Sat.Jun 24, 2023 - Fri.Jun 30, 2023

article thumbnail

Supreme Court Rejects Affirmative Action

Confessions of a Community College Dean

Justices deem admissions programs at both Harvard and UNC Chapel Hill to be unconstitutional. This is a developing story. Please return throughout the day for more coverage. The U.S. Supreme Court declared Thursday that the admissions systems used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill illegally violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

article thumbnail

Supreme Court Strikes Down Race-Conscious Admissions

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

In a pair of votes, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race consciousness in college admissions on Thursday, upending four decades of precedent. The court voted 6-3 against the race conscious practices of the University of North Carolina (UNC) and 6-2 against the practices of Harvard, due to the recusal of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson The court’s opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, articulated three main reasons that the affirmative action programs at Harvard and UNC violated the eq

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Common App Essay Prompt 2: Overcoming Obstacles or Challenges

Great College Advice

Write the Common App Essay Prompt 2 About Overcoming Obstacles or Challenges Writing a good essay for your Common Application is tough. You have to dig into your life and find interesting nuggets to share with perfect strangers. Common App essay prompt 2 asks you about some things that perhaps you’d rather not talk about: your failures, your greatest challenges, and moments that just aren’t things you want to talk about all that much.

article thumbnail

‘I haven’t had a single normal year at university’: the UK students graduating without a graded degree

The Guardian Higher Education

An unlucky cohort of undergraduates has been plagued by Covid restrictions, education strikes and finally a marking boycott Emily Smith, a final-year geography student at Durham University, never imagined her already heavily disrupted university experience could end like this. She won’t be graduating this summer because half her work remains unmarked owing to a national marking boycott by lecturers.

Education 143
article thumbnail

Amy Gutmann’s $23 Million and the Triumph of Cynicism

Confessions of a Community College Dean

The University of Pennsylvania paid its former president almost $23 million in 2021—prompting Jonathan Zimmerman to ask, where is the outrage? In 2006, University of Pennsylvania president Amy Gutmann was photographed at a Halloween party standing next to a student dressed as a suicide bomber. The photo went viral, and Gutmann—who had become president two years earlier—was forced to issue an apology.

IT 145
article thumbnail

AAUP Files Amicus Brief Challenging “Stop W.O.K.E.” Act

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in support of Florida faculty who are challenging the state’s “Stop W.O.K.E.” Act. Gov. Ron DeSantis The 2022 state law – the “Individual Freedom Act” (“IFA”) – bans professors at Florida’s public universities from expressing certain viewpoints while teaching topics such as racial and sexual discrimination and injustice.

Faculty 306
article thumbnail

Common App Essay Prompt 5 About a Period of Personal Growth

Great College Advice

Write a Great Common App Essay on Personal Growth Common App Essay Prompt 5 asks you to “discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.” If you’re looking to highlight your transformative journey, consider crafting a Common App essay on personal growth. The best Common Application essays show how you have grown as a person over time and how you reflect on that personal growth.

More Trending

article thumbnail

DeSantis Challenges Constitutionality of Accreditation

Confessions of a Community College Dean

Higher education lawyers and advocates say the lawsuit is more about politics than a serious legal challenge—though others say it makes a compelling case. For 58 years, the accreditation system of higher education has stood, enshrined in federal law and reaffirmed with each reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Now, a federal lawsuit from the state of Florida is looking to upend that entire system, which is a key part of the federal accountability system that helps to determine wh

article thumbnail

Lieberman Expected to Lead La Verne to Next Stage

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

When Dr. Devorah Lieberman became president of University of La Verne in 2011, a private institution of approximately 8,000 students about 35 miles east of Los Angeles, she was in many ways seeing life come full circle. At the time she was offered the position, she was the provost of Wagner College in New York City, which caused the hiring committee to ask how a New Yorker would adapt to Southern California.

article thumbnail

Famous Graduates of Liberal Arts Colleges

Great College Advice

Surprise. There are lots of famous graduates of liberal arts colleges. The liberal arts seem to be getting a bad rap these days. Students and parents alike are wondering what the value of a broad education could be. Instead they want their kids to pursue seemingly lucrative majors in STEM, engineering, or the realm of finance and economics. Nevermind that the drop-out rate from STEM majors is very high, especially at large universities.

Alumni 130
article thumbnail

How Is Higher Education Preparing for Quantum Computing?

