TOP STORIES
130 U of Southern California Students Treated for Virus
October 6, 2008
Even as Georgetown University recovers from its recent norovirus outbreak, about 130 University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) students have come down with a severe stomach virus; despite an early closure of the campus cafeteria, it is now evident that the virus was not started there.

Study: College Students Find Wifi Essential to Education
October 7, 2008
90% of college students in the United States say WiFi access is as essential to education as classrooms and computers, and nearly 3 in 5 say they wouldn't go to a college that doesn't have free WiFi, according to a survey by the WiFi Alliance and Wakefield Research.

Harvard Gets $125 Million for Biological Engineering Institute
October 8, 2008
Harvard University has announced the largest gift in its history, a $125 million donation from entrepreneur Hansjorg Wyss to create a new institute dedicated to biological engineering.

$1 Billion in Arizona University Construction Stalled By Lottery Slump
October 9, 2008
A $1 billion construction plan for Arizona's three state universities that has been signed into law has hit a snag after a key legislative committee failed to take action on the projects, protesting that the Lottery revenues slated to fund these projects are lower than anticipated.

Middle Tennessee State U Student Charged in E-Mail Threat
October 10, 2008
A 19-year-old student at Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, TN) has been arrested on terrorism charges after threatening e-mails forced the cancellation of classes.

14 Georgia Technical Colleges to Merge; 7 Presidents to Lose Jobs
October 10, 2008
Geogia's deepening fiscal crisis has prompted the state's technical college officials to merge 14 of the system's 33 schools, saving about $3.5 million in top administrators' salaries, fringe benefits, and other expenses.

FEATURES 
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Graduates Drowning in Debt from the High Cost of College
October 6, 2008
College graduates are starting work with twice as much debt as in the mid-1990s.

Planet Earth 101: How Schools Have Internalized a Student Movement
October 7, 2008
As more educators agree that going green can help their schools reduce waste and cuts costs, this feature examines the way that higher education has internalized what began as largely a student movement.

With No Way Out of Trouble, More Students Likely to Default
October 7, 2008
Controversy remains over just how many students will end up defaulting on federal loans. While U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings proclaims that default rates are "historically low," a Department of Education audit indicates a higher risk.

Low Tuition, In-Demand Classes Have Enrollment Soaring at Michigan's 2-Year Schools
October 7, 2008
Tuition hikes at community colleges have been modest, it's easier to get into high-demand courses, and new agreements make it easy to transfer later to four-year universities -- all of which is fueling an enrollment boost at Michigan's 2-year colleges that surpasses the rapid growth at Michigan's state universities.

High Rate of Faculty Technology Adoption at Genesee Community College
October 8, 2008
Too often, institutions spend precious resources implementing a learning management system and associated collaboration, teaching and learning tools, only to find that few faculty use the tools. Gennesee Community College has achieved high faculty usage of online learning tools by focusing on institutional culture.

In Emergency, Text Messaging Has Pros, Cons
October 8, 2008
A recent incident in which a high school student's misinterpretation of apparently illegible graffiti blossomed into near-hysteria thanks largely to a flurry of text messaging by other students has led colleges and schools to wonder whether an emergency text messaging system might also be a conduit for the rapid spread of misinformation.

Helping Community College Students Beat the Odds
October 8, 2008
Hudson Valley Community College (Troy, NY) is finding that combining and coordinating various student services yields an unusually high retention rate.

Town Neighbors Help Lesley U Design Its New Dorms
October 8, 2008
Instead of the typical town-gown tug-of-war, Lesley University (Cambridge, MA) officials and an active group of neighbors struck an unusual accord: Residents wouldn't critique the latest drafts of the university's new dormitories at monthly meetings; instead, they would help design the buildings themselves.

Minorities Falling Behind
October 9, 2008
Compilation of data on minority participation in higher education suggests a first in American history: a new generation failing to keep up with the previous one.

Colleges Offer Students the Chance to Launch Hollywood Careers
October 10, 2008
A growing number of US colleges and universities, mostly from the East Coast and the South, are making the pitch for what are, in effect, study-abroad programs in Los Angeles, with a focus on the entertainment industry and internships that might launch a Hollywood career.

