Big News on Campus: 5 Universities Making Headlines

1. Blown Away at Southwestern. Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX has recently agreed to get all of its electricity from wind power. This isn’t just a publicity stunt, either. The university has signed up for a full 18 years of wind farming for electricity. Jake B. Schrum, president of Southwestern, hopes that this move “will be an inspiration to other universities to advance sustainability.” With 151 wind turbines generating between 0.7 and 2.3 megawatts a piece, this is quite a commitment to going green, something that college students go crazy for.
2. Art in the Toilet. David O’Connell, president of Catholic University in DC, found what could be a genuine Rembrandt. Where was this gem hiding? In the bathroom, of course. A far cry from flipping through magazines while on the John, this particular bathroom contained a single-piece art museum. The piece, which has yet to be officially verified as a Rembrandt, is signed twice by the great master. The question on everyone’s mind: how did it end up in the bathroom? Aspiring art students have a new standard to reach–be so good that when somebody finds your work hidden in a bathroom hundreds of years later, the media goes crazy.
3. The Look on Your Face. Terrorism is making its mark on our society; there’s no doubt about that. As anyone who’s been to an airport in the last couple of years can attest, these homeland security measures are getting a bit tiresome. Are we giving up our civil liberties? Muslims at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services answer a resounding “yes”. The alma mater of a recent terror plot suspect, Tarek Mehanna, has banned all clothing that obscures the face, which is a big slap in the burqa for those doing so for religious reasons. The school’s spokesman, Michael Ratty, says that this new ban is unrelated to the terrorist incident, stating that they want to be able to identify anyone who steps foot on campus, but the timing is raising doubts. What’s next? A big, bushy beard ban?
4. Unionizing Online. The A.F.L.-C.I.O. is teaming up with the National Labor College and the Princeton Review to create a new online school for union members. The plan is a big one, hoping to provide affordable and accessible education and career retraining to the 11.5 million federation members and their families. This online college plans to begin offering classes this coming fall at the price of $100 to $150 per credit. They’re currently working on a survey to find out what kind of online degree programs would interest potential students.
5. Leading the Blind. In a recent deal they cut with the Justice Department, Arizona State University is ceasing its use of Kindles on campus. Why? Because, while these cool gadgets can read books aloud, Kindles lack a speech-enabled menu, which makes finding the read-aloud function nearly impossible for blind students. Until this functionality is enabled, ASU won’t be using the device after the spring semester. The issue is definitely moot. Accessibility is a huge issue; education shouldn’t be denied to anyone. On the other hand, regular books won’t read themselves to you at all, no matter how you push and prod them. It sounds like a pretty minor update to the device; I’m sure everything will work out–or a new gadget will jump in and steal the contract–either way.

For only being two weeks into 2010, there’s an awful lot going on in higher education. I have a feeling that we’re in for quite a year.

So, Science, What Have You Done for Me Lately?
What blows me away about these statistics about America’s feeling regarding science can be summed up with a single piece of technology that has grown immensely in popularity–not to mention gotten ridiculously more complex–from 1999 to 2009: the cellular phone. In 1999, when science was in better standing with the public, my cell phone could do two things: make phone calls and send text messages (at least I seem to remember that being an option, I can’t say I tried to use that feature much at that point). Now you can get anGPS-enabled iPhone that connects to a nationwide 3G network to stream videos at speeds that would have made a 1999er’s head spin. It has a touch screen. It has a digitial compass and voice recognition software–that actually works. It knows which way up and rotates its display accordingly. For Pete’s sake, it has accelerometers and a built-in camera. It’s the most advanced piece of technology ever to be so widely desired–not to mention possessed.

So, to those of you who took this survey and decided that we aren’t doin’ so hot on the science front: if you’re reading this, you’re on the Internet and chances are pretty high you didn’t have to listen the screech of a 14.4 dial-up modem to get here. Take a moment and look around you. If you aren’t impressed by the technological innovations of the last decade, you’re either blind or a ludite.

