News Items from the Week of Dec. 11, 2015

International

Defining ‘internationalisation at home’ | In recent discussions on the internationalisation of higher education, the constant introduction of new terms and definitions has rightly been criticised.

White students gain less from higher education, UK Engagement Survey suggests | White students report lower levels of skill development than undergraduates from other ethnic backgrounds, according to the UK Engagement Survey.

A new low for higher education standards | The more I look at it, the more it seems Australia’s higher education system is busted.

PM signals culture shift on innovation and science | The Australian government has announced a National Innovation and Science Agenda backed initially by A$1.1 billion (US$790 million) over four years, aimed at encouraging “smart ideas that create business growth, local jobs and global success”, signalling the start of an era of systematic ongoing – rather than stop-start – funding for science, with a permanent watchdog established at the heart of government.

A wave of mergers is sweeping over European universities | It’s not just big business; merger mania has hit universities across Europe.

U.S. National

On Student Academic Freedom | Recent events at the University of Missouri, Yale University and elsewhere, however, raise anew the question of student academic freedom.

Scalia’s ‘Mismatch Theory’ a Foe to Diversity, Inclusion | As President Obama encouraged Americans to push back “against bigotry in all its forms” during his remarks commemorating the 150th anniversary of the 13th Amendment Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made waves with his remarks about the abilities of African-American students in this country during the oral arguments of the Fisher vs. University of Texas at Austin case.

PhDs pay: study reveals economic benefit of funding doctorates | A US study has used “hard data” to show the economic benefit of providing research funding for science PhD students.

The Leaky Pipeline | Improved transfer pathways from community colleges to four-year institutions may be the best answer to America’s college completion woes, say three influential groups that will prod states and colleges on transfer.

U.S. States

Legislative committee looks into how Tennessee’s higher education system is governed | A state legislative committee reviewed Tennessee’s public higher education governance structure Tuesday without discussing Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to significantly alter it by creating new boards for each of the six universities now governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Tenn. Free-Tuition Program Moves Focus to College Retention | Tennessee has managed to get more students to community college this fall with its new Tennessee Promise program and its offer of free tuition. The next hurdle is making sure they get through.

California Accreditor Under Fire | The embattled accrediting organization that oversees California’s community colleges should lose some of its existing authority and not be allowed to expand its jurisdiction, the U.S. Department of Education’s accreditation unit has recommended.

Higher education plan sets five-year goals for Missouri colleges | Missouri should overhaul its financial aid programs to encourage students to remain in the state after graduation and establish a fund to provide emergency help when unexpected expenses threaten to force them out of school, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education decided Thursday.

Institutional

Studies Show MSIs Best Value in Higher Education | When it comes to the best return on investment regarding a college education, minority-serving institutions (MSIs) across the United States continue to lead the way.

The Alumni Question | As colleges grapple with issues of race and diversity, they face questions from alumni and donors — not all of whom are pleased with new campus efforts.

Grinnell shows what it takes for an elite private college to be socioeconomically diverse | If Wash U. officials want to know more about what it takes for an elite private liberal arts college to excel in this pursuit, they should look no further than Grinnell College in Iowa.

CNR’s School of Arts and Sciences will accept men | Starting next fall, the College of New Rochelle’s School of Arts & Sciences will accept men for the first time.

Refusing to Be Evaluated by a Formula | Rutgers faculty members, citing philosophical concerns and errors, are pushing back against the use of Academic Analytics to evaluate their productivity.

Public post on Dec. 14, 2015.