Ready Or Not? Recent Innovations In Higher Education

READY...
Ivy Tech Community College will be offering a new one year associate degree program for high performing students from low income families.  They hope to improve graduation rates by providing a more cost effective approach to higher education for highly motivated students with strong G.P.A.s.  Four year schools are similarly offering three year degree programs with the same idea in mind.
http://www.citytowninfo.com/career-and-education-news/articles/new-degree-programs-at-community-colleges-10050601

OR NOT...
National Public Radio (NPR) reported a story from York College, Pennsylvania about the underpreparedness of recent college graduates. The school is developing new curriculum to help students be ready with the interpersonal skills and social behaviors expected in employment settings.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127230009&ft=1&f=1001

Internal Problems Create Controversy For Middle States

Inside HigherEd reported about problems within the Middle States organization.  This internal power struggle involves finance and hiring issues.  Read about it:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/05/20/middlestates

Center for Global Advancement Of Community Colleges (CGACC), A New Organization To Promote Community Colleges And International Education

The Center for Global Advancement of Community Colleges (CGACC) is dedicated to increasing global knowledge and understanding of U.S. community colleges, bridging cultures through awareness, serving as a resource, advancing institutional internationalization efforts, and partnering with national and international entities to expand and enhance educational opportunities.
http://cgacc.org/

Community Colleges Pledge To Keep Access And Opportunity While Improving Completion Rates, Despite Budget Cuts

Government and foundation leaders push agenda to improve completion rates, but budget cuts are eroding the very programs the experts say are vital.  The American Association of Community Colleges and other leading education and policy organizations signed what they deemed “a call to action” – a commitment to improve student completion rates by 50 percent over the next decade.  Read about it in an article from Inside HigherEd:   http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/05/17/completion

Problem Classroom Situations--Suggested Strategies, Responses

Today, the last day of the 2010 Spring Term at Brookdale Community College, the Teaching and Learning Center hosted its TLC Roundtable with a discussion of current classroom issues. The special guests were Robert Quinones, Director of Student Life and Activities and Christopher Jeune, Student Judicial Affairs.  The following articles were shared during this session:

"Reducing Incivility in the University/College Classroom" by Patrick J. Morrissette, Brandon University, in The International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning
http://www.ucalgary.ca/iejll/morrissette

"Managing Hot Moments in the Classroom" by Lee Warren, Derok Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/hotmoments.html

Higher Education in New Jersey and the State Budget Crisis

New Jersey college administrators fear devasting effects as a result of State funding cuts.
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/pdf/state/nj-college-presidents-call-christies-higher-education-cuts-devastating.pdf

College Career Service Centers Assist Students Dealing With Gloomy Job Prospects

A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education points to Career Service Centers as one way for colleges to help recent graduates navigate a difficult job market.
http://chronicle.com/article/Career-Service-Centers-Strive/65332/?sid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en