The New, Green-Education Administration
President Obama has a decidedly pro-environment stance. This is great. The programs that are already going into place are nothing short of uplifting. This renewed focus on the environment has got students thinking and talking about the environment and careers related to it. The proposed stimulus packages are green; the new budgets are green. It’s wonderful.

Greening the Middle Class and the Infrastructure
Even just today, a task force met in Philadelphia to discuss green jobs as a pathway to a stronger middle class in America. A large portion of the infrastructure spending coming down the pike is going to focus on clean energy. This means that we’re going to see high-paying jobs–for electrical engineers and the like–opening up as these programs go into effect. Not only that, but environmentally-minded civil engineers, eco-hydrologists, and many other related occupations will see a big boost.

It all spells good things for the future. Progress in this field means more jobs, less pollution, and a brighter tomorrow–if only because there’ll be less smog in between us and the sun. With universities hopping on the enviro-bandwagon, it’s only a matter of time until things really start looking greenish around here. If you’re looking to change career paths, here’s your ticket. Start preparing for that environmental career, and get educated today.

Reduce the Brightness and Glare of Your Computer
Use glare protection on your computer screen and reduce the overall brightness by a few notches.  If you’re in the market for a new computer, consider going with a matted screen instead of a glossy one.

Opt for CFL Light Bulbs
Personally, I can’t stand florescent lights, and many believe that they are harmful to your eyes.  However, incandescent bulbs typically consume more energy, thus, driving up your monthly bill.  Try using a compact florescent light (CFL).  They offer the softer glow of incandescent bulbs while consuming only 25% of the electricity.

Pace Yourself
Last but not least, it is important to pace yourself.  I can understand wanting to breeze through your online program as quickly as possible, but don’t take on too many projects at once.  Consider attending school part-time until you feel comfortable with the workload and demands.

It’s not always possible to complete 100% of your work via online learning.  However, as a complementary tool, Internet-based coursework can help augment your understanding tremendously.  If you are truly committed to launching a career in fields like oceanography, automotive repair, or the culinary arts, be prepared to incorporate a little travel into your studies.  As inconvenient as this might sound, it sure beats commuting every day or relocating to an entirely new city.

Online Education Is Convenient
How long does it take you to get to the closest college or university in your area?  10 minutes?  30?  120?  With online education, you can be in class in a matter of seconds.  There’s no commute, and you don’t even have to change out of your pajamas.

Online Education Is Green
Because there is no gas-guzzling commute, and because the university can store all of its materials digitally (instead of passing out handouts) online programs are much greener than their brick & mortar counterparts.

Online Education Is Full of Options
Let’s revisit that university in your neighborhood that was just 10, 30, or 120 minutes away from your home.  Does it have all the classes or degrees that you want?  And is there room for you, or is it already overenrolled?  Well with online education, these aren’t major concerns.  You’re not limited to programs in the immediate area.  You have access to all the online programs in the world.

Back to School is a silly and unbelievable movie.  After all, if you were already a millionaire, you probably wouldn’t need to go back to school in the first place.  But there is something we can learn from Rodney Dangerfield’s approach to education.  Going into the process with a sense of humor can make the entire experience more enjoyable.

Green Energy and Higher Education
Already, some colleges are taking the lead.  Yale recently announced that it had reduced its carbon footprint by 17% over the last 3 years.  And online education’s growing popularity shows tremendous promise as more and more students replace carbon-producing commutes with greener distance learning.  Online programs consume 90% less energy than their campus-based counterparts.  But even these initiatives aren’t enough.  What we need is greater focus on green degrees, careers, and funding.

