Features
Beyond Graduation Rates: Why the Data Matter—and Why They Don’t
Carol Anderson and Patricia O’Brien of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education in New England discuss the Graduation Rate Information Project, an initiative to address low graduation rates at the institutions their organization accredits.
Food Is a Basic Need: Dealing With Hunger on College Campuses
Wick Sloane writes that more data is needed on the issue of campus hunger before a comprehensive solution can be advanced—and on that score, an upcoming study from Government Accountability Office is a welcome development. This is the second post in a new series, Beyond the Margins: Meeting the Needs of Underserved Students.
ACE at 100: Lifting Nontraditional Learners to Postsecondary Success
Helping more Americans gain access to and graduate from college has been a large part of ACE’s mission ever since the Council was formed in 1918 to help soldiers returning from World War I gain a college degree. And it continues to play a central role today, as we prepare to celebrate our centennial.
From Goucher College President José Bowen: Using Feedback From Students to Improve Your Teaching
José Bowen, president of Goucher College (MD), says encouraging his college instructors to take risks is crucial to promote a culture of teaching on campus. Dr. Bowen recently spoke with the Association of College and University Educator about how instructors can use student feedback to improve their teaching, a topic he discusses in depth as a subject matter expert for ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices.
A New Accountability for Broadening Participation in STEM
Developing an appropriate accountability system for broadening participation is crucial to achieving a STEM workforce that reflects the diversity of the American population. Colleges and universities, on the front line of STEM research and education, must lead the way.
How Should We Think About College Affordability?
Before colleges can constructively evaluate and improve their pricing and financial aid policies, they should have a solid understanding of what should go into determining how realistic it is for students and families in different circumstances to pay for the education offered, writes the Urban Institute’s Sandy Baum.
The Whys and Hows of Shared Leadership in Higher Education
Elizabeth Holcombe and Adrianna Kezar of the University of Southern California look at the possibilities of shared leadership for the higher education sector, which they say will ultimately allow campuses to become more nimble in a complex, constantly changing environment.
Seeking Better Student Outcomes? Start With Improving Instructional Quality
As the focus in higher education becomes more concentrated on student outcomes, the impact of instructional quality on student retention, persistence and success rates—and institutional efficiency—has come to the fore.
Reducing Barriers to Transfer for Community College Students
While access to a high-quality and affordable college education is essential, access means little if students are unable to meet their educational goals once they arrive, writes Jon Turk. A new brief from ACE and Hobsons explores upward transfer—the movement from a community college to a four-year institution—for students who matriculate soon after high school.
Study Abroad (At Home)
EDUCAUSE President John O’Brien writes that collaborative online international learning—or COIL—gives students and campuses options when it comes to study abroad.
Seeking Calm in the Middle of an Imperfect Storm
The pace of change in higher education used to be seen as glacial, slow or barely perceptible. Today it is more akin to a hurricane. Misericordia President Thomas Botzman explains how his institution has navigated this shift.
Bringing “America’s Promise” to Rural Communities in West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia
Tucked in the hills of rural Hardy County, West Virginia lies a small college with a big vision: to breathe life and bring jobs to the Appalachia region. Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College in Moorefield is one of the latest recipients of a $3.6 million America’s Promise Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, given through the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.