The contemporary campus recreation center has graduated from yesterday's dingy weight room. In fact, at many institutions, the rec center serves as a multipurpose space, hosting celebrations on special occasions and promoting student wellness in body and mind throughout the semester. The demand for an individualized experience continues to guide design. Students want the equipment […]
There are few economic challenges that move the dial in America quite like the skyrocketing costs of higher ed. From early morning pundits to late night talk shows the student and family debt burden issue is clear and ever present. In the view of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren – "Rising student-loan debt is an economic […]
What are the main concerns students and the community have concerning the affordability of higher education? There are two major concerns that seem to be the most popular worries of students and the general public. The rising cost of tuition: Tuition prices have been increasing at a rate over the past years that far outpaces […]
In 2008, former Yale professor William Deresiewicz wrote a scathing essay titled "The Disadvantages of an Elite Education." It quickly went viral, gaining more than 100,000 views in a matter of weeks (and many times that since). "The system manufactures students who are smart and talented and driven," he noted, "but also anxious, timid and […]
In an era where many campus security efforts are being amplified, some schools are relaxing certain policies around prospective students' criminal backgrounds. In New York, Dowling College, St. John's University and Five Towns College have either changed or completely eliminated questions pertaining to applicants' criminal histories, according to a recent New York Times article and […]
What are the biggest challenges facing higher education as a business? There are a few challenges that institutions face today. For such a long time, many were in a continuous growth pattern, developing new programs and online programs for receptive audiences. That certainly is not the case today. Many institutions are experiencing flat enrollment and […]
Managing course scheduling involves more than just cracking a complex logistical code each semester. It's also a potential bane or boon to the operating budget. Course scheduling is tied integrally to two of an institution's most expensive resources—facilities and faculty. An
Appalachian State University (N.C.): Policy says that faculty should generally not be paid extra for teaching courses on top of normal course loads. It mentions making other arrangements, such as a course reduction the following semester. California State University: Overload assignment may not exceed 25 percent of a full-time position. Kennesaw State University (Ga.): Overload […]
Each year, the University of Nebraska, Omaha, hires several hundred new administrative or office service workers, says Cecil Hicks, who himself was hired in May as the school's HR director. Although onboarding new hires can range from a one-day orientation program to a year-long mentorship, Hicks believes the first day of anyone's job should be […]
Students at the University of Louisville's School of Medicine work in six-person groups around computer monitors to diagnose a medical case. The instructor roams the classroom, using an iPad application to share content on a large monitor and control all the technology in the room—including lighting, audio, video and screen positions. When exceptional work is […]
