At Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (Pa.), seeing a doctor is now just a click away. Using Rapid Remedy, an online service that allows students to video chat with board-certified physicians, Harrisburg students can skip unneeded office visits while saving the school money, shares Harrisburg’s President Eric Darr.
Articles: Financial Services
1/2/2013
Feedback from private student loan borrowers reveals they hold a host of common misconceptions about their loans. In comments and complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), borrowers demonstrate a lack of knowledge about the difference between private and federal student loans, how bankruptcy can impact their loans, who holds and services their loans, what repayment options they have, and more.
12/17/2012
The Rutgers (N.J.) spying case and the Penn State abuse scandal, among others, highlight the liability risks of all types facing colleges and universities. From the other end of the risk spectrum, Tulane University’s (La.) long struggle to rebuild and recoup losses stemming from Hurricane Katrina illustrates the complexity of property damage risk management.
12/12/2012
Could the admission of Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) into the Western Athletic Conference help change the perception of for-profits among the higher education community?
11/26/2012
Preached by a select few in academe who saw the recession approach like a speeding freight train, the do-more-with-less philosophy—finally—is gaining traction and critical leadership support in higher education both nationally and abroad. Yes, finally.
11/20/2012
Although the legislation only applies to institutions based in New York, the New York Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act of 2010 has led to discussion in other states about how endowments should be managed to respect donor intentions while meeting institutional needs. Some key points include:
11/20/2012
The financial crisis is in the past, more or less, and campuses are looking ahead to a new era for their endowments. But what does this mean? Four years on, we’ve come to grips with the changes wrought by the September 2008 market crash. Finance departments are revising their theories and boards of trustees are revising their expectations under what has been called the “new normal”—a time of low stock market returns, low interest rates, and low growth in personal income.
11/19/2012
While community colleges are supposed to be two-year institutions, many students take longer than that to graduate. Some four-year institutions, meanwhile, allow ambitious students to earn a bachelor’s degree in three years. Pima Community College (Ariz.) has come up with a new twist to the accelerated degree trend, giving East Campus students enrolling in the Sprint Schedule pilot program the chance to be done in just one.
11/15/2012
The American Council on Education (ACE) has announced a research effort examining the academic potential of massive open online courses (MOOCs), in which it will evaluate select Coursera courses for college credit. If the ACE College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) decides to recommend these courses for credit, it could mean an improvement in college affordability for hundreds of thousands of students.
11/8/2012
After doubling its number of graduates, Polk needed to automate its graduation applications process. A customized Access database was created with built-in reporting capabilities. An automated download capability was added to link graduate information with the reporting database. The result: Advising hours have been reduced by 1,600 per year and the additional clerical help is no longer needed.
11/7/2012
While voters across the nation were glued to their screens last night counting electoral votes, the higher education community was holding its breath awaiting the answers on a number of important ballot initiatives, proving this year’s election was truly about more than blue and red for higher ed.
11/7/2012
NMU's Foundation Scholarship application and selection process was inefficient and labor intensive. A web application was designed that matched selection criteria to the student's academic and biographical profile. The new system reduced data entry, paper, timing, and labor costs, while increasing data accuracy and providing more information to selection committees.
11/1/2012
Finding funding for new technology investments in higher education can often seem overwhelming and stressful given the current economic environment. However, there are strategies available to support new technological initiatives. Administrators just need to do their homework and remain persistent to secure the funding needed to deploy these essential advancements.
10/25/2012
Successful business incubation at universities is about much more than a capable technology transfer office (TTO) and strong commercialization policies. New businesses are born at universities because faculty and students have the freedom to develop innovative ideas and pursue new lines of inquiry. To emerge from the university successfully, these pioneering ideas must be accompanied by prototype development, market research, commercialization strategy, and effective fundraising.
10/24/2012
More than eight in 10 administrators surveyed—mainly controllers/budget officers and CFOs—say they’re very or somewhat concerned about their institutions’ ability to fund future capital investments. Two-thirds expressed concerns about maintaining enrollment.
