How many databases does your campus administer in the broad area of student support? American University utilizes more than 36 databases for different student-related administrative and learning management functions. Each data system was designed to serve the professional needs of discrete administrative units and is maintained and updated as needed. For the most part, these […]
The ills of society are often magnified in the high-intensity atmosphere of college campuses. Over the last two years, violent events involving police officers and a perceived lack of administrative responsiveness to incidents of on-campus racial bias have led to protests and confrontations. On most campuses, these demonstrations were organized to address issues of diversity, […]
Five years ago, Texas A&M Industrial and Systems Engineering students at the main campus in College Station, Texas, had one option for accessing course-required software to do their homework—a university computer lab. In the near future, thanks to Citrix XenDesktop and XenApp and the university’s BYOD initiative, engineering majors on the main campus, home to […]
As a conservative political strategy, "starving the beast" means to deprive an entity of funding to force it to reduce spending. Steve Mims' new film, "Starving the Beast," documents a political and philosophical shift that seeks to reframe public higher education—not as a public good for society, but as a "value proposition" to be borne by […]
“I know the idea of bringing your own device is becoming more prominent, but I still think pulling out a phone, tablet or laptop is distracting. You always lose students for a measurable amount of time, and that’s the primary concern.” —Dwight Farris, instructional technologist, The University of Arizona “The reality is, students are going […]
A retired nursing professor traveled to India to compile a how-to book for the country’s nurses. A one-time professor of religion took up digital photography. A former drama school dean helped a local theater company stay afloat. Janette Brown, assistant vice provost at the University of Southern California, has seen the phenomenon often: faculty members finding […]
From construction workers and machinists to occupational therapists and fire fighters, skilled laborers are in high demand. And shortages of employees like these are making it difficult for companies to fill jobs. In a July 2016 survey, the National Association for Business Economics found that 31 percent of its members experienced labor shortages; and the […]
Universities welcome media coverage of college sports, groundbreaking research and alumni achievement—all of which generate recognition and revenues supporting their educational mission. Too often, however, racially charged events at universities have dominated those headlines. Racial diversity, inclusion and equality in higher education are hot topics. Low numbers of minority faculty, students and administrators, as well […]
The smartphone has become ubiquitous on college campuses. In the U.S., some estimates indicate that 95 percent of 18- to 24-years-olds have a smartphone, and that number will continue to grow. Students and instructors use their smartphones every day to communicate with friends, family and colleagues, manage their schedules, consume content, and much more. Their […]
Many institutions have a repository of old, underutilized multimedia technology. Why is it important for tech leaders to let go of what no longer serves the needs of faculty and students, and invest in new videoconferencing tools? The key thing IT leaders need to keep in mind is not only the awareness that technology has […]
