[MD] The Academy is Evil! Here's what I'd do instead...

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Arlo had asked Mark]
If YOU were suddenly President of Academy University, what changes 
would you put into place.

[Arlo]
I had mentioned a similar question to John recently, that for those 
who condemn the Academy what would they propose that's better? For 
now, let's keep this contained to the University level, but we can 
slip into general educational pedagogy, if necessary, as Crawford 
does in his book.

I'll comment on Mark's answer below, but invite all who hold the 
Academy in disdain to answer the question.

[Mark]
The only thing that I would suggest is to remain flexible.

[Arlo]
How flexible? I can easily demonstrate how disciplines have evolved 
over time as new and better information becomes available. But what 
measures would you suggest to improve the flexibility? Let's say a 
"loose changer" or a "flat-earther" comes to you and asks for 
inclusion in the history and geography programs respectively. Do you 
accommodate? What criteria would you suggest the Academy relies on to 
determine what gets in?

[Mark]
See the Academy for what it is, a repository of old information creating new.

[Arlo]
I agree. The Academy is about access to old information and thinking 
about new ways to re-envision that information. A part of its mission 
is certainly dissemination, to get as many exposed to these ideas as 
possible. But that is simply the first step in what is best seen as a 
taxonomic endeavor, which (to use Bloom) also includes analysis, 
synthesis and evaluation of that knowledge, which includes the 
creation of that something new.