Higher Education Quick Takes

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Conditions Dropped From California Funding Bill for Higher Ed
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 3:00am

The budget bill for California higher education for the coming year will include increased reporting requirements, but not a direct linkage between increased funding and accomplishing certain goals, The Los Angeles Times reported. Governor Jerry Brown had wanted public higher education -- as a condition of more money -- to improve graduation rates, enroll more low income students and freeze tuition. But higher education leaders said that those goals might not be possible given the severity of budget cuts over the last decade. Legislators generally accepted that argument.

 

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Report: Better Completion Rates at Catholic Colleges
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 3:00am

Students who enroll at a Roman Catholic college are more likely to receive a degree within four years than their peers at public or for-profit institutions, and graduation rates at Catholic colleges also exceed the rates at private nonprofit colleges in general, according to a report released Friday by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. The report found higher four-, five- and six-year graduation rates for all entering students at Catholic colleges than the average for the public, for-profit or private nonprofit sectors.

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Russian Scientists Object to Theology at Physics University
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 3:00am

Scientists in Russia are objecting to the addition of a theology department at the National Research Nuclear University, in Moscow, RIA Novosti reported. Many researchers see the move as inappropriate at a secular university and inconsistent with the focus on science at the institution. Leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church, however, say that the administration thought of the idea of adding the department, and that it will offer a wide range of programs.

 

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Attack on Chinese Students in France Condemned as Xenophobic
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 3:00am

Six Chinese students studying wine-making in the Bordeaux region of France were attacked Saturday morning in an incident the country’s interior minister has condemned as xenophobic, Reuters reported. One student was seriously injured after being struck in the face by a bottle. Two suspects have been arrested.

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Scrutiny for Athletics Deficit at Boulder
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 3:00am

Since 2006, the athletics department at the University of Colorado at Boulder has paid nearly $9.8 million in severance payments to former coaches and other employees, The Boulder Daily Camera reported. The payments are generating scrutiny because the department currently has a $7.5 million deficit. Jerry Peterson, a physics professor and chair of the Boulder Faculty Assembly, said that "we all recognize that the Boulder campus is facing tight financial times, and that [nearly] $10 million -- even if it's over several years -- is a loss to academics."

 

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Academic Minute: End-of-Life Health Care Expenses
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 3:00am

In today’s Academic Minute, Amy Kelley of Mount Sinai School of Medicine examines the average Medicare recipient’s medical expenses during the last five years. Learn more about the Academic Minute here.

 

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Spelling Error at College World Series
Monday, June 17, 2013 - 4:10am

Some typos are more visible than others. Yahoo! Sports noted that the banner on top of dugout at the College World Series had a non-baseball error: College was spelled as "colllege" with an extra L, prompting considerable discussion on Twitter and elsewhere.

 

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Chaotic Enrollment Patterns at Community Colleges
Friday, June 14, 2013 - 3:00am

Students at two-year institutions display "astounding variation" in their patterns of enrollment, according to a new study by the Community College Research Center at Columbia University's Teachers College. The research, which tracked more than 14,000 students at five community colleges over 18 semesters, showed that students often switch back and forth between full- and part-time status. They also regularly spent time away from being enrolled. Continuous enrollment was particularly linked to earning an associate degree, according to the research, while full-time enrollment was associated with transfer to four-year institutions.

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Ugly Fraternity Incident at U. of Chicago
Friday, June 14, 2013 - 4:27am

The U.S. Postal Service has cut off mail delivery to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity after an incident in which fraternity members mistreated a mail carrier, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. The mail carrier received an order for 79 postal supply boxes, which he had to deliver in six or seven trips. After the last trip, fraternity members told him it was a prank and that he should look at the name on the delivery order -- “Reggin Toggaf" -- and read it backwards. Doing so reveals two slurs. The postal service said it will not deliver mail to the fraternity until an apology is made.

UPDATE: The University of Chicago has issued a statement in which it deplores the treatment of the mail carrier but states that the fraternity members deny being responsible for the incident. The statement also says that the university has "no evidence pointing to individuals who might be responsible."

we had no evidence pointing to individuals who might be responsible - See more at: http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2013/06/13/university-chicago-responds-...
we had no evidence pointing to individuals who might be responsible - See more at: http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2013/06/13/university-chicago-responds-...
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Faculty Member Accused of Assault No Longer at San Jose State
Friday, June 14, 2013 - 3:00am

Following the creation of a petition that called for the “immediate removal” of a faculty member who was accused of sexually harassing a student, some students received an e-mail from San Jose State University saying he no longer works at the university.

The petition was in response to an NBC Bay Area news segment that aired in May. A female student, who wished to remain anonymous, told NBC that Jeffry Mathis — a part-time lecturer in the kinesiology department — sexually assaulted her. According to a university report obtained by NBC, Mathis admitted to “kissing and touching the student,” but said it was consensual. After seeing the news segment, San Jose State student Sasha Bassett created the change.org petition with a group of students who called themselves Students for the Accountability of Jeffry Mathis. After receiving 608 signatures on the petition by June 3, Bassett said she, one other member of the group and NBC received this e-mail message from San Jose State President Mo Qayoumi and sent by his chief of staff, Dorothy Poole:

SJSU Students,

We share your concern about the recent NBC 11 story describing an alleged sexual battery case at SJSU involving a lecturer, Jeffry Mathis and a female student. We are writing today to let you know that SJSU cares about and is firmly committed to providing a safe environment for everyone in the campus community. We strive to implement timely and appropriate actions to protect our community members, including promptly, carefully and thoroughly investigating all complaints, followed by appropriate responses and actions.  If there is any reason to believe a crime has occurred or safety is at risk, the University Police Department is contacted, and if appropriate, the matter is referred to the Santa Clara County District Attorney. 

 Regarding the allegations made in the news report, the university conducted a thorough internal investigation in addition to a police investigation immediately after the student filed the complaint. Based on those investigations, the university took appropriate action.  Because this is a personnel matter, the specific details of the actions taken are confidential.  However, Mr. Mathis is no longer employed by SJSU.

Mohammad Qayoumi,

President

Bassett said the group was hoping for more details explaining whether Mathis was removed from or voluntarily left his position at San Jose State.

“Our main goal was transparency within the school, and I think they missed that point,” Bassett said. “It’s not our goal for the school to try and make us go away. We want the school to work with us.”

 

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