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Archive of Education on Friday May 09, 2008
Behind college raid, rising drug use on campus
LOS ANGELES - The arrest this week of 96 suspects on drug-related charges, including 75 students, after a six-month sting operation at San Diego State University is shining a fresh spotlight on the issue of growing substance abuse at America's colleges and universities. Read More
Keeping the boys away from the girls
The teacher, a burly presence in the front of the room, calls his young charges "gentlemen," even if they're really boys. Read More
College endowment tax is studied
Massachusetts legislators, demonstrating a growing resentment against the wealth of elite universities in tight economic times, are studying a plan to levy a 2.5% annual tax on the portion of college endowments that exceed $1 billion. Read More
Easley supports college for illegal immigrants
In a statement that defied the legal advice of the state's attorney general, Gov. Mike Easley told community colleges Thursday that they can set their own admission standards, which currently welcome students regardless of their immigration status. Read More
Garrison attended briefing on Bresch day after her call
West Virginia University President Mike Garrison, who has repeatedly said he washed his hands of Mylan Inc. executive Heather Bresch's disputed M.B.A. degree after her initial call, discussed the matter in a briefing with his chief of staff and other top aides late the following day, according to an interview conducted by an investigative panel. Read More
State enacts new graduation rules more stringent for some students, looser for others.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama students automatically will be placed on a more rigorous graduation track when they enter high school under a plan the state Board of Education approved Thursday. Read More
Senate Democrat Jack Scott named to lead California community colleges
A former college president-turned-lawmaker has been named the next chancellor of California's community college system, making him think twice about his role in crafting the education budget. Read More
Calif. students plead not guilty in major drug bust
SAN DIEGO - The suspected leader of a drug trafficking ring was among seven students who pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges stemming from an undercover operation at San Diego State University that netted more than 100 arrests. Read More
Urban districts cue DPS about shared schools
Separate programs or schools will probably share buildings in Denver by 2009, a change that has advantages but also could pose difficulties. Read More
Yale fires back at South Korean university over fake degree
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Details of a sex scandal involving a top South Korean official and an art history professor, who lied about having a Yale degree, will be used by the Ivy League school to defend itself against a federal lawsuit filed by the South Korean university that hired the professor. Read More
First round of FCAT scores released
While some schools were celebrating their results in the first wave of FCAT scores released Thursday, others are feeling troubled. Read More
What's the word on FCAT? Central Florida students post mixed writing results
Central Florida's older students posted higher scores on the state's annual writing exam this year, but local fourth-graders did not punctuate, spell, organize or write as well as last year, according to 2008 FCAT results released Thursday. Read More
Ga Board of Ed approves math waivers
The state Board of Education has approved waivers to allow gifted eighth-graders taking high school math classes this year to have their work count toward graduation. The state already permits middle school students to take high school courses that count toward graduation. Waivers were needed because of the new curriculum and graduation rules. Read More
Regents pick new leader
The Iowa state Board of Regents has filled its top staff position with a public administrator from Florida, the board announced Thursday. Read More
Culver signs bill to help students buy textbooks
Gov. Chet Culver has signed a bill intended to make it easier for students to save money on textbooks. Read More
Board of Regents appoints new director
The Iowa Board of Regents announced the appointment of Robert Donley on Thursday to serve as the board's executive director. Read More
Harper 4-year plan rejected
Efforts to offer bachelor's degrees in two program areas at Harper College hit another political roadblock Thursday at the Illinois Capitol. Read More
NIU's Cole Hall to be remodeled
The head of Northern Illinois University said the school has a $7.7 million plan to remodel the lecture hall where five people were slain by a suicidal gunman on Valentine's Day. Read More
Budget includes bonds for pharmacy school
For the Kansas University School of Pharmacy, the Legislature?s final budget bill was just what the doctor ordered. Read More
5 named to state school board
Gov. Steve Beshear tapped four Democrats and one Republican to serve on the state Board of Education, his office announced Thursday. Read More
Tuition increases scaled back
Facing some of the angriest public remarks by a group of Kentucky university presidents in memory, a panel gave the initial vote of approval Thursday to higher tuition at the state's public universities and community colleges, including five institutions whose requests were cut. Read More
Group urges cuts in some tuition hikes
Five of Kentucky's higher-education institutions -- including the state's community and technical college system -- should not be allowed to raise tuition and fees as much as they propose. Read More