Debating Merit Pay at Two Universities
October 10, 2008
After a faculty dispute, Towson University (Towson, MD) compromises on how to distribute raises, while Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) attempts to shift entirely to "pay per performance."

Vocational Training Among Leading Trends at Christian Colleges
October 10, 2008
Christian liberal arts colleges are providing vocational training as an integral part of the education offered to students, according to an international association of Christian colleges and universities.

The New College Major: Homeland Security
October 10, 2008
7 years after 9/11, about 300 schools have homeland security programs. About a third are certificate programs, often for mid-career workers returning to school. The rest are split fairly evenly into master's, bachelor's, and associate's programs.

INSIDE ACADEME 
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Student Dies in Streetfight on San Diego State U Campus
October 6, 2008
A 22-year-old student was stabbed to death and three other students were wounded during a street fight this weekend on the San Diego State University campus.

No Shortage of Housing at San Diego State U This Semester
October 6, 2008
Though a high enrollment last year led to a high demand for on-campus housing, this year San Diego State University faces a sharp enrollment decline and diminished demand for dorms, which are now filled at only 93% capacity.

Michigan Universities Gets $57 Million to Help Children's Health Study
October 6, 2008
The state of Michigan is getting $57 million from the National Institutes of Health to expand its role in a research project to study children's health; participants include the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University.

Emory U Psychiatrist Accused of Conflict of Interest
October 6, 2008
A prominent Emory University (Atalanta, GA) psychiatrist received at least $2.8 million in consulting fees from companies whose drugs he was evaluating and failed to report a third of it, according to congressional investigators studying medical conflicts of interest.

U of Cincinnati College of Medicine Generates $4.8 Billion in Economic Impact
October 6, 2008
A study shows that the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, along with its affiliated teaching hospitals, generated $4.8 billion in economic impact for the region and across the state of Ohio in 2007.

Strike Over at U of Windsor
October 6, 2008
The students at the University of Windsor (Windsor, ON) are returning to class on Monday following the end of an 18-day strike by the school's faculty.

U of Iowa Study Advocates Against Selling Painting
October 6, 2008
According to a study, selling a prized Jackson Pollock painting would hurt the University of Iowa's chances of borrowing art from other museums and lessen the chance that the university would get future art donations.

Ohio U Will Begin Semester System in 2012
October 6, 2008
Ohio University (Athens, OH) will switch to semesters in fall 2012, its trustees have unanimously decided, saying the change offers an opportunity to improve what students are taught.

Stanford U Gets $75 Million for Stem Cell Studies
October 7, 2008
Business Wire founder Lorry Lokey has pledged $75 million to Stanford University to build a stem cell research center.

U of Tennessee Told to Cut Another $17 Million in Spending
October 7, 2008
University of Tennessee president John Petersen says the state has told the university to cut another $17 million in spending, which comes on top of an earlier spending cut of $21 million.

Utah Higher-Education Enrollment Jumps 8.5%
October 7, 2008
Utah's colleges and universities will have to decide whether their glass is half full or half empty as fall enrollment is significantly up while institutions face $33 million in budget cuts due to a state revenue shortfall.

Bright Futures Scholarships Give Florida's Two-Year Colleges a Boost
October 7, 2008
Florida's community colleges are increasingly becoming the beneficiaries of the state's Bright Futures Scholarship program as students seek alternatives to jampacked universities and take advantage of a recent change in state law.

Rice U Hopes $3 Million Grant Will Encourage Innovative Research
October 7, 2008
Rice University (Houston, TX) will use a $3 million grant from the John S. Dunn Research Foundation to encourage its researchers to take chances and pursue more innovative research.

California State U Official's Lawsuit Blames Job Loss on Retaliation
October 7, 2008
A former administrator with the California State University system has filed a $7.7 million lawsuit accusing Chancellor Charles Reed of retaliating against him for questioning the chancellor's award of a no-bid contract to a labor consultant.

