University System News

USG NEWS:
www.mysouthwestga.com
http://www.mysouthwestga.com/news/story.aspx?list=196423&id=1043739#.U3OLhSgRseV
ASU president prepares for community listening sessions
by Cody Long
ALBANY, GA — Albany State University is moving forward with plans to listen to feedback from the community to better improve overall education in Southwest Georgia. ASU Interim President Art Dunning says the university is in the process of getting two units from the University of Georgia to come to Albany to help with listening sessions. It’s the first step in the process of understanding what it will do in developing a strategic plan meaning Albany State University, Albany Tech, Darton College, and the Dougherty County School System.

www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/georgia-state-downtown-atlantas-white-knight/nfwR6/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstub1#df801d1e.3566685.735367
Georgia State: Downtown Atlanta’s white knight
BY JANEL DAVIS, KATIE LESLIE AND J. SCOTT TRUBEY – THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Georgia State University President Mark Becker’s sparse Auburn Avenue office peers out over dorms and classrooms the school stitched together from overgrown lots and aging skyscrapers as law, accounting and other white collar firms fled downtown. Within the past 16 years, the college has completed projects equal to more than half the size of the Mall of Georgia, not including student housing and sports fields, turning a commuter school into a residential campus. Now he and a development team want to convert 77 acres of Turner Field and its parking lots into a $300 million project that will extend the university’s reach. If they do, they could create a new downtown neighborhood in a stretch of the city abused by decades of broken promises and indifference. Becker believes the timing is right.

www.macon.com
http://www.macon.com/2014/05/11/3093259/education-notebook-middle-georgia.html?sp=/99/148/
Education Notebook: Middle Georgia State to offer new degree
This fall, Middle Georgia State College will offer a Bachelor of Applied Science degree program tailored for professionals in technical or industrial careers who want to move into management. The degree is designed for students who have earned associate of applied science or associate of applied technology degrees from accredited institutions. The program will be housed at the college’s Warner Robins campus, according to a Middle Georgia State news release.

www.douglasenterprise.net
http://www.douglasenterprise.net/articles/2014/05/12/top_stories/doc53710dd8e485a814723819.txt
SGSC Gains Approval For New Bachelor’s Degree In Biological Sciences
Program To Begin Fall 2014
South Georgia State College President Dr. Virginia Carson is pleased to announce the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents has approved a new Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences for SGSC during its April 16 meeting at the University of North Georgia’s Dahlonega Campus. The new bachelor’s degree expands academic offerings at SGSC, which already offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) degree as well as a number of Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs designed for transfer to other bachelor’s degree programs.

www.chronicle.augusta.com
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2014-05-12/enrollment-center-offers-one-stop-shopping-gru-students
Enrollment center offers ‘one stop’ shopping for GRU students
By Tracey McManus
Staff Writer
Gone are the days of Georgia Regents University students bouncing between three different offices to get their financial aid, admissions and registrar issues in order before classes begin each semester. The university has launched an Enrollment Services Center with all three offices under one roof, providing a “one stop shop” experience for students and allowing financial aid staff to focus on processing data instead of customer relations.

www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/business/economy/college-grads-face-uneven-job-market/nfrn7/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstub1#19907060.3566685.735367
College grads face uneven job market
BY MICHAEL KANELL – THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Neal Caldwell of Woodstock has an enviable dilemma. The Kennesaw State finance major, who graduates this month, must choose among “five solid offers” from employers. They include sales positions in Denver, Boston and England, he said. “The compensation is quite good,” he said. “It’s really about deciding where I want to live.” …As the pair’s stories show, this year’s graduates step into a modestly improving but uneven economy. Some skills are in demand, while many grads — and not just those with liberal arts degrees — scrap for a paycheck healthy enough to keep them out of their parents’ basements. Nearly 30,000 undergraduate degrees will be awarded this spring by metro Atlanta colleges and the University of Georgia in Athens. The job market is a lot stronger than when they were freshmen: As the summer of 2010 ended, the national jobless rate was 9.5 percent. Now, the unemployment rate is 6.3 percent.

www.navytimes.com
http://www.navytimes.com/article/20140512/EDU03/305120032/Georgia-online-tuition-decreasing-1st-time
Georgia online tuition decreasing for 1st time
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Jenni Small has good reason for avoiding 8 a.m. world literature classes at Dalton State College in northern Georgia. The 23-year-old works night shifts as an operator for carpet manufacturer Shaw while finishing her bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Instead of heading straight to class from work, she uses eCore — an online system that focuses on “core” classes that every Georgia state college or university student must take — for one or two courses each semester. Cost was the only thing that kept her from taking even more classes online, Small said. On-campus credit hour charges at Dalton State this year are $97.27, compared to $189 for eCore. “Having to pay out of pocket, at least at first, for school was a factor,” she said. System officials are hoping to address that in the fall, when the cost of eCore classes will drop $20 per credit hour. It’s the first time the system’s Board of Regents has lowered tuition for the online program since its 1999 launch, and a stark contrast to the tuition increases also approved in April at all 31 brick-and-mortar state campuses.

