Public higher education has faced significant turning points over the last 70 years. The mid-century GI Bill that cemented higher education’s place as a public good and a private gain is one. Another is the transfer of research from declining corporate labs to university labs in the 1980s, to carry forward technology, health and quality […]
For the seventh straight year, the rate of students reporting they may harm themselves—and, in turn, who seek counseling—grew, according to a new report by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH). The majority of students’ distress can be reduced to manageable levels within two to 10 sessions at campus counseling centers, but many students […]
In what ways do you see colleges falling short in utilizing data to make better admissions recruitment and acceptance decisions? What kinds of data should they be using more of or better? “Many colleges are not viewing their admissions decisions through the lens of retention and degree completion. Institutions should understand the profile of their […]
Sharing resources among campuses makes sense for more than economical reasons, as colleges are finding these opportunities can better serve busy students. Students at neighboring Cornell University and Ithaca College can now borrow materials from the libraries on either campus. It is a natural extension of the institutions’ long-standing interlibrary loan program, says Wendy Wilcox, access services librarian at […]
When adjunct faculty assembled in November 2017 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, it wasn't for curricula conversation. Instead, after voting to form a union earlier in the year, they were rallying for better pay. The instructors called for more advancement opportunities and greater recognition of their contributions to the institution. Adjuncts made headlines […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
An acute rash of hate crimes on America’s campuses has made it necessary for institutions to refine reporting procedures. The streamlined policy at The University of Maryland, College Park, calls for community members to report hate-bias incidents to the university’s police department or to the Office of Civil Rights & Sexual Misconduct, says Roger Worthington, […]
Lori Fulton, director of institutional effectiveness, Pacific Northwest University "In the beginning, I was focused on developing systems and processes to capture and collect data for analysis and reporting purposes with the aim of becoming the central source for institutional data. Now, I see that role becoming more of a mentor and facilitator of performance improvement—helping […]
