosophy and Star Trek -- Georgetown University

Star Trek and Religion -- Indiana University

The Phallus -- Occidental College

Whiteness: The Other Side of Racism -- Mount Holyoke College

The Horror Film in Context -- Bowdoin College

Joy of Garbage -- Santa Clara University

The Strategy of Starcraft -- University of California, Berkeley

Gaga for Gaga: Sex, Gender and Identity -- University of Virginia

The Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie -- Occidental College

Alien Sex -- University of Rochester

Elvish: The Language of Lord of the Rings -- University of Wisconsin

Far Side Entomology -- Oregon State

Simpsons and Philosophy -- University of California, Berkeley

The Science of Harry Potter -- Frostburg State University

The Road Movie -- Barnard College

American Golf: Aristocratic Pastime or the People's Game? -- Carnegie Mellon University

Arguing with Judge Judy: Popular Logic on TV Judge Shows -- University of California, Berkeley

Underwater Basket Weaving -- University of California, San Diego

The Science of Superheroes -- University of California at Irvine

Learning from YouTube -- Pitzer College

Zombies in Popular Media -- Columbia College, Chicago

Cyberporn and Society -- State University of New York at Buffalo

Queer Musicology -- UCLA

The Art of Walking -- Centre College

The Strategy of StarCraft -- University of California, Berkeley

Average tuition and fees for a public university (in-state students): $7,605 annually
Average tuition and fees for a public university (out-of-state students): $11,990 annually
Average tuition and fees for a private university: $27,293 annually
Average tuition and fees for a community college: $2,713 annually

In a heated environment where access is hindered by skyrocketing tuition prices, are class offerings like these at high sticker price institutions backing up the argument that the value of higher education is worth it?

Cigarettes Go Up in Smoke

Towson University has officially banned smoking on it's campus, making it one of the first universities to fully enforce a campus-wide smoking ban.
If you want to spark an outrage about civil liberties, take away a smoker's cigarettes. Which cleverly, the university hasn't actually done. It has just made smoking on campus sting with every $75 fine they issue to students caught in The Act.
Towson resides in Towson, Maryland just eight miles from Baltimore. There are 22,000 students and 100 degree programs. Only about 4,500 students reside on campus.
It isn't as if the students don't have outlets left to inhale toxins. That's what the streets are for! State- and county-owned streets border the campus and once students hit this natural border, they are free to do as they please.
But student smokers and they're oddly empathetic non-smoking friends are livid.
Point: "I have friends who try to run off campus in between class," senior Matthew Ferguson said. "It puts more stress on them while they're trying to relieve stress."
Counterpoint: Video games, overeating, drinking, watching T.V. and the myriad other procrastination tools frequented by college students to relieve stress are themselves stress inducers as well. To be frank, your friends have been following this oxymoronic practice for years. Cigarettes are just being lumped in to a new category.
Point: "There should be some safe zones other than public streets," said junior Alex Dolan. "A lot of my friends are cigarette smokers . . . they feel confined when they are on campus."
Counterpoint: You know who else does? Non-smokers before smoking was banned. This is what we call the tables being turned.
Hey, Towson tried to work with smokers in the beginning. First, it was the no smoking in the buildings rule. Then they delivered the ban on smoking within 30 feet from a building. But the tasteless carcinogen wrappers proved too tempting. And the ante was upped.
Of course, the university had considered designated smoking areas in the grand style of the Hartsfield International Airport. But according to the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, Jerry Dieringer, "Either you are smoke free or you're not."
Isn't this a dangerous return to in loco parentis? Well, yes. Smoking is 100% legal so a ban of this nature is not the same as a general ban on drugs.
However, smoking is the only substance that comes to mind that is legal and proves deadly to tangential participants, or second-hand smoke receivers. Second-hand smoke doesn't ask permission before entering someone's personal space. For non-smokers, a ban is the only way to escape that.
Isn't this a threat to civil liberties? Well, yes. The university is the second largest public institution in the state, so it's questionable as to whether a public institution can do this.
However, seeing as how there is no smoking allowed in government buildings, I'm willing to bet this argument will crumble as well.
Isn't forcing students to go to the street to smoke dangerous? Well, yes and no.
For one thing, the university was only pointing out to students where the boundaries of campus ended. There were no explicit instructions to go smoke in the street. It is up to the students to decide where they prefer to smoke off-campus. If they choose to make it a street corner, that's they're strange prerogative.
Full disclosure here: I am university student and a smoker. In the case of Smoking Students v. Towson University, this blog sides with the defense.