www.wtoc.com
http://www.wtoc.com/story/25506500/companies-meet-at-gsu-to-discuss-economic-development
Companies meet at GSU to discuss economic development
By Dal Cannady
STATESBORO, GA (WTOC) – The job search comes down to education or training. Nearly a dozen of the area’s largest companies met today at Georgia Southern University to talk with university and technical college leaders about what they need in workers now and in the future. Georgia economic developers said the information helps better prepare workers and helps businesses grow more jobs in Georgia.

www.redandblack.com
http://www.redandblack.com/uganews/uga-installs-first-public-level-electric-vehicle-charger-in-athens/article_5a617442-d9ec-11e3-acbf-001a4bcf6878.html
UGA installs first public level 2 electric vehicle charger in Athens area
UGA News Service
Automobile owners looking for a place to plug in instead of gas up now have a dedicated electric vehicle charging location on the University of Georgia campus. On May 7, the university unveiled a level 2 electric vehicle charger—the first public charger in the Athens area—on the Jackson Street side of its North Campus parking deck. Level 2 chargers are able to fully power a vehicle in two hours, compared to level 1 chargers, which use lower wattage and take at least four times as long. The charger has two plugs and corresponding parking spots. “Of the 21,000 spaces on campus, we chose the best two to represent our commitment to sustainability,” said Don Walter, manager of UGA Parking Services.

GOOD NEWS:
www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/health/2014-05-10/community-recognizes-athens-first-graduating-class-medical-students
Community recognizes Athens’ first graduating class of medical students
By APRIL BURKHART
An array of emotions were felt Saturday by those attending a community celebration to recognize the first graduating class of medical students from Athens’ Georgia Regents University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership. While some expressed feelings of excitement at seeing their son or daughter graduate from medical school, others felt pride in a job well done for succeeding in the creation of a medical campus in Athens.

www.valdostadailytimes.com
http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/x1396844152/VSU-graduates-1-600-students
VSU graduates 1,600 students
Desiree Carver
The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA — Family and friends joined 1,600 Valdosta State University students Saturday for the moment every college student dreams of attaining.

www.albanyherald.com
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2014/may/10/albany-state-university-graduates-more-than-300/
Albany State University graduates more than 300 students
ASU graduates will seek new beginnings
By Jim West
ALBANY — More than 300 degree candidates of Albany State University marched up for their hard-earned “sheepskins” at the Albany Civic Center Saturday. Each of them seemed filled with pride of accomplishment and a level of relief. One by one, at the announcement of their names, the candidates stepped forward from the ranks of study programs like business administration, health and physical education, history, psychology, social work, criminal justice and art.

www.macon.com
http://www.macon.com/2014/05/13/3094803/cooperative-extension-celebrates.html?sp=/99/139/
Cooperative Extension celebrates 100 years
The Cooperative Extension in Georgia was founded in 1914 through the Smith-Lever Act, a federal law that established and funded a state-by-state national network of educators who would bring university-based research and practical knowledge to the public. Today, Extension in the state of Georgia is a cooperative effort by federal, state and local government partners administered by the University of Georgia and known as UGA Extension. Throughout 2014, Extension is celebrating the centennial of the national Cooperative Extension System.

RESEARCH:
www.wabe.org
http://wabe.org/post/albany-state-university-gets-cancer-research-grant
Albany State University Gets Cancer Research Grant
By JOHN LORINC
A small college is southwest Georgia is making big strides in cancer research. For the next four years, the school will receive $105,000 annually, from the National Institutes of Health. This is the second grant of this size the school has successfully applied for. “We can spend more time on research and basically another kind of teaching,” says Dr. Yixuan Wang, from the school’s Chemistry Department. The announcement of the grant came from Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop, from Georgia’s second congressional district.

