The Department of Education has launched an investigation of schools named as participants in the college admissions scandal. Every school should consider this a wake-up call and an opportunity to conduct a top-to-bottom review of its admissions practices and procedures.
This is the second in a trilogy of commentaries on rising Early College Stars. Our focus this month highlights successful Early College best practice case studies that optimize Early College aspiration, preparedness, and achievement. School Superintendents tell us that Early College preparedness promotes high school academic success and self-confidence. Not surprisingly, the intellectual curiosity and […]
Leaders of the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative strive to provide students with more than just college access and employment. Graduation and a well-paying career—in fields such as health care, education and industrial maintenance—top the list of goals for the low-income parents who participate. “We don’t just want to put people in minimum-wage jobs or in […]
There are times when we could all use a fresh start. Scott Cowen was given that opportunity in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as the then-president of Tulane University in New Orleans. The tragedy led to an institutional soul-searching that would result in a "rebirth" of the university with a new focus on […]
The fairness of race in admissions is again under question. A lawsuit brought against Harvard University by the nonprofit Students for Fair Admissions contends the institution systematically discriminates against Asian-American applicants. This is compounded by Harvard's 2013 internal investigation that found the Asian-American representation in its student population would increase from its current 19 percent to 43 […]
Standardized tests, once thought to be the best way to compare students from diverse backgrounds, are criticized as being biased and inconclusive. A small but growing number of colleges have made such testing optional for applicants. Does a test-optional policy result in a more diverse student body or improve attainment and retention rates? Measuring Success: […]
Are data silos a big problem in higher ed, and what are the most important reasons for taking them down? “It’s common to see a divide between interests in graduation and retention on the one hand, and teaching and learning on the other. These are complementary perspectives, yet many times they are siloed despite a […]
Higher education has unique needs when it comes to student engagement, from the recruitment cycle through alumni relations. More of today’s institutions are taking new approaches, going beyond the typical point solution mindset and toward a ‘whole campus’ strategy by employing a single engagement platform. Today’s engagement platforms are able to integrate data from multiple […]
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 […]
