Monthly Archives: August 2015

Why there is value in on-campus living

Does living on campus support learning and student success? As families consider the living options available to their college students and look at the costs of college education, what might not be as evident to them is how on-campus living can actually maximize their college investment. The truth of the matter is that campus housing […] … learn more→

Why brand new cities across the world are still empty

Some of the most gorgeous and vibrant places on Earth are old and even ancient cities, modernized little by little to reflect layers of history. Brand new cities, though sparkling with promise, can be quick to build but slow to populate; devoid of culture and more importantly, people. Solving problems With urban populations expected to […] … learn more→

Higher Education not leftist enough? Seriously?

My own eyes have shown me a distinct leftist prejudice on campus. I feel that people can believe whatever they want, but I’ve experienced some of the bigotry for not adhering to the Left view, and documented just how hard it is for a conservative to show discrimination against him; you can’t find it in […] … learn more→

Competency-based programs reimagine college credit

Competency-based programs reimagine college credit

After years of quiet evolution, the competency-based education movement is now poised for explosive growth, with several hundred colleges and universities developing programs that fundamentally redefine the college degree. An estimated 34 U.S. institutions now offer some form of competency-based learning, according to research by Robert Kelchen, an assistant professor of higher education at Seton […] … learn more→

Is there a teaching moment in the Ashley Madison hack?

Why would anyone use their official work or school email address to register for a website that promises to facilitate extramarital affairs? Reports indicate that there are 74,468 unique “.edu” email addresses in the recently hacked user database of AshleyMadison.com. Might we not expect educators and students to have a better understanding of the internet […] … learn more→

The price of prestige: how university status affects fees

Although removing the cap on undergraduate student fees remains controversial, deregulated fees are not unusual in Australian higher education. A third of public university students already pay market fees. International students make up the majority. The rest, around 140,000 domestic students, take mostly postgraduate coursework degrees. Deregulated markets provide some insight into both how universities […] … learn more→

Where shared governance goes to die

I’ve had a strange fascination with an education start-up called Minerva for some time now. They’re a Silicon-Valley inspired online operation that has actually enrolled students now.  Yet unlike so many other for-profit education ventures they’ve always aspired to be highly selective – the first “Online Ivy.” I think the source of my fascination stems […] … learn more→

UCLA offers paid internships to illegals

California in general seems to be a good source of whacky ideas, so perhaps it’s not fair to keep picking on it when Californian educational institutions do the most ridiculous things: UCLA provides internship opportunities to illegal immigrants I’d like to present the above, completely offensive idea, as a message of hope: our rulers of […] … learn more→

Five things to think about if you’re considering a doctorate

I was chatting recently to a group of PhD scholars who are about midway through their journey. They are all studying part-time, juggling this will full-time jobs, family commitments and other responsibilities. All agreed that the PhD is a difficult process which requires an enormous amount of time and energy. But I noticed that they […] … learn more→

The real reason that Colleges go ‘test optional’

When George Washington University announced last month that it was adopting a “test-optional” admissions policy, it repeated a standard line made by colleges that allow prospective students to opt out of sending SAT or ACT scores. “The test-optional policy should strengthen and diversify an already outstanding applicant pool and will broaden access for those high-achieving students […] … learn more→