www.chronicle.com
http://savannahnow.com/your-good-news/2014-05-13/georgia-tech-manufacturing-institute-awarded-grant#.U3OJ4SgRseU
Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute awarded grant
By Savannah Morning News
Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI) has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant aimed at training undergraduate students, particularly veterans, in the fundamental principles of advanced manufacturing science and technology and entrepreneurship. It is a three-year grant worth approximately $360,000. The NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) grant, entitled “Research Experience for Student Veterans in Advanced Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship (REVAMP),” will provide technical training, entrepreneurship and research experience for 10 students each summer. The students will learn the latest manufacturing techniques as well as how to work with the new technologies. They will work side by side with world-class researchers and business leaders in additive manufacturing, precision machining, scalable manufacturing and sustainable design and manufacturing.

www.wsav.com
http://www.wsav.com/story/25494819/georgia-southern-university-researchers-release-red-dye-into-altamaha-river
GSU Researchers Release Red Dye into Altamaha River
By Liz Buckthorpe
STATESBORO, GA – Georgia Southern University researchers say they will release 50 gallons of fluorescent red dye (rhodamine WT) into the Altamaha River outflow May 12-16.
The university says during the study, waters with a red tint may appear at various points along the Georgia coast as well as marinas, bays and estuaries. Researchers note that if the dye is sighted in any of these locations, there is no reason for concern because it is non-toxic to humans and aquatic organisms.

www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/uga/2014-05-12/uga-research-examines-fate-methane-following-deepwater-horizon-spill
UGA research examines fate of methane following the Deepwater Horizon spill
By UGA NEWS SERVICE
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout discharged roughly five million barrels of oil and up to 500,000 metric tonnes of natural gas into Gulf of Mexico offshore waters over a period of 84 days. In the face of a seemingly insurmountable cleanup effort, many were relieved by reports following the disaster that naturally-occurring microbes had consumed much of the gas and oil. Now, a team of researchers led by University of Georgia marine scientists have published a paper in the journal Nature Geoscience that questions this conclusion and provides evidence that microbes may not be capable of removing contaminants as quickly and easily as once thought.

www.impact.nola.com
http://impact.nola.com/environment/print.html?entry=/2014/05/methane-eating_microbes_ate_on.html
Methane-eating microbes ate only half the gas released into the Gulf during BP oil spill, new research shows
Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
Methane-eating bacteria believed to have quickly destroyed nearly all of the natural gas released in the Gulf of Mexico in the three months after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill were not as efficient as originally thought, according to a new, peer-reviewed paper in Nature Geoscience. The bacteria explosion at the beginning of the spill in April 2010 likely ate only half the 500,000 tons of gas released in the first three months after the disaster, according to the new study by a team of researchers led by University of Georgia marine scientists. The study includes the results of surveys taken at two-week intervals that revealed significant amounts of methane from BP’s Macondo well all the way through December 2010, nine months following the spill. The report concluded that the microbes were likely overwhelmed by the amount of methane in the water by early June, soon after the earlier research indicated an unusual peak in their abundance.

STATE NEEDS/ISSUES:
www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/georgia-voters-like-guns-but-not-the-new-gun-law/nfsTw/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstub1#c561051d.3566685.735367
Georgia voters like guns, but not the new gun law
BY KRISTINA TORRES – THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Georgians have long loved their guns. Not so much the state’s new “guns everywhere” law. Voters disapprove of lawmakers’ expansion this year of where permitted gun owners may carry their weapons, despite being more likely to believe gun ownership generally helps protect people from becoming victims of a crime, according to a new statewide poll conducted for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Editorials/Columns/Opinions
www.mdjonline.com
http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/25087445/article-KSU-SPSU-merger-will-create-a-powerhouse?instance=home_editorial
KSU-SPSU merger will create a powerhouse
by MDJ Editorial Staff
KSU President Dr. Dan Papp almost got it right during his State of the University address Wednesday when he described what will result from the merger of Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University. “The consolidation of these two fine universities will create an educational and economic powerhouse for the state of Georgia, and for that matter, the nation,” he said. That’s true as far as it goes. But Papp would have been more accurate had he said, “The consolidation of these two powerhouse universities will create an educational and economic juggernaut for the state of Georgia, and, for that matter, the nation.” That is, KSU and SPSU are already powerhouse insitutions of higher learning, and have been for quite some time.

www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/georgia-state-sports/2014/may/12/answering-few-more-turner-field-questions/
Georgia State Sports
Answering 3 more Turner Field questions
By Doug Roberson
One of the questions in last week’s twitter-based mailbag about Georgia State’s Turner Field proposal asked, ‘what will happen to Panthersville?’ I surmised that Georgia State may keep it because softball still needs a place to play. Well, Georgia State President Mark Becker has the beginnings of another idea He told colleague Janel Davis this during a follow-up interview last week: “We’ll work with the Board of Regents on that. Panthersville butts right up to Georgia Perimeter College, that is the most logical … but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but that’s certainly the most logical.” It does make sense.

