Discourse around mental health may be increasing, but awareness doesn’t always lend itself to action. New research shows that while faculty and students may recognize signs of psychological distress in others on campus, many feel unprepared to approach and help those in need. There has been a visible push to improve student well-being on campus—manifesting […]
Working on a campus near the coast with sunny, 70-degree weather year-round is an appealing prospect to many people. It's also why real estate in Southern California is among the most expensive in the nation—placing housing there out of the reach for academics seeking a first or new teaching opportunity. This reality motivated the University […]
While students have a variety of options when it comes to paying for college, making unwise financial decisions can lead to negative consequences for the student as well as the institution. Overborrowing, poor planning and budgeting, and misunderstanding financial aid can create seemingly insurmountable debt that can affect academic performance, push students to leave school […]
This month we begin a trilogy of best value proposition case studies providing an inside look at how several institutions have developed more relevant ways of measuring value-added outcomes, quality of learning experience, and return on tuition investment. Typically, the college selection process for high school students is as routine as the senior prom, where students and parents eyeball traditional college […]
Louisiana is the first state in the nation to formally prohibit all public higher ed institutions from asking applicants about their criminal history. The law to “ban the box” asking about criminal history was passed in June with strong bipartisan support, as the state has the highest incarceration rate in the nation, according to the […]
While the concept may seem unnecessary, a formal document—signed by each student—that states tuition payments are, in fact, expected is now required by a majority of colleges. In December 2016, Idaho State University began folding a financial responsibility agreement into the course registration process. Student financial obligations have not changed. Rather, the move is an […]
Like most universities—particularly in rural areas—western Maryland's Frostburg State University has learned to do more with less. Shrinking state support left fewer resources for professional development. Traditional options such as national conferences, seminars and outside consultants quickly became too costly. We understood that we risked compromising quality, but how could an institution on a shoestring budget […]
Prep and marketing for Rutgers University-Camden’s first college fair for undocumented students, held this June, required an individualized approach, says Mary Beth Daisey, vice chancellor for student affairs. Her team had to make sure the fair was in compliance with all laws, so as to not endanger the university. Creating a safe atmosphere that assured […]
With the specter of a federal crackdown on illegal immigration looming, higher ed institutions are finding ways to better serve undocumented students, and also protect their identities. Defining the needs of the undocumented is difficult, as many of these students fear that revealing personal information could jeopardize themselves as well as their families, says Norma Yesina […]
The "nontraditional" student represents perhaps the single biggest growth area for higher ed enrollment. But no single set of characteristics defines that student.
