End Note

NOTHING TENDS TO FOCUS the mind more than impending doom, which lately has taken the form of the speeding train that is our current financial crisis. College and university presidents and provosts across the nation are studying spreadsheets as if they were scholars examining the Dead Sea Scrolls.

IN 1990, THE ASSOCIATION OF American Universities predicted a dramatic shortage of PhDs by the early 21st century. Since that time, academia, industry, and government have had to compete for diminishing pool of doctoral candidates.

ALL YEAR LONG, BUT THROUGHOUT the colder months in particular, health care needs inevitably arise. But for college students, particularly those in traditionally underserved minority groups, access to health care may be as slippery as the roads they come to school on.

ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY THAT ISN'T WEB 2.0 to its fullest is falling behind. We all know that. Colleges need to be RSSing, Digging, tweeting, blogging, social networking, virtual worlding, podcasting, Flickring, YouTubing, and wikiing. (My apologies for creating new and possibly horrific verbs.)

AT THE RISK OF INVITING the ire of clients and friends, I think it’s fair to say that colleges and universities are the “chosen ones” of the federal grants world. They have more favorable rules compared to those in other areas.

AS MANY UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS are painfully aware, the economic struggles facing much of the nation are beginning to take their toll on higher education.

College students today are walking around on campuses with their privacy protected and their safety at risk. But the laws and regulations that govern the privacy of student information, including medical and mental health records, also permit sharing under certain circumstances.

Those of us at residential liberal arts institutions are used to attracting the traditional, “18-year-old fresh out of high school” student.

THERE IS A TREMENDOUS opportunity to enhance our global competitive edge that is often overlooked. It’s time for community college presidents and school superintendents to take their relationships to a new level—consisting of something greater than traditional dual enrollment programs.

ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO look far in the news to witness the intense emotions released by academic elections relating to board of trustee matters--such as at Dartmouth. Just imagine throwing in uncertainty and doubt regarding confidentiality, fairness, and security concerns.