IRAP Environmental Scanning Digest A monthly digest of our collective environmental scanning

February 18, 2016

STUDENTS

Hungry, Homeless and in College, Sara Goldrick-Rab and Katharine M. Broton, The New York

Times, Dec. 4, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/opinion/hungry-homeless-and-in-college.html?_r=0

(Keyword: hunger, homeless, student basic needs)

As tuition and living expenses rise, college students are facing food and housing insecurity in

college. More and more of them have to cut corners on food and housing because of a lack of

money. Going hungry and becoming homeless in college is increasingly seen among students

from low-income families or students who are the first generation of their families to attend

college.

Similar articles:

The hunger crisis in America’s universities, Ned Resnikoff, MSNBC, Sep. 3, 2014

More college students battle hunger as education and living costs rise, Tara Baharampour, The

Washington Post, Apr. 9, 2014

Gallup: The six college experiences linked to lifelong success, The EAB Daily Briefing, April 9,

2015

https://www.eab.com/daily-briefing/2015/04/09/gallup-life-success-linked-to-6-college-

experiences

(Keyword: time-to-degree, post-graduation)

Gallup studied the connection between undergraduate experience and real-world success and

found that college experiences are strongly linked to time-to-degree and post-graduation

success. Six elements were identified to have a significant effect on a students’ post-graduation

success: (1) A professor who made them excited to learn; (2) A professor who cared about

them as individuals; (3) A mentor who pushed students to reach their goals; (4) Working on a

long-term project; (5) Completing a job or internship related to classroom lessons; and (6) Being

engaged in extracurricular activities and groups.

Gallup’s college certification plan may upend traditional rankings, The EAB Daily Briefing, Feb.

8, 2016

https://www.eab.com/daily-briefing/2016/02/08/gallups-college-certification-plan-may-upend-

traditional-rankings

(Keyword: college ranking, college experience, post-graduation success)

Gallup decided to enter the college ratings market by measuring what truly matters in college

and the actual outcome of a degree. The new rating system will be based on the ‘big six’ college

experiences Gallup identified in their studies that promote successful students in college and

turn them into successful employees. The new rating system complements the traditional

rankings by U.S. News & World Report.

What Role Do Asian Americans Have in the Campus Protests? Kevin Cheng, The Atlantic, Dec. 8,

2015

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/12/asian-americans-campus-

protests/419301/

(Keyword: Asian American, racial equality)

Asian American students were less active than other minority groups in campus protests. As a

result, Asian American perspective is often overlooked during discussions of minority rights. In

the conversations about racial equality, issues that Asian Americans face on campus would

often not be addressed. Remaining silent creates a fundamentally unequal system, at the

expense of continued minoritization.

What Asian Americans Are Bring to Campus Movements for Racial Justice, Mark Tseng

Putterman, RACE FILES, February 1, 2016

http://www.racefiles.com/2016/02/01/what-asian-americans-are-bringing-to-campus-

movements-for-racial-justice/

(Keyword: Asian American, community involvement)

For decades, Asian American has struggled alongside the U.S. mainstream to make sense of the

place of “yellow” and “brown” amidst Black and white. Asian American community feels the

need to change and be heard in the college community. They hope to make differences within

campuses like the other minority groups through involvements in various campus activities.

Why Must International Students Pick up the Tab for U. S. Higher Education?, Samantha Koo,

Diverse – Issues in Higher Education, 12/22/15

http://diverseeducation.com/article/79689/

(Keywords: student debt, international)

- Steady rise in income from international student tuition - $30.5 billion in 2014-15 - Does not match rate of growth in number of international students - Differentiated tuition, additional fees, lack of financial aid - Potential for alienating students, damaging U.S. reputation as top study abroad

destination - Influx of Chinese students due to economic growth in that country

Free Tuition Is Not the Answer, Catharine Hill (President and professor of economics, Vassar),

The New York Times, Op Ed, 11/30/15

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/opinion/free-tuition-is-not-the-answer.html

(Keywords: student debt, tuition, affordability)

- More to college affordability than lower prices - Recent proposals by Sanders, Reed ignore that declining state support is a factor in

increased costs to students at public institutions o Free tuition could thus mean reduced resources in other areas, including need-

based aid, teaching - Primary beneficiaries would be high earning families due to net price

o Targeted aid policies would make more institutions affordable to those who need aid

