Women academics find gender imbalance on Twitter
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Female academics have about half the followers of men on Twitter and wield otherwise diminished influence there, according to a new study. The analysis pertains to medicine, but women across fields say the findings ring true. Observers of gender dynamics, casual or expert, probably won’t be surprised by the findings. But they do…
Read More about Women academics find gender imbalance on TwitterU.S. Department of Education pilots debit card for student expenses
INSIDE HIGHER ED — The U.S. Department of Education is poised to begin a limited experiment with a prepaid student aid card, which would operate like a debit card for aid. Under the program, students would be able to access the funds without paying fees, and the feds would be able to learn more about…
Read More about U.S. Department of Education pilots debit card for student expensesU.S. falls in ranking for university research funding
INSIDE HIGHER ED — The U.S. has dropped its position relative to other countries in university research funding, according to a new report by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), and now holds the 28th spot out of 39 countries, with just 0.2 percent of its gross domestic product dedicated to university research funding. Switzerland,…
Read More about U.S. falls in ranking for university research fundingUniversity of New Mexico faculty vote to unionize
INSIDE HIGHER ED — ull- and part-time professors at the University of New Mexico voted to form a union affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors, they announced late last week. The vote was 500 to 304 in favor of unionization among full-time professors. Among adjuncts, the vote was 256…
Read More about University of New Mexico faculty vote to unionizeHBCUs plan budget cuts after Congress misses deadline for funding
INSIDE HIGHER ED — The Senate’s failure to renew $255 million in annual mandatory funding for historically black colleges is already having consequences on campuses, wrote Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, in a letter to lawmakers Monday. The group, which represents public historically black colleges, had called on the Senate…
Read More about HBCUs plan budget cuts after Congress misses deadline for fundingHouse Democrats investigate U.S. Department of Education over aid to for-profit colleges
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Representative Bobby Scott, the House education committee chairman, suggested Tuesday in a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that her department had illegally awarded federal aid to two ineligible for-profit college programs operated by the defunct Dream Center. Scott, a Virginia Democrat, also threatened to issue subpoenas if the Trump administration doesn’t…
Read More about House Democrats investigate U.S. Department of Education over aid to for-profit collegesNYU Law professor John Sexton publishes book on colleges and political discourse
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY — A new book from NYU’s President Emeritus argues that higher ed is the best hope for restoring reason and intellectual rigor to our political discourse.
Read More about NYU Law professor John Sexton publishes book on colleges and political discoursePodcast: Advice for prospective students on choosing the right law school
JDSUPRA — Today, we’re talking with Dr. Shirag Shemmassian — a law school admissions expert who has been featured on The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, and NBC — about the process of deciding which law schools to apply to, and choosing the one to attend.
Read More about Podcast: Advice for prospective students on choosing the right law schoolU.S. House Democrats unveil Higher Education Act overhaul bill
U.S. NEWS — House Democrats offered their vision for overhauling the federal higher education law, introducing Tuesday a rewrite that would boost federal funding for low-income students, simplify how borrowers repay federal student loans, incentivize states to make community colleges tuition-free and reestablish Obama-era regulations on campus sexual assault and for-profit colleges. Committee aides said the proposal…
Read More about U.S. House Democrats unveil Higher Education Act overhaul billNumber of U.S. colleges eligible to award federal financial aid falls to lowest point in 20 years
INSIDE HIGHER ED — Higher education enrollments have been falling for years, a well-documented outcome that can be attributed to some combination of a strong U.S. economy, changes in birth rates and, perhaps, growing doubts about the value of a college degree. Another decline is also unfolding — this one attributable to a mix of economic…
Read More about Number of U.S. colleges eligible to award federal financial aid falls to lowest point in 20 years