In uncertain political times, some higher ed lobbyists say their most important role may be blocking legislation that could harm their client colleges and universities. Term limits result in lobbyists constantly forging relationships with legislators, as well as reintroducing their institution to a new set of lawmakers. "The key is to know that you have […]
Legislators, parents and students are not the only ones asking questions about the cost and quality of higher education. As educators, we don't hesitate to ask ourselves and our universities to push for improvements. One major hurdle remains, however, as the academy does more to encourage and reward research output than it does to support […]
Ten years ago, few universities employed chief information security officers. Now these administrators—known as CISOs—lead teams dedicated to shielding information, systems and research from internet thieves, and to keeping up with federal regulations. CISOs must ensure their schools are in compliance with a wide assortment of federal standards that pertain to the business of higher […]
The guiding principle for deploying new technology at the University of San Diego is simple: It has to improve the student experience. With that in mind, administrators there have developed an app store featuring apps that go beyond typical functions such as viewing course schedules. Two transaction-based features housed within its umbrella mySDMobile app are […]
Following a spate of violence aimed at animal research facilities in the late 1990s, universities have worked to create greater transparency around scientific testing while maintaining stringent security to protect staff and animals. A higher ed institution's website can play a large role in demonstrating the value of this research and how animals are cared […]
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made national news when, standing beside senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, he announced in January the most recent in a growing number of free tuition proposals. Coming on the heels of similar proposals by Sanders, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, Cuomo's "Excelsior Scholarship […]
Campus discussions about spend analytics might sound like a late night infomercial: Implement the technology and save millions! The programs slice and dice data, calculate spending, break down costs, eliminate fees and lead to better agreements! But wait, there's more! Spend analytics also allows schools to use benchmarking tools to compare pricing to peer institutions! […]
Russ McDonald, head of United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, is serving on a new federal commission to address the challenges facing Native American children. The group will coordinate child protective services among all state, federal and tribal jurisdictions. McDonald also wants to improve background checks to ensure children are placed in suitable […]
Talk about awkward. It was July 1, and the moving vans had just rolled onto campus with the new president and his family. There was just one problem: the outgoing CEO had not yet moved out of the presidential residence. Although this really happened to one incoming president, who prefers not to reveal his name […]
Kate Wing, a senior at Smith College, will soon join the 14 percent. That is, the 14 percent of students who started their postsecondary education in a community college, then transferred to a four-year school and earned a bachelor's degree within six years of entry. "In general the pathways to transfer are not clear, and […]