- Average federal loan debt of $26,900 is justified by increased earnings o Outsize portion of loan defaults are for-profit institutions – 9% of enrollments,

20% of federal loan borrowing, 44% of defaults o Additional defaults often a result of not graduating – prioritize improved

completion rates

Foundation Urges Admissions Offices to Create a ‘Poverty Preference’, Eric Hoover, Chronicle

of Higher Education, 1/11/16

http://chronicle.com/article/Foundation-Urges-Admissions/234868

(keywords: admissions, merit, SES, low-income, diversity)

- Report released by Jack Kent Cooke Foundation urging more equitable admissions process

o “True Merit: Ensuring Our Brightest Students Have Access to Our Best Colleges and Universities”

o Current process includes series of preferences (athletes, legacies, etc.) that are stacked against underprivileged

o Create a “viable alternative strategy to promote racial diversity on campus” while also increasing socioeconomic diversity

o Give weight to SES during admissions evaluations, review in a holistic manner, percent admitted from each high school

o Too much reliance on test scores, which may eliminate disproportionate number of low-income students

Minnesota Launches Student-Loan Refinancing Program, Ricardo Lopez, Star Tribune, 1/15/16

http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-launches-student-loan-refinancing-

program/365296921/

(keywords: student debt, loans, refinancing)

- MN is 5th nationally in amount of college loan debt, average of $32,000 - MN Office of Higher Ed refinancing program designed to reduce interest charges

o Financed through sale of state-backed bonds o Must be MN residents, completed a postsecondary credentialed program, meet

credit requirements - Student loan debt at $1.3 trillion as of November 2015 – more than auto loans, credit

card debt o Average of $28,950 per borrower

- Article includes profiles of individual borrowers and their struggles

Lawmakers Aim to Fix Student Debt Problem They Helped Create, Chris Rickert, Wisconsin

State Journal, 1/14/16

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/columnists/chris-rickert/chris-rickert-lawmakers-aim-

to-fix-student-debt-problem-they/article_36605e79-939d-57f7-a871-746d707be50a.html

(keywords: student debt, loans, refinancing)

- WI is 3rd nationally in amount of college loan debt - Democrats are pushing a state refinancing program, Republicans have alternate, smaller

proposals o Higher Ed/Lower Debt act would create Wisconsin Student Loan Refinancing

Authority

Use state’s borrowing power to pay off loans at lower rates than students can get individually, students to then pay back state at low interest rate

o Alternately, boost internships, provide more information about college cost and financing, increase state aid for technical college, provide emergency grants, allow deduction of more of loan interest from taxes

- Increases in tuition at WI public schools have outstripped inflation, driven by lack of state funding

Politico’s Morning Education: A $2 billion Pell boost?, Caitlin Emma, Politico: Morning

Education, 1/19/16

http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-education/2016/01/a-2-billion-pell-boost-

creating-more-cte-opportunities-king-for-a-year-last-apple-thrown-in-food-fight-gifted-gaps-

212229

(keywords: student debt, loans, Pell grant)

- Obama administration proposes $2B/year expansion of $30B program, two components o Accelerated Completion – full time students could earn a third grant award in an

academic year, possibly enabling summer courses o On-Track Bonus – additional award amount for students taking at least 15 credits

per semester - Proposals still need to pass House, Senate

Betrayed by the Dream Factory, Samual Garner, Slate: Moneybox, 1/26/16

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2016/01/student_loan_crisis_at_its_ugliest

_i_graduated_and_found_out_i_owe_200_000.html

(keywords: student debt, loans, predatory lending, case study)

- Personal profile of individual borrower’s struggle o Younger sibling’s tuition much higher than older siblings’, parents’ tuition o Less available in grant money vs plenty of private loan money, without proper

counseling High interest rates, limited repayment plans, unfair contracts

o Advised to follow passion and pursue academia (low salary) - Cites TICAS report on student debt for class of 2014

o 69% graduate in debt, average of $29,000

UC enrolled 1,600 fewer Californians in 2015, Jose Medina, Chair of the Higher Education

Committee

http://asmdc.org/members/a61/news-room/press-releases/assemblymembers-medina-and-

mccarty-provide-statement-on-university-of-california-enrollment-numbers-and-announce-

legislation

(keywords: enrollment, nonresident enrollment)

Legislators express concern about the increasing trend in UC nonresident enrollment, currently

at 15.5%. In the next few months we should expect to see new legislation and a budget

proposal from Jose Medina (D-Riverside) - Chair of Assembly Higher Ed committee) and Kevin

McCarthy (D- Sacramento) Chair or Assembly Budget Subcommittee.

