Blogs

I asked an old friend of mine who happens to be an expert in finance why we maybe shouldn't just go ahead and tax the rich, even though they're doing disproportionately well.

A new correspondent writes: Vitals > Ph.D., English/literature; associate professor at community college; eight months from tenure; 45 years-old Past...

This past Friday was the 5th anniversary of the launch of the iPhone. Over at the NYTimes Bits blog Brian Chen, author of Always On: How the iPhone Unlocked the Anything-Anytime-Anywhere Future -- and Locked Us In, has some observations about how the iPhone changed phone and software industries.

The rush of the end-of-semester, then the let-down, then the onset of the summer months can often inspire reflection in academics on our classroom practices, our research, and our other responsibilities. Have I achieved a manageable work-life balance this year? (Haha, surely you jest.) How can I make this class work better next semester? What can I hope to accomplish this summer in terms of my research? How am I going to pay the bills (those off the tenure track and/or have 9-month contracts paid over 9-months understand)?

Microsoft wants Google's market share in higher education applications. They want it badly enough that they are prepared to deal with us. They come to the table with an understanding of our needs. They answer the phone when you call. They get FERPA, and what it takes to meet requirements for HIPAA, including a Business Associates Agreement. They use a real contract, not one by URL. They are even willing to provide financial assistance (as was reported to be the case for the University of Nebraska) for implementation.

Last week we invited you to vote on the most important topics in higher education. We are seeing some consistent areas of interest.

The storied criminal career of University of Georgia football rushes forward with the impetuosity of a naked boot leg play. Winner of the 2010 Fulmer Cup for the most arrested university team in America, Georgia refuses to rest on its laurels. Every recruitment year is an adventure in felony, each month a fresh rap sheet.

Some observers have argued that distance education and the Internet will fundamentally change the nature of higher education in the coming decades. This is highly debatable for the system as a whole. But for the top tier universities, their traditional missions and the campus-based undergraduate experience is unlikely to change much.