EdTech Magazine - Higher Education

The promise of quantum computing is simple enough to understand. “Do you know any industry that doesn’t need faster processing speeds?” says David Stewart, managing director of the Quantum Science and Engineering Institute at Purdue University. “If you think of it that way, it’s going to be applicable for everything.” Exactly when quantum computing will be “applicable for everything” remains an open question.

article thumbnail

The ChatGPT Commencement Address

Confessions of a Community College Dean

Wells College president Jonathan Gibralter is among the higher ed leaders who used ChatGPT to craft a graduation speech this year. But the administrative potential of such tools remains largely untapped. As Wells College graduates gathered last month, President Jonathan Gibralter delivered a commencement address that sounded like countless others delivered across the country.

article thumbnail

Report Finds 100% of Incarcerated Borrowers in Default, Limiting their Access to Pell Grants

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

On July 1 st , incarcerated Americans will re-gain access to Pell grants for the first time in nearly 30 years. Reformers have hailed the change as a critical step towards enabling people in prison to experience the myriad benefits of higher education. But a new report has revealed that an important segment of this population may be largely left out: those who already have student loans.

article thumbnail

Want To Be An Architect? Study the Liberal Arts!

Great College Advice

What Classes Do I Need to Be an Architect? A client of mine is a budding architect. He is taking an independent study in architecture at his high school. He has become very enthusiastic about the possibility of turning his interest into a career. But he is unsure about what road to take as an undergraduate. Should he look for universities that offer a Bachelors degree in architecture.

article thumbnail

Banning Affirmative Action Won’t Stop DEI, But It’ll Make it Harder

Paradigm IQ

Today’s Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action is, sadly, not a surprise. Over the past few months, as the Court’s decision has drawn cl.

DEI 111
article thumbnail

Liberty University Spokesperson Invokes Hitler

Confessions of a Community College Dean

Liberty University communications director Ryan Helfenbein sparked controversy in an interview last week when he referred to Adolf Hitler and other murderous dictators while discussing cultural battles over education at the Road to Majority Policy Conference held in Washington, D.C.

Education 130
article thumbnail

Workgroup Releases Recommendations for Black Student Equity

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Since the 2015 launch of Graduation Initiative 2025, a state-backed project to improve graduation rates, the California State University system (CSU) has made significant progress, with students from all groups earning degrees at higher rates. But disparities persist. The graduation rate gap between Black and white students is 22.2 percentage points,3 of a percent higher than it was fifteen years ago.

article thumbnail

Find a Good College Fit: Academics

Great College Advice

Find the Right Fit: Start with Academics Finding the right college fit is tough. About as tough as finding a good pair of shoes. I recently bought a pair of shoes. I’m hard to fit. I have small feet for a guy (7.5). My feet are pretty wide. And they pronate, or roll in when I walk. Add to the fit issue, I’m pretty picky. Not just any shoe that fits will do.

article thumbnail

More than 40% of today’s online students are previous college stop-outs: report

University Business

A new report exploring the makeup of today’s online students has found that a considerable chunk is first-generation, previous stop-outs or a combination of both. “Voice of The Online Learner” found that half of today’s online learners had previously stopped out of a college-level degree or certificate program (42%) and one-third are first-generation students.

article thumbnail

Students Report Sexual Assault—but Mainly to Their Peers

Confessions of a Community College Dean

According to a large-scale survey by Vector Solutions, students are significantly more likely to discuss a sexual assault with a peer than with an authority figure on campus.

126
126
article thumbnail

Campuses Host a Range of LGBTQ+ Programming for Pride Month

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

In honor of Pride Month, college and university campuses across the U.S. celebrated and supported its LGBTQ+ communities in a wide range of ways. "Now, especially with all the anti-LGBTQ+ attacks, it's important that we have visibility on college campuses and in communities," said Shane Windmeyer., executive director and founder of Campus Pride. Shane Windmeyer At Emory University , those from multiple generations of the LGBTQ+ community were allowed to tell their stories and discuss American qu

article thumbnail

High GPA or Hard Classes? Which Is Better?

Great College Advice

Which is Better: High GPA or Hard Classes? The question that parents and students most often ask me is, “which is better: getting a high GPA or hard classes?” The humorous, accurate, but not always helpful response is: “Take the hardest course you can and get an ‘A’ in it.” Here’s the scoop: this is not an easy question to answer categorically.

article thumbnail

Being Out While Living In (The Residence Halls)

Roompact

As we exit June, I think about Pride Month and how important this month is to so many. This month is a time to honor those who have blazed a trail of liberation from the Stonewall riots to today and to celebrate the many accomplishments of those within the LGBTQ+ community. Today, in 2023, there.

105
105
article thumbnail

SUNY Adds Liaisons for Homeless Students

Confessions of a Community College Dean

In a coordinated effort to address student housing insecurity, the State University of New York system will designate a staff member on every campus to work with homeless students. Navigating college can be especially challenging for students experiencing homelessness. “At a very basic level, housing insecurity and homelessness are a real risk to student success,” said Bryce McKibben, senior director of policy and advocacy at the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, which is dedicated

article thumbnail

Stony Brook University Receives $700,000 to Address Shortage of Diverse and Prepared K-12 Leaders

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Stony Brook University has received $700,000 for an initiative to address the lack of diverse and well-prepared K-12 school leaders. The grant – from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to Stony Brook’s Educational Leadership program – will help teachers from underrepresented groups enroll graduate education to prepare for leadership roles; will fund professional development for school leaders; and will support research to improve understanding of challenges and strategies.

article thumbnail

What Our Parents Are Saying, CIP Bloomington

CIP

"CIP allows the individuals here to mature into a better version of themselves." - A CIP Family's Perspective. Have a listen to their full story.

