Mentorship is widely regarded as a high-impact practice in various learning environments—from hospitals to science laboratories to leadership development programs. With proven examples of the power of mentorship in place, it is time to approach this educational practice more systematically and intentionally. One area with tremendous promise for such a systemic approach is helping students […]
Thousands of students, faculty, staff and alumni visit the Student Union at Oklahoma State University each day and take advantage of a large number of available retail services. For Mitch Kilcrease, who is assistant vice president and director of the Student Union, something was missing: a printing and parcel shop. "I felt there was potential […]
We are in the business of teaching and learning. So why not expand our learning and explore our mistakes—and the lessons we absorb from them? With almost 20 years on the communications side of higher education, I've learned a great deal from key stakeholders and my brilliant teams. But I've learned from my mistakes, too. […]
Vanderbilt University, with the help of the Boston Consulting Group, conducted a comprehensive internal audit in 2015 to better understand its regulatory compliance costs. With just under 13,000 students, the Nashville university found that compliance cost $146 million in 2013-14, or 11 percent of the school’s non-hospital operating budget. The University of North Carolina’s 17 […]
Mirta Martin has been named president of Fairmont State University in West Virginia. As a child, Martin escaped from communist Cuba and lived in a convent in Spain before immigrating to the U.S. As president, Martin plans to expand access to underserved students, improve retention rates, and increase enrollment and fundraising. Martin served previously as […]
Most of the 2 million students participating in dual enrollment programs attend classes at their high schools or on higher ed campuses. Colleges in at least 35 states, however, offer students another option—online classes, according to research by the Education Commission of the States. Access is a main aim. Distance learning provides opportunities to students […]
What’s more important in higher education: preparing for a profession or attaining a well-rounded liberal arts education? The answer is that in today’s world both are critical. The cost of a higher education is high and the workplace demands not only the capacity for critical thinking associated with liberal arts, but new skills like “design […]
Several years ago I participated in a UB article called “Spotlight on Procurement.” The focus was on the emerging recognition of procurement as a key strategic contributor to the financial health of a university— rather than simply serving the tactical, back office transaction shop and “compliance cop” roles in which it was historically cast. After […]
Students used to trek across campus to reach resources such as counseling, health services and study areas—or to simply pick up packages in the mail room. They had to leave campus altogether to find specialty services such as dry cleaning and dog grooming. And then, of course, there were the endless trips to the basement […]
Colleges blame high schools. High schools blame middle schools. Middle schools blame elementaries—and everyone tends to blame funding, poverty, bad parenting and other factors for low student achievement. A new movement that promises closer cooperation between higher ed and K12 aims to end this legacy of passing the buck. Educators from New York City to […]