As justices Weigh Affirmative Action, Michigan offers an alternative, Anemona Hartocollis,

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/us/affirmative-action-supreme-court-

michigan.html?_r=0

(keywords: enrollment)

Colleges seem more concerned with having “a politically correct balanced student body,” in

part by admitting wealthy black and Hispanic students, than with the harder work of finding

truly disadvantaged students and giving them a chance to thrive.

Seven of 11 flagship universities in those states achieved as much or more diversity through

strategies like guaranteeing admission for top graduates from each high school in the state,

giving priority to low-income students, improving financial aid packages, stepping up

recruitment and eliminating legacy preferences. The main exceptions, the foundation said,

were the three most elite universities: the University of Michigan; the University of California,

Berkeley; and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Full report: What can we learn from states that ban affirmative action:

http://www.tcf.org/work/education/detail/what-can-we-learn-from-states-that-ban-

affirmative-action

Scanner comments:

How can we diversify student body, what policies, what incentives, what pools (ELC, ETR, wait

lists). What are other flagships doing?

Could we do an empirical analysis of the 2015 freshman class in terms of diversity?

The Flagship Diversity Divide: The student bodies at large state universities are more diverse

than the faculties. But the broader population outpaces them both, Ben Myers, The Chronicle

of Higher Education

http://chronicle.com/interactives/flagship-diversity

(keywords: student diversity, faculty diversity)

Flagship institutions often find questions about diversity to be particularly pressing. Because of

their public funding, there is an expectation that their student bodies would resemble the

demographics of the areas they serve. And increasingly, students want their faculties to be

similarly diverse. But because professors are hired from a national pool, it’s also reasonable to

expect that their faculties would represent not only the diversity of their states but of the

nation as a whole.

Using a Diversity Index as the primary measure, the author measures the gap between how

diverse the university student body is with respect of their faculty and with respect of the state

population.

Rising Tide: Do College Grad Rate Gains Benefit All Students? The Education Trust, Higher

Education, December 2015

https://edtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/TheRisingTide_120115.pdf

(keywords: student success, graduation rates)

More than two-thirds of four-year, public colleges and universities have increased graduation

rates in the last 10 years — not only overall (5.3 percentage points), but for underrepresented

students as well (6.3 percentage points).Among underrepresented students, gains were

greatest for Latinos (7.4 percentage points) and smallest for black students (4.4 points). Native

students saw an increase of 6.4 points.

BUT not enough to close gaps in completion anytime this century. Even with the improvements

seen this last decade, underrepresented students still are not graduating at the same rate as

white students were 10 years ago. A 14-percentage-point gap in completion remains between

underrepresented and white students.

What institutions do — how they dedicate resources and support students — matters, thus

here are recommended practices:

1. More student cultural social support 2. Diversity in leadership roles 3. Retention efforts 4. More advising towards 15th credit hours 5. Partnerships with local school districts to connect middle school / high school 6. Teachers trained to prepare students for college level work

How a Little-Known Program for Foreign Students Became Embroiled in a Hot-Button National Debate, Karin Fischer, The Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/article/How-a-Little-Known-Program-for/234973 (keywords: International Students, Optional Practical Training) The program, Optional Practical Training, could cause big controversy but very few know about its existence. Optional Practical Training, or OPT, allows some students and recent graduates of American colleges who are in the United States on student visas to extend their stay temporarily in order to gain work experience related to their field of study. The program is popular with international students. In fact, 12 percent of the nearly one million student-visa holders aren’t studying at all; they’re on OPT. The value of each college graduate at to Arizona’s economy in their life time: $660,000, Anne

Ryman, The Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/education/2016/01/20/report-college-

graduate-worth-660k-arizona-economy/79017196/#

(keyword: alumni outcomes)

Recommendations is closing racial/ethnic graduation gap, Arizona has lagged in the percentage

of adults with college degrees, 37 vs in associate’s degrees.

College graduates earn more, generally pay more taxes.

