Inside Higher Ed's News

A new book urges colleges to give low-income students the same admissions edge they give to children of alumni.

Many college presidents consider reporters a necessary nuisance in a democracy. Auburn University's interim president, Ed Richardson, isn't so sure about the necessary part.He sent a memo to Auburn faculty members and administrators last week telling them that he will no longer speak with Jack Stripling, who covers higher education for the local newspaper, The Opelika-Auburn News.

The numbers are bleak and -- for anyone who cares about the vibrancy of the American economy or the importance of an educated citizenry -- deeply worrisome: the United States has fallen to 17th in the world in high school graduation rates and 7th in college-going rates, and is the only industrialized country whose rates are falling.And perhaps most troubling of all, the rates are lowest among those segments of the American populace that are growing the fastest.

Jonathan Bean is a popular professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale -- even though his libertarian politics don't always coincide with his students' views. A historian, he was just named Teacher of the Year in the College of Liberal Arts.

Compromise adopted by Congress contains little of what colleges want.

Johnnetta Cole announced that she would resign as president of Bennett College, then said she would reconsider after students, professors and trustees urged her to stay, The Greensboro News-Record reported. Cole, formerly president of Spelman College, became president of Bennett in 2002 and helped the financially struggling historically black institution regain some stability -- although she has also had to push new budget cuts there this year.

A lawsuit challenges federal grants to an Alaska Bible college that primarily serves Native Americans.

Checker Finn asked George Mason U. to keep an adjunct away from his campus lecture. Now the adjunct -- a top education scholar -- is losing his job.

The National Academies issued guidelines for scientists conducting the research.