www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/may/12/you-dont-lose-job-not-knowing-pluto-was-demoted-we/
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
You don’t lose a job for not knowing Pluto was demoted. We need to teach more than mastery.
Here is a short excerpt from the University of Georgia graduate commencement address this weekend by UGA dean emeritus Arthur M. “Andy” Horne. Horne’s tenure at UGA began in 1989. During his last five years, he led the College of Education. Horne’s research focuses on troubled families and preventing male bullying and aggressive behavior in schools. He remains active with the Safe and Welcoming Schools program, a project developed to increase school safety and create an engaging culture for all students. In this excerpt, Horne discusses the future of education and the changes he thinks are needed:

www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/may/13/it-politically-acceptable-deride-hillbillies-and-r/
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Is it politically acceptable to mock hillbillies and rednecks on campus?
A posting on a University of North Georgia faculty forum deriding a barefoot student as a “hillbilly” is sparking quite a debate in academia this week. (You can see here and here.)
It began with this response from a North Georgia professor to a question about a student on campus showing up without shoes:

www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/may/14/less-40-percent-nations-graduating-high-school-sen/
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Less than 40 percent of nation’s graduating high school seniors ready for entry-level college classes
From the National Center for Education Statistics:
Thirty-nine percent of 12th-grade students have the mathematics skills and 38 percent the reading skills needed for entry-level college courses, according to results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), released today by the National Center for Education Statistics. These results are the first to link student performance on NAEP, also known as The Nation’s Report Card, with academic preparedness for college.

www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-brian-c-mitchell/the-battle-over-college-r_b_5308445.html
The Battle Over College Residential Life
Dr. Brian C. Mitchell
Director of the Edvance Foundation
It’s often said that students go to college to learn. Yet the statement misses an important point in its simplicity. Students also go to college to live. Politically, there are raging debates that continue in social media and often spill out into print about the development and direction of the academic program and the ideologies and faddishness that sometimes guide it. These debates over ideology, purpose, and outcomes will always take place. But what we miss sometimes is that much of the perception of college life arises from the thousand teachable moments that exist outside the college classroom. It’s the place where students live.

www.bostonglobe.com
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/05/09/moocs-disruption-only-beginning/S2VlsXpK6rzRx4DMrS4ADM/story.html
MOOCs’ disruption is only beginning
By Clayton M. Christensen and Michelle R. Weise
JOURNALISTS, AS 2013 ended, were busy declaring the death of MOOCs, more formally known as massive open online courses. Silicon Valley startup Udacity, one of the first to offer the free Web-based college classes, had just announced its pivot to vocational training — a sure sign to some that this much-hyped revolution in higher education had failed. The collective sigh of relief from more traditional colleges and universities was audible.

www.venturebeat.com
http://venturebeat.com/2014/05/11/education-as-a-service-5-ways-higher-ed-must-adapt-to-a-changing-market/
Education-as-a-Service: 5 ways higher ed must adapt to a changing market
Ryan Craig, University Ventures
Most colleges and universities today provide the educational equivalent of enterprise software. You remember buying enterprise software. It was a big-ticket item that you had to customize and implement. And then every couple of years you’d need to upgrade to the new version. But Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies changed all that. Businesses can now “rent” software per user per month, and vendors have unbundled their offering into component parts so that customers only need to buy what they need.

www.deseretnews.com
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865603033/Oh-the-humanities-How-much-does-your-major-or-school-choice-really-matter.html
Oh, the humanities: How much does your major, or school choice, really matter?
Compiled by JJ Feinauer, Deseret News
Humanities degrees are black holes where unsuspecting students trade in their parents’ hard-earned money for some useless knowledge on how to contextualize the writings of Gabriel García Márquez. Or at least, that seems to be the pervasive message out there for incoming college students looking to choose a major. But according to a report by Brigham Young University, those who choose to major in philosophy or comparative literature have more diverse career options than one might expect.

www.fox43.com
http://fox43.com/2014/05/12/should-guns-be-allowed-on-pa-state-owned-college-campuses/#axzz31cZFLCVw
Should guns be allowed on PA state-owned college campuses?
by Melanie Orlins
If you have a son or daughter in college, you already have enough to worry about. Parents are always concerned for their kids safety… so now add guns to that worry. For the past year, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education has been debating whether to implement a policy to allow or ban guns completely on college campuses. FOX43 investigated the battle against the second amendment and why that argument remains in a stalemate.