It all starts at high school

Link to the study: http://collegesuccessarizona.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Doubling-

Arizona%E2%80%99s-Economic-Growth-No-Large-Photos.pdf

Five key findings:

1. College graduates can expect to earn more over a lifetime than those with just a high school diploma

2. College graduates generally pay more in taxes. 3. Arizona’s low college completion rate is problematic. 4. Minority students enroll and complete degrees at lower rates than White students in

Arizona. 5. The state must increase high school graduation rates. Arizona's high school graduation

rate is (75 percent) is below the national average (81 percent).

EMPLOYEES

Fallout at Mount St Mary’s Spreads as Scholars Protest Firings, Sarah Brown and Katherine

Mangan

http://chronicle.com/article/Fallout-at-Mount-St-Marys/235251?cid=trend_right

(keywords: Employees, faculty, new presidents, firing)

At Mount St. Mary’s College, a Roman Catholic institution in Maryland, the provost was

demoted and two faculty members were firing for opposing the new president’s plans for the

university and for criticizing the administration. The firings caused outrage around the country

and called into question how free speech and academic freedom may be threatened. There are

also concerns about how these actions may affect the experience of students on campus as well

as recruiting efforts.

UC faculty rank first among Highly Cited Researchers, Robyn Schelenz

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/uc-system-faculty-rank-first-among-highly-cited-

researchers

(keywords: Employees, faculty, research)

One hundred sixty five UC faculty members were included on a list of highly cited researchers,

according to a study by Thompson Reuters. That number is higher than any other university.

The Highly Cited Researchers list is meant to show how influential a faculty member’s research

is in their field by tracking how many times papers by that faculty member were cited by other

researchers.

Can Data Measure Faculty Productivity? Rutgers Professors Say No, Ellen Wexler

http://chronicle.com/article/Can-Data-Measure-Faculty/234595/

(keywords: employees, faculty, faculty productivity)

Faculty at Rutgers University are concerned that data from a company, Academic Analytics,

which aggregates and tracks faculty productivity data, is inaccurate and do not think it should

be used to make hiring and promotion decisions. They have proposed to limit its use in hiring

and promotion. Much concern lies with the methodology used to gather the data. The

techniques used to pull together the data are opaque and faculty members need to make

special requests to see the data about themselves. Many faculty members believe that

Academic Analytics does not effectively capture alternative methods of research, like publishing

in niche journals.

Plenty of moustaches but not enough women: cross sectional study of medical leaders,

Mackenzie R Wehner, Kevin T Nead, Katerina Linos, Eleni Linos

http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h6311

(keywords: Employees, leadership, gender equality)

Abstract from study:

Objectives: To draw attention to sex related disparities in academic medical leadership by

investigating the representation of female leaders compared with leaders with moustaches.

Participants: Clinical department leaders (n=1018) at the top 50 US medical schools funded by

the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Main outcome measures: The proportions of female leaders and moustachioed leaders across

institutions and specialties (n=20). Additionally, the moustache index: the proportion of women

compared with the proportion of moustaches, analyzed with multinomial logistic regression

models.

Results: Women accounted for 13% (137/1018) of department leaders at the top 50 NIH

funded medical schools in the US. Moustachioed leaders accounted for 19% (190/1018). The

proportion of female department leaders ranged from 0% (0/20) to 26% (5/19) across

institutions and 0% (0/53) to 36% (19/53) across specialties. Only seven institutions and five

specialties had more than 20% of female department leaders. The overall moustache index of

all academic medical departments studied was 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.58 to 0.90;

P=0.004). Only six of 20 specialties had more women than moustaches (moustache index >1).

Conclusions: Moustachioed individuals significantly outnumber women as leaders of medical

departments in the US. We believe that every department and institution should strive for a

moustache index ≥1. Known, effective, and evidence based policies to increase the number of

women in leadership positions should be prioritized.

Notes from scanner: 23.5% of department heads at UCSF are female

Pipelines, Pathways, and Institutional Leadership: An Update on the Status of Women in

Higher Education, Heather L. Johnson

http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/Higher-Ed-Spotlight-Pipelines-Pathways-and-

Institutional-Leadership-Status-of-Women.pdf

(keywords: Employees, women, diversity, women in leadership, gender equality)

The article/infographic suggests that the ‘pipeline’ argument for the lack of women in

leadership positions at colleges is false. They contend that there are actually many qualified

women that could be leaders of institutions and that, ultimately, it is up to universities to

change their hiring practices to increase the number of women in “Chief Academic Officer”

positions.

