College classrooms of yore were often fortresses reinforced with concrete floors and walls. Listening to a lecture in such hard-surfaced rooms was like trying to decipher sound in an echo chamber. After years of complaints from students and faculty, many colleges and universities have begun upgrading classrooms and lecture halls by installing ceiling baffles, fabric-covered […]
At some colleges, students are playing an important role in developing high-tech transportation tools, including driverless shuttles. These four institutions provide hands-on experience in the transportation technology of the future. Stanford University: The Center for Automotive Research at Stanford has been including students in autonomous vehicle research since its 2008 launch. As part of a […]
Cloud security is better, or worse. “I can’t just say ‘quit being concerned about it’ because we have to stay concerned about it,’’ says Jill Albin-Hill, vice president for technology and operations at Dominican University in Chicago. “But there’s things you can do to minimize risk—making sure you’re choosing partners well and vetting them.” “The myth I […]
For Gonzaga University, like many organizations, the move to the cloud was born out of need. One of this small institution's claims to fame is its stellar men's basketball team. As the 2017 NCAA Tournament approached, Information Technology Services staff at the Washington university knew on-premise web servers couldn't handle the upcoming traffic load, says Darren […]
Southwestern Illinois College, Community College District #522 has lost the chair of its board of trustees—because he's been appointed president of the institution. Nick Mance, who spent two decades as chair, resigned recently to participate as a candidate in the college president selection process. The remaining board members appointed him to the new role, citing […]
A culturally rich, historically black neighborhood in Pensacola, Florida, has been experiencing gentrification. To keep the legacy of the Belmont-DeVilliers community alive, a local engineer is guiding a group of University of West Florida undergraduates creating a virtual version of the neighborhood—along with a small brick-and-mortar museum to showcase the project. It's just one of many […]
Classrooms, libraries and residence halls may appear to be the key points of interest on campus tours—but dining halls can generate even bigger buzz. Students scrutinize menus, looking for labels such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergen-friendly, kosher or halal. Spotting those options could mean the difference between enrolling or choosing another school. “We’ve had students see […]
Health insurance is a hot topic in Congress, and that’s not the only place. Each year, campus leaders are confronted by a daunting need to contain costs while providing benefits expected by employees. Annual premiums at higher ed institutions averaged $7,059 for employee-only coverage and $19,584 for family plans in 2016, according to CUPA-HR. Reported […]
After working in an antiquated mailroom in a windowless basement of a dorm, Linda Barrows was thrilled to occupy space in the brand new, centrally located Center for Communication and Creative Media on the campus of Champlain College in Vermont. Her process has been upgraded as much as her digs. In the "old" days, her […]
Janice Orlov has been named vice president for administration and finance at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. She will oversee the university's finance, budget and business services, as well as human resources, labor relations, payroll, environmental health and safety, organizational development, public safety and emergency management, and facilities. Reporting directly to the president, Orlov will […]
