We’ve mentioned the GI Bill here before, and it’s getting more traction in the edu-blogosphere: Educated Nation, Higher Ed Watch and Around the Academy are all weighing in. Short version: Bush signed the bill on June 30, despite being against it in the past (he and John McCain argued that it would ruin retention rates as eligible servicemembers would flee the military in droves). I’m guessing the veto-proof majority vote–and the sound bite that he clearly seemed to, I dunno, NOT support the troops on this one–changed his mind.

Meanwhile, Inside Higher Ed reports on the figurative–and now literal–lack of government leadership when it comes to higher education. Apparently, everyone knows what we should be doing (make it easier for more Americans to get into and stay in college, without being crushed by debt on the other end), but no one’s raising a hand to offer a plan of any kind.

The Empire State seems to be forging ahead on that, however (or just catching up with everyone else, depending on your point of view). Gov. David Paterson recently asked the Legislature to come up with a low-interest student loan program for NY students, as many other states have done for theirs. With SUNY and CUNY systems suffering, it seems the whole state’s higher ed system could use a little TLC.

We close the roundup today with a fascinating NYTimes article about the application of Title IX to university science depts. The lopsided gender representation in the sciences is a longstanding problem, but it seems the gov’t is now taking an interest. The question is, will they hurt more than they help?