www.indystar.com
http://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/2014/05/13/states-need-spend-universities/9041665/
States need to spend more on universities
Daniel J. Hurley
Public colleges are using myriad strategies to cut costs and keep college affordable. These include slashing administrative expenses; eliminating low-enrollment programs, realigning instructional resources and student support services; and achieving cost savings in energy management, procurement and employee health care.

www.koamtv.com
http://www.koamtv.com/story/25446539/cottey-college-announces-retirement-of-president-judy-rogers
Cottey College announces retirement of President Judy Rogers
NEWS RELEASE FROM COTTEY COLLEGE
NEVADA, MO—“It is with mixed emotions that the Cottey College Board of Trustees announces the retirement of President Judy R. Rogers,” wrote Janet Brown, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “The Board of the Trustees and the campus community will lose a visionary leader in our retiring president, and the generosity of her time, depth of character, and charismatic passion for our college and its students will be sorely missed.” Dr. Rogers became the eleventh president of Cottey College in July 2004, when she left her position at Georgetown College in Kentucky to accept the leadership of Cottey. One of Dr. Rogers’ strengths was in leadership education, and she immediately set out to strengthen the leadership programming at Cottey.

www.emporiagazette.com
http://www.emporiagazette.com/education/article_8c468ede-d622-11e3-8290-001a4bcf6878.html
Werner Golling named vice president at Emporia State University
Emporia State University has named a new vice president for administration and fiscal affairs. Werner M. Golling begins his new role on July 1. “Werner brings business acumen as well as a depth and breadth of experience in higher education,” Dr. Michael D. Shonrock, president of Emporia State University, said in announcing the hiring.

www.providencejournal.com
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/education/20140511-clark-greene-acting-commissioner-of-higher-education-named-to-interim-position-at-rhode-island-college.ece
Clark Greene, acting commissioner of higher education, named to interim position at Rhode Island College
BY LINDA BORG
Journal Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE — Clark Greene, acting commissioner of higher education, has been named interim vice president for college advancement and external relations at Rhode Island College. In a letter to the college, RIC President Nancy Carriuolo said, “Clark brings a wealth of experience to this position, as well as a clear commitment to public service and public higher education.”

Education News
www.walb.com
http://www.walb.com/story/25498185/deal-visits-south-georgia-technical-college
Deal visits South Georgia Technical College
By Shannon Wiggins
AMERICUS, GA (WALB) – Governor Nathan Deal is touting the importance of Georgia technical colleges and his push to expand HOPE grants to cover more students. He says he wants to continue beefing up tech schools to prepare more students to fill jobs in high-demand fields. This afternoon, he met with students at South Georgia Technical College in Americus.

www.cbs46.com
http://www.cbs46.com/story/25495823/chemical-spill-at-georgia-piedmont-college
Mercury spill at Georgia Piedmont College
By Vanzetta Evans
CLARKSTON, GA (CBS46) – Crews responded to a mercury spill at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. DeKalb Fire and EMS arrived at the Clarkston campus around 4 p.m. Monday. The spill happened in a hallway of building C.

www.cbs46.com
http://www.cbs46.com/story/25474595/students-turn-learning-into-excitement-on-georgia-stem-day
Students turn learning into excitement on Georgia STEM Day
By Rebekka Schramm
TUCKER, GA (CBS46) – Students all across Georgia took their noses out of their textbooks Friday and took part in STEM Day, a day filled with hands-on, practical applications of science, technology, engineering and math. According to Katie Dion of TAG Education Collaborative, the non-profit arm of Technology Association of Georgia, approximately 620,000 students statewide took part in activities geared toward applying their classroom studies to fun projects.

www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional/state-set-to-replace-crct-with-harder-test/nfwHh/#40813be0.3566685.735367
State set to replace CRCT with harder test
BY WAYNE WASHINGTON – THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
For 14 years now, Georgia parents have sweated out their child’s performance on the state’s standardized test, the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. But the close of this school year brings to an end the Era of the CRCT. Don’t celebrate just yet, however. A new, harder test — with stakes every bit as high — will be administered this coming school year in grades three through eight.

