Demands for increased innovation are commonplace today, with leaders of all stripes—including those in postsecondary education—calling for individuals and enterprises to be more innovative. However, few know much about innovation or its cultivation. Not surprisingly, innovations are typically stumbled upon by accident or, as is most commonly the case in higher education, occur within the […]
The IT department at Widener University in Chester, Pa., was at a crisis point. Unexpected IT staff turnover and high demand for more technology resources intersected, leaving the university grappling with how to provide help desk support. The school had walk-in centers that were open into the evenings, but overall, coverage wasn’t keeping up with […]
Adult students are treating themselves to a higher ed buffet through a handful of programs where all-you-can-learn tuition lets them move as quickly as they can toward a degree and advancement in the workforce. Several "all-you-can-learn" programs now in place at U.S. institutions work on the competency-based learning model, in which the credit-hour has been […]
In the fall of 2012, Connecticut neighbors Fairfield University, University of Bridgeport and Housatonic Community College launched a dual-enrollment program, which initially served 78 high school students. From Bridgeport Public Schools, the students got a chance to take college-level courses for simultaneous high school and college credit. These kinds of dual-enrollment programs date back decades […]
Tech support is rarely fun—even, apparently, if it’s a lot closer than an overseas call center. Despite 24/7 help desk availability and in-person technical consulting, Computing Services and Systems Development (CSSD) staff at the University of Pittsburgh believed their services were being underutilized by the main campus’ 26,000-plus students. And those employees thought they knew […]
Integrated. Upgradeable. Simple. Affordable. That’s the message HR professionals at universities and colleges are sending to software developers. “We don’t want to be locked in to what we’re doing today and not be able to adjust to the world tomorrow,” says David Jones, organizational effectiveness specialist, division of housing and food services at Purdue University. […]
The University of Wisconsin's all-you-can-learn, competency-based flex program—designed for adult students—started in January. Students can pay $2,250 for a three-month, all-you-can-learn subscription, or just $900 to work on a single set of competencies, says Vice Chancellor Aaron Brower, the interim provost of the UW Extension School. Tuition covers assessments and faculty mentoring, and students' get […]
In January, President Obama launched the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault to help colleges and universities combat what he called “the prevalence of rape and sexual assault at our nation’s institutions of higher education.” The announcement came as a growing number of young women have filed federal complaints against colleges […]
Along with minimal fees, students want a variety of options for receiving refunds from their higher ed institution. More stringent regulations and public scrutiny are also prompting institution leaders to look at the adequacy of their refund options. This web seminar, originally broadcast on October 10, 2013, addressed the long term trends that are changing […]
Brian Klaas, senior web systems designer at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, knows successfully flipping a classroom requires a custom process for each instructor. Klaas will share his insight and observations in the upcoming UBTech session, “How to unleash your inner Spielberg when flipping the classroom.” Here, he discusses a few highlights of […]