RESEARCH

Bias Against Female Instructors, Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Education, January 11, 2016

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/11/new-analysis-offers-more-evidence-

against-student-evaluations-teaching

(keywords: gender bias, student evaluations)

Reporting on the published paper, “Student Evaluations of Teaching (Mostly) Do Not Measure

Teaching Effectiveness” (January, 2016, ScienceOpen Research, Philip B. Stark, UCB, et. al.), this

story highlights SETs (Student evaluations of teaching) gauge students’ gender biases more than

they measure teaching effectiveness and that the biases are generally against female

instructors. The study was conducted in one French and one US institution. Here’s some

interesting in the differences found: In the French data, male students tended to rate male

instructors higher than they rated female instructors, but little difference was observed among

female students. In the U.S. data, female students tended to rate perceived male instructors

higher than they rated perceived female instructors, with little difference in ratings by male

students. In both cases, however, the bias still positively impacted male instructors and

disadvantaged female ones.

In the US data, teaching style was controlled and the study used data from an online course so

that instructor gender was a perception of the student, not a fact known to them. Two

instructors, one male and one female, shared each other’s identity so that students’ evaluations

were based on the gender they perceived the instructor to be.

Updated: Budget agreement boosts US science, Jeffrey Mervis, (publication*), December 18,

2015

*It is unknown where this came from. It’s a short piece outlining the basics of federal science

agency’s uptick in budgets with a table titled: Good news for US federal research: New

agreement hikes 2016 budgets for most science agencies.

Next in this packet is a series of short (blog post-type) stories:

2016 spending bill gives NIH $2billion raise, largest in 12 years, Jocelyn Kaiser

At long last, Congress to make R&D tax credit permanent, David Malakoff

White-nose bat study gets funded, David Malakoff

FDA gets 5% bump and ban on gene editing, Kelly Servick

NASA science budget rises 6.6%, Eric Hand

NOAA research rises 4% in new budget, Carolyn Gramling

Animal advocates hail tougher oversight provisions, David Grimm

Words are more precious than money for NSF, Jeffrey Mervis

Prospects brighten for Department of Energy research, Adrian Cho

Agreement reverses proposed cut in DOD basic research, David Malakoff

Agreement puts Census Bureau back on track for planning 2020 headcount, Jeffrey Mervis

The Water Next Time: Professor Who Helped Expose Crisis in Flint Says Public Science Is

Broken, Steve Kolowich, The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 2, 2016

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Water-Next-Time-Professor/235136

(keywords: water, lead, water pollution, Flint, MI)

An interview with Professor Marc Edwards, Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech. “He said that the

systems built to support scientists do not reward moral courage and that the university pipeline

contains toxins of its own—which, if ignored, will corrode public faith in science.”

Quote from the interview: “…the idea of science as a public good is being lost.”

Edwards says that since the uproar in Flint and the subsequent funding being offered, suddenly

there’s a financial incentive for scientists and researchers to get involved (whereas before, no

one wanted to step on government’s toes).

Advising strategies to support timely graduation, UCOP, December, 2015

http://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/_files/Advising_strategies.pdf

(keywords: Advising)

The report summarizes the range of advising practices (programmatic strategies, technology

and tools, organizational improvement strategies) campuses implement to support timely

graduation.

Four-year graduation rates for freshmen have risen significantly over the past 15 years — from

46 percent for the 1997 entering cohort to 62 percent for the 2010 cohort but graduation rates

tend to be lower for socioeconomically disadvantaged students (especially African-American

and Chicano/Latino males) and for students from first-generation families.

Learning support services at the University of California Santa Cruz: Student’s Experiences and

Education Outcomes. October 2015. Brandon Balzer Carr and Rebecca London.

http://lss.ucsc.edu/files/Reports/LSS_report_FINAL.pdf

The paper examines the role of Learning Support Services in helping students to succeed

academically.

Learning Support Services (LSS) are intended to aid students who are having academic

difficulties. It includes two primary components: modified supplemental instruction (MSI) and

tutoring.

Many students use MSI and tutoring and serve students who have historically been

disadvantaged.

MSI and tutoring are associated with increases in course grades.

Scanner comments: Other Assessments, Summer Bridge analyses.

