Get Ready for July Madness

There are no brackets to guide you through it, but July is the prime month for presidential transitions at private colleges. To keep up on who's going where, visit our Comings and Goings page, with up-to-the-minute news of the many appointments now being made.

 

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Student aid cuts will harm state in the long run Watertown, N.Y., Daily Times - Opinion Piece March 12, 2010 As a taxpayer, I am deeply concerned that New York faces difficult financial challenges. Yet, as a university leader advancing economic development for New York, I know investing in education for our current and future work force delivers one the best returns we can make as a society.  Please join me now in becoming part of the New York Student Aid Alliance and reminding our elected officials that creating access to education at the undergraduate and graduate levels is a good investment.

The solution to government gridlock is liberal arts education Fort Worth, Texas, Star Telegram - Opinion Piece March 7, 2010 Whether reading Machiavelli, Plato, Socrates, Jefferson or the Bible, you can find discussion about the choice between service and self, and the difficult balance that makes them uneasy partners.  Knowledge of political science, history, psychology and sociology would help our government officials understand why we desperately need them to serve. They don't have to leave self behind; they just need to make sure it doesn't trump service.

For the Liberal Arts, Rhetoric Is Not Enough Chronicle of Higher Education - Opinion Piece February 28, 2010 The rhetoric 15 years ago surrounding Ursinus College was as high-flying as at any liberal-arts institution. But, not atypically, our market studies revealed that no one had any particular image of our college. So our faculty members, impatient with up-and-down applications and perceived market pressures to go "all practical," took matters into their own hands. What resulted is our new best hope for the liberal arts.  (Part of a special report on "The Future of Liberal Arts.")

7 Major Misperceptions About the Liberal Arts Chronicle of Higher Education - Opinion Piece February 28, 2010 Something that has long been held up as a uniquely sensible and effective approach to learning has come under the critical gaze of policy makers and the news media, not to mention budget-conscious families.  But the critique, unfortunately, seems to be fueled by reliance on common misperceptions. Here are a few of those misperceptions, from my vantage point as a liberal-arts college president, and my reactions to them.  (Part of a special report on "The Future of Liberal Arts.")

Myths and realities of choosing a college Standard Speaker, Hazleton, Pa. - Opinion Piece February 20, 2010 The notion that it is only community colleges that enroll students from lower income families is a misconception that is rooted in the poor economy and the number of first-generation college students who do attend two-year institutions. In fact, the growth in enrollment among students from low-income families - those with an income of $40,000 or less - has been very significant at private colleges and universities.

Cheers and Cautions on Credit Cards Inside Higher Ed - Opinion Piece February 19, 2010 There are plenty of reasons to cheer the Credit CARD Act of 2009.  The arguments of consumer advocates have been heard, and many of the new provisions will improve the plight of consumers, and college students, who use credit cards.  But there are several particularly troubling aspects of the new law:  one is the product of omission and the other an act of commission.  Both have a negative impact on financially vulnerable individuals, most particularly college students.

Making Liberal Arts Colleges Sustainable Forbes Magazine - Opinion Piece February 17, 2010 Given the steep price tag, many families are struggling with the financial burden and calling on schools to reduce price, increase financial aid or restrain costs. But balancing the expenses of a top-notch education with the experience of the liberal arts environment is a challenging task, since the things that make schools expensive are often what make them most attractive. Here are a few ideas for how we could change that.

Presidents Belong in the Classroom Chronicle of Higher Education - Opinion Piece February 7, 2010 A college or university president's duties are focused increasingly on raising money and managing the budget, especially in these challenging economic times. That certainly holds true for me. But in nearly a decade as a college administrator, I have chosen to teach at least one course a semester, usually to undergraduates.  Some of my peers have questioned my sanity for doing this, but I plan to continue.

Defining Moral Education Inside Higher Ed - Opinion Piece February 1, 2010 Colleges and universities have moral ends and purposes, expressed not only through institutional mission statements and curriculums but also, and often more powerfully, through the hidden curriculum of everyday campus life. The more these commitments remain unarticulated the less they can be subject to scrutiny and the more ignorant we remain of the ends that animate our actions and lives.

Going Public Inside Higher Ed - Opinion Piece January 26, 2010 There has been steadily rising agreement from all sides that we need to put more focus on learning outcomes in accreditation, but on the question of making accreditation more public we have been in a stalemate for years.  Public learning audits would provide a middle ground and break the stalemate. Accrediting agencies would provide a rubric for preparing these statements. Colleges and universities would have considerable latitude within these rubrics about how to assess student learning.

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