Standardized tests, once thought to be the best way to compare students from diverse backgrounds, are criticized as being biased and inconclusive. A small but growing number of colleges have made such testing optional for applicants. Does a test-optional policy result in a more diverse student body or improve attainment and retention rates? Measuring Success: […]
You think there's not enough sun in cold, dark Maine to generate solar power? You say solar panels belong in the deserts of the Great Southwest? Actually, solar panels operate more efficiently in cooler weather, and Maine gets more sun than Germany, known worldwide as a solar powerhouse. Five New England colleges have teamed up […]
1. Tackle issues head-on and promptly. This may be especially important for tech staff who ignore policies, fail to carry their load or can't seem to get along with co-workers. "Don't let the bad behavior of a few poison those who want to work," says CIO Yvette Brown Koottungal at Barry University in Florida. She […]
Academia continues to evolve for women aspiring to move into leadership positions. Once a career environment that offered few opportunities and minimal support for women's leadership, the situation is improving for faculty and administrative positions, at colleges and universities, public and private, large and small. In my own career path, I navigated through the university […]
Measuring faculty effectiveness has never been a perfect science—and it has always held potential for contention among instructors and administrators. Today, tighter budgets, greater demands in terms of student outcomes and service responsibilities, and a push for hard data increase the pressure to develop fair and accurate evaluation systems. The types of information collected on […]
Personalized learning has long been a "holy grail" in education. Ideally, we would love to be able to work with each student to achieve a more personalized level of learning that taps into individual interests, skills and desires. But doing so can take far more time than we have. Our education system was not designed […]
FedEx Office opened a location in the Danforth bookstore of Washington University in St. Louis more than a decade ago, offering services that were not found on campus before its opening. WashU wanted to provide students and staff an easy way to get projects completed without the inconvenience of having to leave the university, so […]
It's no secret that insufficient cybersecurity is a concern on the minds of many in higher education. From IT support staff to upper-level administration, everyone wants to protect student data from the hackers who hope to pilfer it. In the March UB "On Topic Q&A," security and risk consultant Joanne Martin indicated that students and […]
Today's college students face stress everywhere they turn, from friend and roommate tensions to financial strains and fear of becoming a victim of school violence. Consider these stats: Nationwide, more than 8 in 10 college students report feeling overwhelmed, and the average student waits two weeks for a college counseling center appointment, according to a […]
Although employee assistance programs are an important benefit, they are also often a lifeline for people with mental health or substance abuse issues. Considering that 1 in 6 U.S. adults lives with a mental illness (44.7 million in 2016), and nearly half of adults have a friend or family member with a drug problem, a […]
