Quick Takes

The mayor and some city council members in Providence are floating a proposal to tax students at private colleges $150 each per semester, The Providence Journal reported. The city is facing a large budget deficit. Like local lawmakers elsewhere who urge private colleges to make payments in lieu of property taxes from which they are exempt as nonprofit, Providence officials argue that private college students add to city costs. Students and private colleges leaders are opposing the idea, arguing that students actually add to the local economy. In addition, some note that there are private college students who already own property in the city or whose families do -- and who thus may be subject to double taxation under the plan.

This year's commencement season has already seen the University of Notre Dame and other Roman Catholic colleges questioned by church leaders over appearances by President Obama and others who are defenders of abortion rights. In a new twist, a Catholic colleges is being criticized by a bishop for having a speaker who is anti-abortion, but not sufficiently so. Bishop Joseph F. Martino of Scranton, who has already questioned whether local Catholic colleges are following doctrine, has attacked the choice of King's College to have U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania as its graduation speaker, the Associated Press reported. Casey opposes abortion and favors the reversal of the Supreme Court's decisions legalizing abortion. He is among the most prominent Democratic politicians with such views. But Bishop Martino said that King's would be commiting an "affront to all who value the sanctity of life" by having Casey as a speaker because the senator voted to confirm Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of health and human services. King's officials aren't commenting on the dispute. But a spokesman for Casey told the AP that the senator thought it would be irresponsible to leave the HHS position vacant. "He disagrees with her on abortion, but feels that she has the required expertise to help pass health care reform and provide health care to the uninsured , one of our country's top priorities," the spokesman said.

The Illinois college savings program for parents is already facing scrutiny over investment losses that have concerned many families. Today, the Chicago Tribune is reporting that $26,000 from the fund was used to buy an SUV used by Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias as his state car. The treasurer's office confirmed the report and said that this is the first time money from the college fund has been used to buy a state car. A spokesman for the treasurer defended the purchase as appropriate since the vehicle is used by the treasurer and other state officials on travel to promote the college fund and other treasurer's office programs.

Susan Kelly has left the presidency of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, a Los Angeles institution known for its programs to educate minority and disadvantaged students in the health sciences. The Los Angeles Wave reported that Kelly was ousted amid growing criticism of the university's financial condition and the administration's response to budget problems. In February, the university announced plans to cut 10 percent of faculty and staff positions.

The mysterious donor providing multi-million dollar gifts to colleges and universities led by women has moved beyond the lower 48. The donor has provided the University of Alaska at Anchorage with $7 million. As with the other gifts that have colleges wondering who the donor is, the conditions attached are that the university not attempt to identify the benefactor, and that the funds be used for financial aid.

Britain's faculty union is accusing the student union at Manchester Metropolitan University of encouraging students to "snoop" on professors, The Times Higher reported. The student union, responding to complaints about classes starting late or being canceled without notice, has been trying to document the problem. So it asked students to send text messages whenever this happens to them. But a spokesman for the University and College Union told the publication: ""The relationship between lecturer and student is key to higher education, and schemes that encourage either to spy on the other, however well intentioned, undermine that bond."