U of New Hampshire Business Students Worry About Job Market
October 7, 2008
The nation's financial meltdown has some University of New Hampshire business students wondering if they should enter the work force or find a way to stay in school and wait out the crisis.

Rutgers U Plans to Have Applicants Self-Report High School Grades
October 7, 2008
Students applying this fall to Rutgers University will self-report their high school grades online as part of the school's effort to cut costs and streamline admissions.

5 Universities Launch Engineering Research Centers With $92.5 Million in Nsf Funding
October 8, 2008
The National Science Foundation is funding the establishment of new NSF Engineering Research Centers at five universities, with $92.5 million in funding over the next five years. The universities include Iowa State University, North Carolina State University, University of Arizona, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Concordia U Offers Degree Programs, Mbas in Former Burnsville Shopping Mall
October 8, 2008
Beginning in January, Concordia University (St. Paul, MN) will hold classes in a remodeled shopping mall in downtown Burnsville, MN for students who want a two- or four-year degree or an MBA.

U of Nevada, Las Vegas and Nevada State College Partner in Online Nursing Degree Program
October 8, 2008
Nursing faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Nevada State College are collaborating to improve nurse retention and patient care by expanding opportunities for registered nurses to earn a BS in nursing through an online degree program.

Credit Crisis Delays Loans to Students in Western Virginia
October 8, 2008
Wall Street's crisis is having ripple effects in Western Virginia as a handful of area colleges and universities are waiting on delayed student loan proceeds.

Security Software Turns Laptops into Blue Books
October 8, 2008
Some colleges are experimenting with software that turns laptops into digital blue books, which could spell the end of the dreaded exam scribble.

U of Minnesota: Stem-Cell Study Used Falsified Data
October 8, 2008
The University of Minnesota has concluded that falsified data were used in a 2001 article published by one of its researchers on adult stem cells. The school is asking that the article be retracted.

U of Iowa Task Force to Focus on Reducing Flood Risks
October 9, 2008
The University of Iowa has appointed a 14-member flood mitigation task force that will serve as the university community's voice in planning changes to reduce the risk from future Iowa River flooding.

Tennessee Announces Further State Budget Cuts for Higher Ed
October 9, 2008
Faced with a faltering economy and falling tax collections, Tennessee is turning to its public colleges and universities and its health care programs for the poor to absorb a new round of budget cuts worth more than $106 million.

Lawmakers Work to Save 4,000 Jobs at U of Texas Medical Branch
October 9, 2008
Texas lawmakers have said this week that they will devise a rescue plan to prevent massive layoffs at the University of Texas Medical Branch, which suffered $709 million in damage caused by Hurricane Ike.

Parents Get Details on U of Wisconsin Band Suspension
October 9, 2008
The parents of 300 students in the University of Wisconsin Marching Band received a letter this week from the dean of students with more details on the hazing accusations the school is investigating, including some potentially serious charges.

Southern Illinois U to Receive 50 Art Pieces from New York Collectors
October 9, 2008
Not a big Chicago art museum but one in Carbondale has been selected as the lone Illinois recipient of 50 works of contemporary art from the trove of two remarkable collectors, New Yorkers Herbert and Dorothy Vogel.

Enrollment Boom Continues Steadily at Washington Universities
October 9, 2008
Students continue to stream onto the campuses of Washington's public four-year universities as the enrollment boom of the past few years shows no sign of ending.

First Nations U Gets $1.6 Million from Government
October 9, 2008
First Nations University of Canada is getting $1.6 million from the Saskatchewan government to help cover mounting costs, but provincial officials insist the funding is not a bailout for the struggling school.

U of Texas, Students in Standoff Over Campaign Signs
October 9, 2008
A standoff continues between the University of Texas and two students who have posted presidential campaign signs in their windows, in violation of a university policy against placing signs in dorm windows.

Federal Government Accredit Pennsylvania's First New Medical College in 46 Years
October 9, 2008
The federal government has approved accreditation of Commonwealth Medical College (Scranton, PA).

Rutgers U Probing Allegations of Discrimination from Female Faculty
October 10, 2008
Rutgers University is investigating complaints of discrimination from female faculty in its political science department, including allegations of pay inequities and charges that male senior faculty members have held long-standing, decision-making dinners that exclude women.