98
article thumbnail

We Ask ChatGPT: Give Me Some Examples Of Really Bad Icebreakers

Roompact

What does the future of AI-based technology hold? We’re doing a little experiment, specifically with the AI chat-bot, ChatGPT. This post is part of a series where we ask ChatGPT interesting, unusual, or just plain fun questions related to residence life and college student housing. All answers were generated by the AI. At the end.

article thumbnail

‘In God We Trust’ in Every Louisiana Classroom

Confessions of a Community College Dean

A new Louisiana law that requires “In God We Trust” signs displayed in classrooms raises larger questions about religion and higher ed. Public colleges and universities and K-12 schools in Louisiana will be required to display signs that read “In God We Trust” in all classrooms starting in August, according to a new law signed by Governor John Bel Edwards earlier this month.

119
119
article thumbnail

The Antidote to the Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action? The Essay Will Keep Us Talking About Race

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

As university administrators and admissions officers scramble to comply with the Supreme Court’s opinion, here’s the counterintuitive way out. Be color blind. But keep talking about race. I’ve always talked about race. And now, I’m upping the volume. The Supreme Court made me do it. The six conservatives may have on their race blindfolds (the ones they want everyone to wear).

article thumbnail

4 Tips for Securing and Keeping Cyber Insurance Coverage

EdTech Magazine - Higher Education

Cyberthreats continue to be an issue for universities, putting them at risk for compromising massive amounts of sensitive data or experiencing service interruptions. Cybersecurity insurance has proved its value, but coverage is becoming more difficult to obtain. Universities face increased scrutiny of their security measures, user training, and where and how data is stored and used.

article thumbnail

ResEdChat Ep 36: Kendra Sherman on Bringing Residence Life Abroad

Roompact

This week, Dustin chats with Kendra about how institutions can think about integrating a supportive residence life experience to study abroad programs and why it is important for student success. Kendra also shares anecdotes from her story that help inform her perspective as well as changing dynamics in the international education space.

article thumbnail

Duke’s Affordable Action Plan

Confessions of a Community College Dean

The university’s decision to waive tuition for lower-income North and South Carolinians is officially about equity. But its potential as a recruitment tool for underserved students connects it to affirmative action’s uncertain fate. Duke University announced last week that it would offer full tuition grants starting this fall to students from North and South Carolina whose family income is less than $150,000.

article thumbnail

Tennessee State University Planning to be First HBCU Sponsor for Ice Hockey Program

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Tennessee State University (TSU) is looking to become the first HBCU to sponsor an ice hockey program, The Athletic reported. TSU – in partnership with the NHL , the NHL Players Association and the Nashville Predators – plans to launch a men’s club ice hockey team in the 2024-25 school year. The school aims to start competing at the club level in the American College Hockey Association (ACHA), but eventually wants to field men’s and women’s teams in ACHA Division 1 or Division 2 level in 2026-2

article thumbnail

Community college and career opportunities becoming a higher priority for high schoolers

University Business

Time and time again, Gen Z students share their thoughts on whether they intend to pursue an education beyond high school, a statistic that often changes depending on the current climate. For instance, the pandemic caused many students to rethink their postsecondary decisions. Similarly, a recent report from the American School Counselor Association revealed that more than one-fourth of the graduating class of 2023 reported having doubts about college.

article thumbnail

All About API

Symplicity

If you, like me, are a career services professional just making your way through this crazy, high-tech world to stay connected to your students, Application Programming Interface (or API) probably doesn’t mean much to you!

article thumbnail

Cabrini University Will Close

Confessions of a Community College Dean

After months of seeking a partnership, Cabrini University will close. Nearby Villanova University is working on a deal to acquire its campus. After months of uncertainty and a failed search for a partner to keep its doors open, Cabrini University will close. Nearby Villanova University is working on a deal to purchase its campus. According to a joint statement from both institutions, Cabrini will graduate its last class next May, giving it one final year of runway before the small Roman Catholic

IT 116
article thumbnail

Dr. Timothy Alvarez Retires from Otero College in Purpose, with Satisfaction

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

Dr. Timothy Alvarez’s life is a living example of the importance of mentors in higher education. Dr. Timothy Alvarez From earning an associate degree to serving as president of a community college, Alvarez understands the value of higher education and the need to create pathways and support systems. As he prepares to retire Aug. 11, after five years as president of Otero College, which is part of the Colorado Community College System, he does so with a sense of satisfaction that he followed his