Tuition increase battle likely
Bills that would increase tuition at the LSU and Southern University law schools breezed through a House committee Thursday, but both are expected to trigger controversy later. Read More
Higher-ed officials fear 'crippling' cuts
Proposed higher education budget cuts could "cripple" Louisiana's public colleges and universities if they are adopted, according to officials at the state Board of Regents. Read More
Union won't back slots
Breaking with the state teachers union, the Montgomery County Education Association voted Wednesday night not to endorse Maryland's slot machine gambling referendum, according to a news release from Marylanders United to Stop Slots. Read More
Stem cell study grants awarded
Maryland has handed out its second round of grants for stem cell research, awarding a total of $23 million for 62 projects ranging from basic studies of the cells' properties to potential therapies for human disease. Read More
Maine shares in effort to get children moving
Children from around the state participated Wednesday in a project called All Children Exercising Simultaneously. Read More
Bill to raise dropout age headed to governor
A bill that would force students to remain in school until they are 18-years-old is headed to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's desk. Read More
Anti-illegal immigration group makes push for Senate bill
COLUMBIA, Mo. - An anti-illegal immigration group is advertising in newspapers across Missouri to support a Senate bill, which among other things would ban illegal immigrants from higher education and jobs. Read More
Missouri professors protest campus spending
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Some University of Missouri professors are rallying against a plan that would boost their salaries - but only at the expense of other cuts on campus. Read More
MU faculty members voice concerns over cuts
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The frustrations of some MU faculty members over a shortage in state funding and a proposed plan to increase faculty salaries by freezing teaching positions were heard at a special meeting Thursday afternoon. Read More
Bruner -- Education is a crime-stopper
Teachers, not cops, are the most effective weapons against crime, said Lee Bruner, a Republican candidate for attorney general who said this week he supports coal mining as a way to pay for public education. Read More
Auditor declines regents' request
The state legislative auditor said Thursday he cannot conduct a performance audit of two Montana student loan groups as the Board of Regents requested last week. Read More
New UNC chancellor outlines grand plans
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Holden Thorp's life changed forever at the Exxon station on Wendover Avenue in Greensboro, where UNC President Erskine Bowles, with one hand on the gas nozzle, leaned in the car and asked him to be the next chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill. Read More
Students debate sales tax
The public debate on the proposed half-cent Cass County economic development sales tax will be settled by voters on June 10. Read More
Six schools to face revamps
Six New Hampshire schools may be required to restructure after they failed to make adequate progress on state tests for the fifth year in a row. Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School and Winnisquam Regional Middle School are among those that may be forced to restructure the way their schools are run, reopen as charter schools or replace all or most of the staff, including the principal. Read More
Bipartisan amendment passes panel
In the clearest sign yet that a constitutional amendment on education funding may pass the House, a compromise proposal won overwhelming approval from a House committee yesterday. The bipartisan vote was a turnaround from last year, when Democratic and Republican House leaders failed to reach agreement on the issue and lawmakers handily defeated a different version of the amendment. Read More
Auditors want more vigilance on disqualified bus drivers
The state Motor Vehicle Commission and the Department of Education must standardize and reconcile their systems of tracking disqualified school bus drivers, state auditors contend, noting flagged drivers are still being listed as eligible to transport children. Read More
Senate panel backs a school voucher plan
New Jersey taxpayers yesterday moved closer to making a clean -- if expensive -- break with the fractured market for bonds known as auction-rate securities. Read More
Nevada loyalty oath alarms few teachers
Like California's constitution, the Nevada Constitution requires state university system faculty pledge an oath to "protect and defend" the U.S. and state governments and constitutions "against all enemies, foreign and domestic." Read More
Cuomo sees fraud in some lawyers' pensions
Hundreds of lawyers across the state have been illegally granted state pension benefits by school districts, towns and other governmental entities, according to Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who has opened an investigation into the abuses. Read More
Henry signs fitness bill
SHAWNEE, Okla. - Gov. Brad Henry signed a bill this week that will double the amount of class time devoted to physical activity and nutrition programs in public schools. Read More
State System ponders chancellor choices
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education board will reconvene Monday to continue deliberations over selecting the system's next chancellor. Read More
Vote on testing bill, Rex says
State schools chief Jim Rex challenged the S.C. Senate on Thursday to vote on legislation that would replace the current standardized testing system with one educators tell him would be more useful. Read More