www.azcentral.com
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/05/10/mentoring-program-encourages-students-attend-college/8864695/
ASU mentoring program encourages Phoenix students to attend college
Paulina Pineda, The Republic
Program gives students at Phoenix Collegiate, a charter school in south Phoenix, the opportunity to explore a college campus and learn new skills.
Fourth-grade student Alexandria Martinez, 9, wanted to learn to play guitar after her grandfather died. She said almost everyone in her family, except her parents, plays. Alexandria is part of the Talent Match program, a partnership between Phoenix Collegiate Academy and Barrett, the Honors College, at Arizona State University. The partnership gives students at Phoenix Collegiate, a charter school in south Phoenix, the opportunity to explore a college campus and learn new skills.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64010/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=c6a89ae503554bca8155ea35fef8ac34&elqCampaignId=173
Common Application Makes Changes After Tough Year
by Kimberly Hefling, AP Education Writer
WASHINGTON—Creators of the Common Application for college admissions said Friday they have made changes that should prevent snags that had the high school class of 2014 tweeting horror stories. The Common Application is accepted by more than 500 colleges and universities and allows students to apply to multiple schools at once, but it had a rough applications season after new technology was rolled out last year that created many headaches. About 750,000 students submitted 3.3 million applications last year. Officials said they’ve hired a new interim chief executive officer, conducted a review of what went wrong and put internal checks in place.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64160/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=9ee8ce9019ee453b88e9fb6f5893b461&elqCampaignId=173
Sallie Mae, Justice Department in $60M Settlement
by Associated Press
WASHINGTON ― Student lender Sallie Mae has reached a $60 million settlement with the Justice Department to resolve allegations that it charged members of the military excessive interest rates on their student loans, the federal government announced Tuesday. The deal settles a government lawsuit that asserted the student loan giant violated the rights of service members by imposing interest rates above the 6 percent permitted by federal law and by improperly seeking default judgments against them. Separately, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. also announced a $30 million settlement arising from allegations that the company maximized consumer late fees.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64157/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=9ee8ce9019ee453b88e9fb6f5893b461&elqCampaignId=173
Colleges, Nonprofits Seek to Fill Void Created by PPL Shift
by Reginald Stuart
When the U. S. Department of Education began tightening credit requirements in October 2011 for parents seeking loans through its popular Parent PLUS Loan program, college and university officials and thousands of students across the nation were caught off guard and unprepared for the troubles ahead. Over the next two years the higher education community began to feel the full impact of the new rules. …In an attempt to recoup their financial losses, presidents of colleges and alumni associations turned to alumni and friendly donors. Those like Joyce and Thomas Moorehead in Northern Virginia — HBCU graduates who are regular donors to higher education — responded to the urgent calls to help keep as many students in school as possible. Their extra effort alone helped keep 11 students in college.

www.bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-14/banks-say-deals-with-colleges-could-end-if-u-s-rule-adopted.html
Banks Say Deals With Colleges Could End If U.S. Rule Adopted
By Carter Dougherty
Negotiations between industry, consumer groups and universities on U.S. rules for banking services aimed at college students have stalled over a Department of Education proposal to ban most account fees. Financial companies say that if the proposal is adopted it could upend the multimillion-dollar marketing deals between universities and firms including Wells Fargo (WFC) & Co., U.S. Bancorp and Huntington Bancshares Inc. (HBAN) Advocacy groups maintain that the banks are deliberately painting a worst-case scenario.

www.news-journal.com
http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/letourneau-one-of-colleges-selected-for-degree-initiative/article_45dc2816-8225-5fa2-9244-b6518079b5d8.html
LeTourneau one of 14 colleges selected for degree initiative
By Bridget Ortigo
LeTourneau University is among 14 colleges and universities in the nation to be selected for a new competency-based education degree program. The initiative will allow students to obtain degrees not only based on credit hours, but also based on skills and competencies they have learned.

www.texastribune.org
http://www.texastribune.org/2014/05/12/focus-male-attainment-higher-education-increasing/
Gender Gap in Higher Ed Outcomes is Scrutinized
by Reeve Hamilton
When Victor Sáenz, an education professor at the University of Texas at Austin, began to focus his research nearly a decade ago on the plight of men in education, he experienced some pushback, even from fellow academics. “Early on, I’d get a lot of questions,” said Sáenz, who in 2010 started a mentoring group for male Hispanic students called Project Males — Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success. “I wouldn’t say criticisms, but certainly apprehension or resistance to focusing on this issue.” But as degree attainment among men has continued to lag that of women, more state policy-makers are looking at the issue in a bid to prevent the gap from significantly affecting the state. National interest is also rising.

www.nytimes.com

After Protests, I.M.F. Chief Withdraws as Smith College’s Commencement Speaker
By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
A week before she was to speak at the Smith College commencement, Christine Lagarde, chief of the International Monetary Fund, has withdrawn from the event, citing protests against her and the fund, the college said Monday. Her withdrawal comes after Condoleezza Rice, the former secretary of state, withdrew from speaking at the Rutgers University commencement in the face of protests against her role in Bush administration foreign policy, and weeks after Brandeis University rescinded its invitation to the rights advocate Ayaan Hirsi Ali to receive an honorary degree at its commencement, after protests over her anti-Islam statements. Such reversals have become more common in recent years, said Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, referring to this time of year as “disinvitation season.” What has changed is not so much the protests themselves, but the willingness of colleges and speakers to give in, adding that many apparently voluntary withdrawals are made at the college’s urging.

