The recent controversy over Lincoln University’s graduation requirement that all overweight graduates lose weight or take a fitness course illustrates the importance many colleges and universities are placing on wellness programming as a vehicle to promote student health and cut the rising costs of student health insurance. Yet many colleges are opting for health and wellness […]
With so many displaced workers and unemployed adults, especially in manufacturing, more colleges and universities are working to identify specific workforce needs in their area and launch new workforce education programs in response. While many program directors don’t have the time or resources to conduct a traditional environmental scan, there are some fast steps you […]
In this week’s news, the University of South Carolina announced its “Genesis 2015 Initiative,” promising a 90% drop in carbon-dioxide emissions from its campus fleet in the next five years. This is the latest in several recent commitments by colleges and universities to green their campus fleets. Other colleges and universities have hesitated to take […]
Among other findings, the recent Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) has highlighted the phenomenon of “part-timerness” prevalent not only among students attending evening and weekend classes but also among adjunct faculty. The survey authors have called upon two-year institutions to take steps to better engage and support part-time faculty. As the percentage of […]
Last week, after heated protest from the faculty senate, the Syracuse University Library pulled back from plans to move thousands of books off campus. The tensions at Syracuse University illustrate the importance of communicating with faculty and with academic leaders early and often; as academic libraries continue to grapple with issues of core identity and […]
This week saw the 10-year anniversary of the tragic 1999 bonfire collapse that killed 12 students at Texas A&M University. At the time Cindy Lawson, the university’s executive director of university relations, deployed the university website to relay timely and accurate information to the campus community, and worked proactively with the media to direct the public […]
Overall first-time graduate enrollments from international students at US institutions did not climb in 2008-09 (though emerging markets in the Middle East still saw increases), according to a survey released this week by the Council of Graduate Schools. Reasons suggested for the stagnant numbers include the global recession and increased competition from other nations. Many undergraduate […]
The New York Times’ Energy and Environment column this week offered a list of institutions who are pursuing geothermal energy projects this year. Often funded by stimulus grants, the projects are desirable both because they can reduce carbon footprint and because they can reduce heating costs significantly. The number of institutions investigating solar, wind, and […]
CDW has released a report indicating, among other findings: Only 38% of students surveyed believe faculty are making effective use of interactive learning technologies in the classroom Faculty identify training as what they need most to help them integrate learning technologies Patricia McGee, associate professor of instructional technology at the University of Texas at San […]
One state legislator is criticizing the University of Iowa this week for its plan to send 35 hospital workers to several days of training offered at a center in Orlando, FL, at a cost of $130,000. UI officials have replied that now more than ever, training represents a critical reinvestment in the organization. The conversation […]
