International
Dr. John Hattie: Assessment should measure teachers’ impact | Of course, every kid is unique in that sense and all education needs to be personalized, but “personalized education” doesn’t mean “individualized.” A lot of kids learn dramatically well from other students, so the mistake often with personalized education is assuming that it’s just about individual by individual.
Why Social Science Risks Irrelevance | One of the hardest parts of doing social-science research is coming up with a question that matters. As Kenneth Prewitt rightfully points out in an essay in Items, a publication of the Social Science Research Council, “Matters to whom?” I would also add, “Matters how?”
Why tech industries are demanding more liberal arts graduates | Liberal arts and sciences are not an outdated element of training standing in the way of the nation’s science and technology imperatives. Rather, they are the concrete foundation of global connectivity in communication, leadership, innovation and enterprise.
Higher education still worth the money, new research suggests | Graduates of Canadian universities and colleges tend to see their salaries rise quickly over time, new research out of the University of Ottawa suggests.
Turkey’s University Leaders Are Expected to Face Loyalty Inquiries | The Turkish government’s post-coup demand for the resignations of 1,500 university deans appears to be a blanket measure that will allow for case-by-case examinations of political loyalty, Turkish experts on the country said on Wednesday.
U.S. National
ACE Blog Series on Data Offers Campus Leaders Ideas to Spur Institutional Change | A recent three-part blog series on ACE’s Higher Education Today blog looks at financial data issues in higher education and offers insights for leaders looking to improve the way they use data in everyday decision-making.
Interest High, Implementation Gradual for Competency-Based Education in the U.S. | U.S. colleges and universities are inspired by the potential of competency-based education (CBE)—a method to enhance the rigor and transparency of student outcomes—yet the pace of implementation for CBE courses and programs remains gradual.
In higher education, it’s time to watch the watchdogs | Revoking the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools would be a good step, considering the agency’s track record of turning a blind eye to scam schools.
Malcolm Gladwell Is Making Enemies In Higher Education. That’s A Good Thing. | Author Malcolm Gladwell’s new podcast, “Revisionist History,” is only on its sixth episode, but it already tops the iTunes charts and is helping its host make some enemies on college campuses. (Podcast – ~40 minutes).
Is The Student Loan Crisis Fact Or Fiction? | There’s a new book out about the student loan crisis, or what author Sandy Baum suggests is a “bogus crisis.”
Creating the Right Climate Survey | When the White House urged colleges to conduct these surveys in 2014, there were few choices. Now there are many, but no consensus on which works best.
U.S. States
University of North Carolina system joins national network to improve student success | As a member of the PAR Framework, a division of Hobsons, the UNC system joins 39 pioneering institutions in using intervention measurement, benchmarks, and predictive analytics to improve student outcomes.
Long-neglected maintenance threatens to further escalate the cost of college | After years of budget cuts and continuing austerity, universities and colleges collectively face a shortfall of a record $30 billion for what they variously call deferred maintenance or “deferred renewal” to deteriorating buildings and other infrastructure, according to an estimate by the national association representing facilities officers.
Illinois Making Strides Toward Reforming Remedial Education | In Illinois, the community college system is making progress toward reducing the number of students going into remedial education, officials from the Illinois Community College (ICCB) said. Between 2011 and 2015, the state has seen a 24-percent reduction in the number of community college students enrolling in developmental education.
Illinois Colleges Besieged by Cuts as Budget Fight Trickles Down | For Illinois’s colleges and universities, the end of a record-long political fight over the budget isn’t bringing the financial consequences to a close.
Students Pursue Alternative Higher Education Options | Rising tuition costs and an evolving workforce demand are changing the landscape of postsecondary education for local students. An increasing numbers of students are seeking more affordable options, including community college and dual-credit programs focused on majors marketable to Montgomery County’s dominant industries.
New Kensington’s tuition remains the same as previous two years | Students at Penn State New Kensington will pay the same basic, in-state tuition for the third consecutive year as the Penn State Board of Trustees approved the freeze July 22 for eight Penn State Commonwealth Campuses.
Vermont’s Merger Map | Experts praise a proposed arrangement — which system officials avoid calling the “M-word” — but faculty members on the affected campuses worry about local identity.
Institutional
The Problem Behind GMU Law School Name Change | My understanding, from the press release and from my interaction with some of the faculty, is that they pride themselves on the diversity of “ideas.” My understanding is that they pride themselves on not being a completely liberal thinking university as many other universities appear to be. It doesn’t appear to me that they are factoring in diversity of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender preference as others may presume with the term “diversity.”
Jodi Kelly, embattled dean of Seattle University’s Matteo Ricci College, retires | Jodi Kelly, the dean who became the focus of student protests at Seattle University this spring, has retired, ending one of the main points of contention between the protesters and the university.
Majoring in Diversity | Hamilton College’s new requirement that all majors incorporate diversity into their curricula sparks debate about what constitutes diversity and where it’s best studied.
Diverse Conversations: 4 Predictions for College Diversity by 2020 | As all of us who are a part of the college and university landscape look ahead to the end of this decade, we should be excited about the improvements happening on campuses all across the country.
Colleges tap big data to help students stay in school | In December 2014, Angela Baldasare and some colleagues at the University of Arizona were gathered in front of a big screen, clicking through a series of charts and graphs. Baldasare is the university’s assistant provost of institutional research.
Collaboration, Not Competition | Nine institutions in Pierce County, Wash., are working together to foster a college-going culture among local K-12 students.
Judge Blocks Kentucky Governor’s Order Abolishing U. of Louisville Board | A Kentucky judge has temporarily blocked Gov. Matt Bevin’s executive order dissolving the University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees and establishing a new one.