www.bostonglobe.com
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/05/12/cardinal-sean-malley-expresses-disappointment-harvard-decision-allow-black-mass-campus/tUjYx2817C65LAHousRIeP/story.html
Amid outcry, black mass at Harvard is called off
Temple spokesman says scaled-down version held
By Travis Andersen and Derek J. Anderson | GLOBE STAFF AND GLOBE CORRESPONDENT
A reenactment of satanic rituals known as a “black mass” that had been scheduled for Monday evening on the Harvard campus was abruptly canceled amid a chorus of condemnation from Catholic groups and university officials and students. However, a scaled-down version of the event, without the original sponsorship of the Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club, was apparently held late Monday by members of the New York-based Satanic Temple off campus, at the Hong Kong lounge in Harvard Square.

www.tampabay.com
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/personalfinance/just-graduated-and-fumbling-through-a-first-job/2179171
Just graduated, and fumbling through a first job
By Alina Tugend, New York Times
Tara Goodfellow shudders when she remembers how she acted at her first job out of college. She once chased a 50-year-old colleague up the stairs to get to their boss first to explain her side of a story. She impulsively quit her job over the phone. Now 38 and a career coach in Charlotte, N.C., here’s what she wishes her 21-year-old self had known: “How to manage my expectations, learn about office politics and realize that perhaps I didn’t know it all at 21.” Nowadays, many companies operate with fewer employees and tighter budgets than ever before, so there’s not as much willingness — or time — to let novices come up to speed gradually. Rapid technological changes mean that some employees are much more computer-savvy but also that ideas of etiquette — what’s the problem with engaging in a conversation and rapidly texting at the same time? — may differ widely. …Experts believe newbies need to think in even more basic terms, such as old-fashioned manners, grooming and communication.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64005/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=c6a89ae503554bca8155ea35fef8ac34&elqCampaignId=173
Report: Foreign Ph.D. Graduates Maintain Steady Presence in U.S. Workforce
by Ronald Roach
There’s little doubt that immigrant Ph.D. graduates contribute mightily to the global preeminence of U.S. science and engineering research and innovation. A new study reveals that a significant proportion of immigrant Ph.D. recipients in science and engineering fields are finding opportunity and remaining in the U.S. for five years and longer following the completion of graduate school.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64111/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=6e3e78cb1e9249c4a62cf466b272cb6c&elqCampaignId=286
As Study Abroad Becomes More Crucial, Few Low-Income Students Go
by Sarah Carr, Hechinger Report
…The number of Americans studying abroad has tripled over the last two decades, as students increasingly see the academic, social and professional advantages of overseas experiences, and university officials shore up their international programs in response. But, for both cultural and financial reasons, it’s an opportunity first-generation and minority college students like Parras are less likely to get.

www.concordmonitor.com
http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/11929654-95/first-generation-college-students-persevere
First-generation college students persevere
By Iain Wilson
Monitor staff
Deciding to apply to college and getting accepted was easy. What needed to happen in between was the intimidating part for Suraj Sangroula and Ayi D’Almeida, Concord High School graduates and first-generation college students at the University of New Hampshire. Sangroula, 20, and D’Almeida, 21, are part of a first-generation college student population that has maintained steady enrollment numbers in the state over the last five years. For students whose parents don’t have an associate or bachelor’s degree, negotiating college visits, applications for admission and financial aid, and finding the right fit pose unique challenges. There are resources available, though, and by finding these resources, the two Concord graduates found their way to Durham.

www.dailycamera.com
http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_25733222/cu-pays-32k-sex-assault-settlement
CU pays $32K to settle sex assault case that sparked Title IX investigation
Board of Regents reached agreement with Sarah Gilchriese in February
By Sarah Kuta, Camera Staff Writer
The University of Colorado paid $32,500 in a settlement agreement to the woman who sparked a federal investigation into the Boulder campus’s handling of her sexual assault. The settlement agreement, obtained by the Daily Camera under the Colorado Open Records Act, shows that the university and Board of Regents reached an agreement with Sarah Gilchriese in late February. The settlement does not constitute an admission of liability or fault by the university.