U of Tennessee Student Indicted for Hacking Palin's E-Mail account
October 10, 2008
David Kernell, an economics major at the University of Tennessee, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of Governor Palin; he faces up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a 3-year term of supervised release.

Davenport U President Pleads Guilty to Drunken Driving
October 10, 2008
The president of Davenport University (Grand Rapids, MI) has pleaded guilty to a first-time drunken-driving charge and refusing to take a breath test during his arrest.

NCAA Claims Violations By Southeast Missouri State U Coach
October 10, 2008
Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Scott Edgar is accused by the NCAA of providing special benefits for a student athlete and other violations, and he has been placed on administrative leave.

Virginia University Budgets Taking a Hit
October 10, 2008
Reductions of 5 to 7 % in Virginia's state funding to public universities announced this week will force colleges such as Virginia Tech and Radford University to use hiring freezes, cash reserves, and cuts to auxiliary programs and discretionary spending.

Mount Wachusett Community Colleges Leases Acres to Veterans' Center
October 10, 2008
In what the president calls a "good symbiotic relationship," Mount Wachusett Community College (Gardner, MA) has leased 10 acres on its campus, at no charge, to a nonprofit organization constructing a rehabilitation center for veterans suffering post-traumatic stess disorder, burns, amputations, or traumatic brain injury.

Amid Protests, Bans Lifted on Dorm Displays at U of Texas
October 10, 2008
In the interest of freedom of speech, students at the University of Texas at Austin will be allowed to put political signs in their dormitory windows, reversing a policy that has caused a growing uproar across campus in recent days.

Resource Office at U of Arizona Opens for War Veterans
October 10, 2008
Bracing for an influx of former military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan, the University of Arizona is opening a resource office to provide them with information and referral services, peer support, and a dedicated place to relax and study on campus.

INTERNATIONAL 
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UK: Oxford and Cambridge Offer Lectures on Itunes
October 7, 2008
Following similar moves by University College London and the Open University, Oxford and Cambridge will allow students to download lectures directly onto their iPods.

UK: 3 in 4 Grants Not Paid
October 7, 2008
College principals estimate that up to three-quarters of poor students have not received their maintenance allowances.

UK: £400 Million for Universities
October 8, 2008
The Higher Education Funding Council for England last week announced distribution of nearly £400 million ($700 million) from the Higher Education Innovation Fund round four to universities following approval of their plans.

UK: in World Rankings, British Universities Lose Ground to Wealthier Rivals
October 9, 2008
British universities have slipped down the world rankings as they compete ever harder with eminent institutions overseas; Cambridge and Oxford have lost ground to Harvard and Yale, while fewer British universities than last year are in the top 200.

Australia: Student Squatters Occupy U of Melbourne Houses
October 9, 2008
The University of Melbourne is refusing to negotiate with 25 student squatters who have occupied terrace houses that were to be renovated for use as offices; the students say they are homeless because the university has failed to provide affordable student housing.

UK: £30 Million Arts Centre Planned for Bangor University
October 9, 2008
Plans are being drawn up for a new arts centre at Bangor University; the center will include improved arts facilities for the whole community, including a theatre, lecture theatres, exhibition spaces, bar, and cafe.

UK: Students Get Free Access to a Century of News Footage
October 9, 2008
Universities and colleges across the UK can now access an archive of news footage that contains 65,000 films (3,000 hours' worth of historic footage) and 10 million still pictures, free of charge.

UK: Plans for Dyson College Scrapped
October 10, 2008
After government rejection of his latest funding proposal, tycoon James Dyson says he has abandoned his attempt to build a multi-million pound school of design in Bath.

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 
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The University of Massachusetts' provost Charlena Seymour has announced that she will be resigning at the end of this academic year.

The Southwestern Oregon Community College (Coos Bay, OR) board of education unanimously accepted the resignation of president Judith Hansen this week, following a hastily called executive session.

Princeton University's president Shirley Tilghman will serve on the board of trustees of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a new research university in Saudi Arabia.