In today’s world of vast networks and complex data analysis, the student information system is becoming a powerful tool to track—and influence—student success. By looking at the big picture of data generated across an institution’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) software—including the student information system—universities can begin to forecast student outcomes. “We’re recognizing that much of […]
College and universities must face a harsh reality: employer expectations of their graduates are changing. As the world becomes more complex, so do employer demands. It’s not enough for candidates to have the professional or technical skills needed for a particular job. Hiring managers now want strong “right brain” attributes — communication, collaboration and creativity […]
Open educational resources have grown over the last few years from one-off oddities in single courses to the basis of entire degree programs. Cutting out textbook costs for students tops the list of reasons administrators encourage faculty to develop and adopt these free—or very inexpensive—resources, also known as OER. Other enticements include immediate access for […]
Higher education historians often trace the modern growth and democratization of American higher learning to federal student financial aid – providing a system of higher education financing that has opened the doors of college and university campuses to students and families who would otherwise be unable to afford the spiraling costs of college tuition. […]
To say the University of Florida is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality video services to its faculty, staff and students is an understatement. Since 2004, the institution has used Mediasite products from Sonic Foundry to allow users to create, publish, share and manage videos. “We have used Mediasite for over a decade to capture lectures […]
How many databases does your campus administer in the broad area of student support? American University utilizes more than 36 databases for different student-related administrative and learning management functions. Each data system was designed to serve the professional needs of discrete administrative units and is maintained and updated as needed. For the most part, these […]
The ills of society are often magnified in the high-intensity atmosphere of college campuses. Over the last two years, violent events involving police officers and a perceived lack of administrative responsiveness to incidents of on-campus racial bias have led to protests and confrontations. On most campuses, these demonstrations were organized to address issues of diversity, […]
The need for infrastructure such as classrooms, student housing, dining and wellness facilities has never been greater at colleges and universities. Teaming with the real estate development community through public-private partnerships—commonly known as P3s—continues to gain in popularity as a way to get projects built on or near campus. Public-private partnerships are a form of […]
As a conservative political strategy, "starving the beast" means to deprive an entity of funding to force it to reduce spending. Steve Mims' new film, "Starving the Beast," documents a political and philosophical shift that seeks to reframe public higher education—not as a public good for society, but as a "value proposition" to be borne by […]
All eyes turn to the front of the lecture hall as John August, dean of faculties and associate provost at Texas A&M University, directs his class of 100 veterinary medical students to answer a question on the screen. Pulling smartphones from their pockets, students quickly type their responses into a polling application—a newer version of […]