www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/12/mccaskill-sexual-assault-survey_n_5310854.html
Influential Lobbyists Jump Into The Middle Of McCaskill Sexual Assault Survey
Tyler Kingkade
An influential higher education lobbying group is interfering with efforts to collect information about how colleges handle sexual assault cases, says the office for Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). McCaskill, as chair of the Senate Subcomittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight, sent out an extensive survey last month to 450 colleges and universities asking for feedback on campus sexual assault. McCaskill has paid close attention to college sexual assault this year, conducting site visits and round-table discussions in addition to surveying schools as she prepares to file legislation on the issue. However, McCaskill’s office said, the American Council for Education has retained a private law firm to conduct a webinar for member institutions, cautioning them on whether and how they should respond to the senator’s sexual assault survey.

www.ctnow.com
http://www.ctnow.com/news/hc-blumenthal-campus-sexual-assault-0513-20140512,0,232211.story
Blumenthal Calls For ‘Bill of Rights’ For College Sexual Assault Survivors
Connecticut’s New Law A ‘Strong Step Forward,’ But Senator Wants To Go Further
BY KATHLEEN MEGAN
The Hartford Courant
HARTFORD — After conducting seven roundtable discussions at college campuses around Connecticut, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Monday he is crafting legislation to establish a “bill of rights” for victims of college campus sexual assault. Blumenthal’s announcement at the state Legislative Office Building came on the same day that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed a state bill that requires colleges and universities to respond more effectively when victims report sexual assaults.Blumenthal, D-Conn., called Connecticut’s legislation “a very strong step forward” but said his proposal would provide more confidentiality and a fairer disciplinary process on and off campus.

www.nlrb.gov
http://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/nlrb-invites-briefs-issues-northwestern-university-athletes-case
NLRB invites briefs on issues in the Northwestern University Athletes Case
Office of Public Affairs
The Board invites the filing of briefs in order to afford the parties and interested amici the opportunity to address issues raised in Northwestern (Case 13-RC-121359). On April 24, 2014, the Board granted Northwestern University’s request for review of the Regional Director’s decision finding the University’s grant-in-aid scholarship football players are employees under the NLRA and directing an election to take place.

www.theregister.com
http://www.nhregister.com/social-affairs/20140509/quinnipiac-university-to-lay-off-15-professors-add-12-new-faculty-members
Quinnipiac University to lay off 15 professors, add 12 new faculty members
By Ebony Walmsley, New Haven Register
HAMDEN >> Quinnipiac University is laying off 15 professors in areas of declining enrollment, but adding 12 in growth fields, a school official confirmed late Friday. “The university is adding faculty in areas of growth and reducing the number of faculty in areas that have had declining enrollments over the past two years,” said Lynn Bushnell, vice president for public affairs.

www.mercurynews.com
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_25747038/san-jose-state-president-apologizes-says-he-regrets
San Jose State president apologizes, says he regrets leaving faculty out of decisions
By Katy Murphy
SAN JOSE — San Jose State’s embattled president has issued a public apology, vowing to “right the ship” after a rocky year and widespread criticism led the statewide chancellor to an unprecedented public review of the campus’s leadership. In a joint statement with California State University Chancellor Timothy White, SJSU President Mo Qayoumi acknowledged in a campus-wide letter late Friday that he had moved too rapidly in his excitement to improve the campus and “stepped on” and “harmed” a tradition of cooperation among staff, students and faculty.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64002/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=c6a89ae503554bca8155ea35fef8ac34&elqCampaignId=173
Texas House Panel Set to Vote on Hall Impeachment
by Jim Vertuno, Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas ― After months of investigating University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall’s relentless efforts to oust the president of the Austin flagship campus, a group of state lawmakers is set to vote on whether to recommend removing Hall from office. The House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations meets today to decide whether Hall’s conduct pursuing evidence against University of Texas President Bill Powers warrants a recommendation that he be impeached.

www.camelcitydispatch.com
http://www.camelcitydispatch.com/blue-cross-and-blue-shield-of-nc-partners-with-wfu-to-promote-health-and-well-being-509/
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Partners with WFU to Promote Health and Well-being
By Staff
With support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), Wake Forest University aims to transform the way college campuses approach well-being and become a model for others in higher education. A $3 million gift from BCBSNC will help Wake Forest create a campus community dedicated to well-being and support initiatives across eight dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual, financial, occupational and environmental.

www.usatoday.com
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/11/obama-presidential-library-university-of-chicago-trauma-center/8898629/?AID=10709313&PID=4003003&SID=f22qqvb1gp23
Activists protest university’s bid for Obama library
Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY
A long-running battle in President Obama’s old Chicago neighborhood is winding its way into the competition over the future Obama presidential library. A group of young Chicago activists are arguing that the University of Chicago — a leading candidate to host the library and museum — should be ruled out unless it takes action to restore adult trauma care at its medical center.