Listen closely. You can almost hear the collective groans and gasps coming from your local college bookstore. Like an autumnal bloom, the debate over the pricing of textbooks reopens each year with the ritual of bookstore sticker shock. How bad is it? A study by the Department of Education, as quoted by The Business Shrink, reports a 6 percent rise–an increase of nearly 186 percent since 1986.
Who is to blame? (more…)
The word “professor” often conjures up images of bow ties, suspenders, and tan corduroy jackets with tacky brown patches on the elbows. Well, at least it did for me before I entered the world of higher education as a wide-eyed, eighteen-year-old freshman. I soon realized, however, that professors came in a variety of shapes, sizes, and demeanors, no matter what their subject, age, or tenure.
Around the Academy recently posted on how college students are addressing their professors nowadays. According to the post, one student at Somewhere University decided to call his professor by her first name when emailing to discuss a final grade. Smart move on his part? Probably not. (more…)
In a big step forward for secular education (or a step back for religious schools, depending on your point of view), a federal judge ruled recently that the University of California system may refuse to grant credits for certain history and science courses from religious high schools.
Judge S. James Otero agreed with UC’s contention that science courses which deny evolutionary theory and history courses which focus only on Christian interpretations of events do not teach critical thinking, and ignore major scientific consensus. (more…)
A blogger with the University of Illinois campus paper released a semi-controversial article about how some records were “sealed” that pertained to presidential shoo-in Barack Obama working with radical activist William Ayers. Just a few days later, the records were released to the public. (more…)
College students have long had a bad rap for partying a little too much. From Animal House to YouTube, the modern media encourages the image that binge drinking, partying, and upchucking are a regular party of college life. Though there are many of us in higher education who aren’t participants in that scene – the stereotype remains for college-aged kids.
But what if having one or two beers at a frat house or maybe a glass of wine at a dinner party became the norm? That’s what Choose Responsibility, a network of college presidents from some pretty big-named universities are advocating. (more…)
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported yesterday that John McCain has laid out a six-point plan for higher education reform. Nothing terribly revolutionary in there, but let’s see what he’s got. (more…)
If all the dire news of credit crunches, tuition hikes and dried-up student loan budgets are getting you down, try learning for free. Our continuing coverage of OERs (Open Educational Resources) includes Mission to Learn’s recent post about Open University and its new YouTube channel, which offers more than 300 “learning videos” on such topics as art, history, science and nature. (more…)
A significant jump occurred this year in the number of students who applied for federal financial aid. With the economy continuing to plummet, more families are calling upon the government and the university financial aid office to provide relief of the rising cost of everything, including tuition. But not every college is answering. (more…)
Traditional colleges and universities are known for hosting sports camps for high schoolers during the summer. Though it’s a great recruiting tool for admissions and brings in some extra revenue for the school, the residence life staff is usually seen preparing for pranks more appropriate for this younger crowd. But the University of Texas encountered a scenario yesterday that knocked them off their feet. (more…)
Summer’s just slipping right by, isn’t it? Nothing like a good “back to school” story to kick off August – but it’s not the kind you’re thinking of. The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article yesterday profiling four adults who are going back to school–one of them a spry 93-year-old art history major. (more…)