Rex pushes measure to revamp education accountability
State schools Superintendent Jim Rex is putting the heat on lawmakers to pass a bill to overhaul the state's accountability system. Read More
Senators question "mission creep" at Highway Patrol
Senators questioned today whether the state Highway Patrol has exceeded its mission by creating drug-interdiction squads, a SWAT team and allowing troopers to accompany college coaches as security during games. Read More
Tennessee higher-education officials work to keep tuition hikes below 10 percent
Tennessee higher-education leaders pledged Thursday to try to keep tuition hikes below 10 percent for in-state, undergraduate students, despite Gov. Phil Bredesen's plans to cut $55 million from their operating budgets. Read More
Bredesen focuses on schools but tightens belt
Gov. Phil Bredesen maintained his dedicated stance to state education on Thursday as he discussed the elimination of new funding for K-12 schools and a reduction in current funding for colleges and universities. Read More
Officials revisit tuition increases
Higher-education officials say they hope to keep tuition increases below 10 percent despite a $55 million cut in state funding. Read More
Facebook puts into place new safety controls
When Kathy Frazar heard the operators of Facebook.com had promised to boost safeguards to protect younger users from online predators and shield them from inappropriate content, she was encouraged but not relieved. Read More
Attorneys general reach Facebook agreement
In an attempt to make the Internet safer for children, all but one of the nation's state attorneys general have turned their attention to another popular social networking site. Read More
College graduation speakers include attorney general, governor
Pomp and circumstance will be the order of the day throughout Hampton Roads starting today as local colleges and universities conduct their annual commencement ceremonies. Read More
VSAC finds new source for student loan money
WINOOSKI, Vt. - The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation will work with KeyBank to provide education loans to students and their parents for the 2008-09 school year. Read More
VSAC ensures student loans
College loans will be available to Vermonters as usual this fall, the state's principal lending agency announced Thursday. Read More
WA invests $25 million in biofuels WSU lab
RICHLAND, Wash. -- There?s been backlash recently on using food crops like corn and soybeans for fuel. Read More
New program lets some Wis. residents ship drugs for disposal
MILWAUKEE - Residents in two Wisconsin counties will soon be able to send their unused drugs for safe disposal by a Milwaukee company. Read More
Some students wage protest against Garrison
At West Virginia University, students are studying and taking finals this week before a majority of them leave Morgantown for the summer. Read More
Garrison has power to fire tenured faculty under WVU guidelines
West Virginia University policies apparently would have permitted President Mike Garrison to fire two high-ranking academic officials for their part in awarding Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter a degree she hadn't earned. Read More
Parents turn to states for autism help
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs. Read More
23 states face budget gaps in '09
Like a college student fishing for stray quarters in the sofa cushions, states are tightening their belts, dipping into their rainy day funds and hoping revenues will pick up. But the faltering economy already has punched a $26 billion hole in 23 state budgets for 2009 – and it could get worse, according to a new report issued today (April 25). Read More
Congress encroaching on state priorities
Far scarier than the economic downturn for states is the growing trend on the part of Congress to restrict state revenue and spending prerogatives and to replace them with congressional priorities, writes Raymond C. Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association, in his latest commentary for Stateline.org. He cites provisions in two bills now making their way through Congress as important examples. Read More
Governors pitch ambitious programs
Billion-dollar deficits in California, New York and Arizona haven’t stopped governors there and elsewhere from proposing big-ticket items for 2008. Stateline.org looks at proposals from governors’ 2008 "state of the state" speeches and provides an exclusive summary of all the addresses so far.
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A compact for post-secondary education
The United States is falling behind its global competitors in higher education, and states, educators and the private sector need to jointly make new commitments to strengthen public colleges and universities, asserts Raymond C. Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association, in his latest commentary for Stateline.org. Read More
Time to think global in testing U.S. students
In today's global economy, it’s less important how students in Iowa or Oregon compare to those in Alabama or Virginia on a national test. What matters most is how students in North Carolina or Texas compare to those in Denmark or Russia, and so on. In his latest column for Stateline.org, the executive director of the National Governors Association writes that the solution to the economic competitiveness challenge is not enacting federal standards or tests for U.S. students. The solution is for the states to work together to adopt internationally benchmarked education standards. Read More |
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