There exists a growing list of green disciplines that show tremendous promise.  From environmental engineering to bio-fuel technology, you have countless options from which to choose, especially in science-related disciplines.  But you don’t even have to be a science fanatic to jump on board.  Once the technology is there, we’ll need business people to market it, educators to teach it, journalists to document it, politicians to legislate it, and lawyers to defend it.  With the right planning and approach, you might be able to retrofit your college degree for any number of green jobs. As you take courses throughout your college or graduate career, try keeping Al Gore’s challenge in mind.  As an early adapter after graduation, you stand a much better chance of becoming a leader in your field.

Do they mention online colleges, which offer a 92% reduction in energy use over campus schools? Take a guess.

In other news, Higher Ed Watch catches up to our early coverage of the presidential candidates’ higher ed plans. They point out that McCain doesn’t seem to have one yet.

And in closing, a problem we haven’t already written about, but hope to contribute to. College newspapers are starting to see their turf encroached upon by corporate websites offering locally tailored news and diversions to students. Even twistier is the fact that these corporate giants are often the Web hosts of the college paper’s own site. Inside Higher Ed reports:

The initial reaction this past week was one of shock and betrayal when representatives of mtvU first introduced a network of Web sites called Campus Daily Guides, customized for individual colleges and clearly targeted to the same online audience as college newspaper Web sites.

I can see why it’s making the papers nervous. I mean, why would I carry the paper crossword to my lecture when I can do it online, on my laptop? Looks like note-taking from far away, and I wouldn’t have my almost-completed Sunday crossword tossed out the window by an irate TA. I mean, you know, hypothetically.

The Times article offers an interesting perspective from the students it interviews–primarily those who prefer a traditional on-campus experience, and are only going online to save money. These students are taking some time to get comfortable with the format, but once they get the hang of it, they may notice other benefits of online study, in addition to the gas savings.

Beware! Environmental Rant
It’s funny, but not surprising, that the idea of green online degrees (or green anything) might be interesting and gain traction in a small percentage of the population–but it takes an economic hit to prompt mass behavioral changes. As a society, we’ve known about the dangers of pollution and climate change for years. But it takes $4-a-gallon gas to get Detroit to start shutting down its truck plants and build the small cars that are finally zipping off the lot.

Of course, it’s no use for anyone to get holier-than-thou about not being green enough, when there’s always something we can do better. I know I have some shaping up to do, for sure. But I have to say that, despite the hit my own wallet is taking, I’m so glad to see $4.50 a gallon in my ‘hood.

Since we can’t get government regulation to save our lives (literally), the market will do the job for us. Big-government liberal that I am, I would have been overjoyed to see the gov’t ban SUVs and mandate better emissions standards a lot sooner. (Your right to drive an SUV doesn’t supersede my right not to die of asthma.)

But as much as I hate to see my money go into the pockets of Arab dictators, many of whom fund Islamic extremists so their own people won’t notice that they’re living in a dictatorship, I’d rather pay $4, $5, or $6 a gallon and watch Americans’ consumption drop than go back to the bad old days when gas-guzzlers ruled the road.

And someday when I’m rich and/or famous, I’m buying this.

You always hear those stories about people who are 102 years old with no teeth, no education, and have smoked cigarettes and drunk bourbon every day since they were 12. Now, those of us who are completely the opposite – college-educated, fairly healthy, and don’t smoke – have a chance to brag about avoiding cancer.

A recent study declared lower death rates for certain types of cancer if the person has a college degree. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a report from two university research centers that studied men and women with cancer from 1993 to 2001. Significantly fewer people died from breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer if they had earned a Bachelor Degree.

So, what are the reasons behind it? Why would more educated men and women avoid cancer? Here are a few of the reasons given by the report:

1) Educated women are more likely to get mammograms on a regular basis – both because they know how important that is, and because they have the insurance to cover it.
2) Educated people are less likely to smoke (at least, in the U.S).
3) Educated people are also more likely to get colorectal cancer screening tests.

But, unfortunately, until I Am Legend becomes reality, there is still no absolutely certain preventative method to avoid cancer or, of course, any known way to cure it. In the meantime, consider improving your life for a variety of reasons: earn a degree.