The Kept-Up Academic Librarian

Dartmouth Responds To Treatment Of Native American Indian Community

Dartmouth College has been repeatedly roiled in recent weeks over the way some students are treating the very people the school was founded to help: American Indians. More than 500 students, faculty and administrators rallied in support of the American Indian community on Wednesday, a day after The Dartmouth Review published on its front page a picture of an Indian warrior brandishing a scalp with the headline, "The Natives are Getting Restless!" Read more at:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/11/30/dartmouth.native.americans.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

ACE Conference Focuses On Leadership Role of Minority Women In Higher Education

Higher education is seeing a gradual change in the face of its leadership, as minority women are increasingly emerging as directors, associate directors, vice provosts and presidents of academic institutions. With each woman’s success, there’s a desire to keep their numbers rising and to create a network of support. During the third annual Women of Color Summit, sponsored by the American Council on Education, women from all over the country discussed their career objectives, leadership strategies and research findings. Read more at:
http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_6713.shtml

Spellings Says Accrediting Agencies Must Do Better

The nation needs a more accountable higher education system that includes a stronger accreditation process with more information about the quality of colleges and universities, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said Wednesday. Convening a group of higher education experts to discuss the public/private system that regulates the nation’s colleges and universities, Spellings called accreditation “critically important” since it can promote continuous review of colleges and universities. Read more at: http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_6731.shtml

Latest Issue Of EDUCAUSE Review

The November-December 2006 issue of EDUCAUSE Review is now available online. The current issue features articles on social networking and students, how IT will change in the post-Spellings Commission era, and the psychology of learning environments. Find this issue at:
http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm06/erm066.asp

Winter Sports As The Ticket To Higher Education

Once, winter sports schools were mainly the domain of those eyeing Olympic gold. But now they are becoming the choice for students and parents who do not expect to see a dime from future athletic careers. They are willing to sacrifice a traditional high school experience and pay up to $35,000 for a few more hours of play each day — and an edge on scholarships or entry into a prestigious college. Specialized coaching programs for hockey and skiing boast of their success in getting scholarships for their top athletes. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/30/fashion/30FITNESS.html?ex=1322542800&en=e1a120ea0e4404c7&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Intolerance Of Free Speech Spreads Across Campuses

America's college campuses, once thought to be bastions of free speech, have become increasingly intolerant toward the practice. Visiting speakers whose views do not conform to the prevailing left-leaning political mind-set on most campuses are at particular risk of having their free speech rights infringed upon. Lately the mob mindset is demonstrated by students who have sought to ban controversial speakers. Read more at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2006/11/29/cstillwell.DTL&hw=college&sn=021&sc=804

What's The Cost Of Firing A Coach

USA Today continues its series of articles on the little known world of top tier coaching in higher education. Hiring coaches is costly, but firing them is even moreso. Eight schools that have fired or forced out their coaches are contractually committed to nearly $13 million in buyouts, according to USA TODAY analysis of their deals. Read more at:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2006-11-27-coaches-buyout_x.htm

Grade Policy At Princeton Changing Student Behaviors

Ever since Princeton University became the first Ivy League institution to introduce a cap on A's -- the so-called grade-deflation policy -- students have shifted their priorities. Students felt others are now less willing to collaborate on schoolwork, competitiveness has increased, and the new grading policy affects the students' choice of classes, or they may be foregoing sports or clubs to study. Read more at: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-10/116469321841710.xml&coll=1

Traffic School For Plagiarists

Having grown weary of punishing students for plagiarizing and advising other professors to fail them, too, Meg Files said that she had an epiphany during a random chat with a colleague at Pima Community College’s West Campus. The professor explained that he had recently gone to traffic school after receiving a ticket and that the course had actually improved his driving. Now students can seek academic rehabilitation instead of punishment by participating in a program for those who have committed plagiarism. Read more at:
http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/29/plagiarism

Intelligence Agencies Infiltrate Higher Education

The U.S. intelligence community pours millions into higher education, paying for hundreds of scholarships, intelligence-related courses and fellowships at nearly a dozen universities, public documents and interviews with officials show. The sponsoring agencies, including the CIA, say the programs help ensure they get enough recruits skilled to wage the war on terrorism. Read more at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-11-27-intel-college_x.htm