PLANNING

The 2016 Inside Higher Ed Survey of Chief Academic Officers, Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed,

January 22, 2016

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/survey/2015-survey-chief-academic-officers

(keywords: academic affairs, liberal arts, general education, budget, MOOCs/online education,

athletics, faculty tenure)

Presents findings of the 2016 Inside Higher Ed Survey of College and University Chief Academic

Officers (CAOs), conducted by Gallup and answered by 539 provosts or chief academic

officers. Findings include concerns about the future of liberal arts/general education,

institutional budget situations, new MOOC-inspired forms of higher education, and the ability

to preserve academic integrity when pursuing big-time athletics. Provosts/CAOs are divided on

trigger warnings and, while not pushing for change, are open to alternatives to tenure (e.g.,

long-term contracts). Provosts/CAOs are generally positive about the academic health of their

institutions and are becoming more open to competency-based education.

Comments from original scanner: There’s a lot here but I don’t think it’s a surprise that the

article starts with the status of liberal arts.

This Chart Shows the Promise and Limits of ‘Learning Analytics’, Jeffrey R. Young, The

Chronicle of Higher Education, January 4, 2016

http://chronicle.com/article/This-Chart-Shows-the-Promise/234573

(keywords: online education, analytics, learning management systems, student success)

With more courses happening online, colleges now can track students’ learning behaviors and

course engagement more precisely. Such tracking is known as “learning analytics” and it’s how

administrators at Utah State University created a single graphic that depicts all the student

activity from a recent online course. Faculty are experimenting with learning analytics to

improve teaching and learning and build more effective courses.

California is facing a shortfall of 1 million college grads. What we must do to fix it., Janet

Napolitano, LinkedIn Pulse, January 12, 2016

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/california-facing-shortfall-1-million-college-grads-what-

napolitano?trk=prof-post

(keywords: access, social mobility, graduation rates, economic impact)

Outlines the importance of higher education and the critical steps the University of California is

taking, as a public institution, to help generate the 1 million additional college graduates

California is projected to need by 2030 (e.g., enrolling 10,000 more California undergraduates

over the next three years, the Transfer Pathways program).

Comments from original scanner: update IRAP data (data about low-income UC graduates’

earnings and state of employment)

More data can make college less risky, Beth Akers and Jonathan Rothwell, Brookings SERIES:

Evidence Speaks, No. 21 of 22, January 21, 2016

http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2016/01/21-more-data-make-college-less-risky-

akers-rothwell

(keywords: economic impact, value of college degree)

Authors argue that more comparable alumni earnings data by major and institution can better

inform students’ decisions of what to study and where. “College degrees, like other

investments, are risky, but information goes a long way to clarify the nature of that risk and

improve the quality of investment decisions.” Presents estimates of the ten-year return on

investment for each institution in the state of Texas by major using alumni earnings by major

data from the Texas Higher Education Board combined with information on the net cost of

tuition from IPEDS/College Scorecard.

Comments from original scanner:

More consumer data helps college decision and choice

Colleges need to “unbundle” to reduce students’ investment risk

Accreditors Feel the Heat, but Are Torn Over Calls for Change, Eric Kelderman, The Chronicle of

Higher Education, January 29, 2016

http://chronicle.com/article/Accreditors-Feel-the-Heat-but/235103

(keywords: accreditation, graduation rates, student debt, affordability, federal regulation)

Accreditors are debating how to address demands from the public and legislators to hold low-

performing institutions more accountable, use concrete measures of student achievement (e.g.,

graduation rates), and consider issues of price and student debt.

The Challenge of Restoring the Public to Higher Education, Kelderman, E., The Chronicle of

Higher Education, December 11, 2015

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Challenge-of-Restoring-the/234578

(keywords: value of college degree, public good, state funding)

The 2015 annual conference of higher-education lobbyists focused on the need to extend the

definition of value of a college degree beyond financial payoff and towards the public good. In

order to make more compelling arguments to the state for funding higher education.

Post-Collegiate Outcomes Initiative is one consortium of primarily community colleges who are

actively “examining the public and personal economic and social capital that is generated by

higher education.”

Term Enrollment Estimates Fall 2015, National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/CurrentTermEnrollment-Fall2015.pdf

(keywords: student enrollment)

A comparative report on National College Enrollments by sector, geography and demographics

shows college enrollment is down 1.7% from last year.

The most dramatic decrease was for four year for-profit schools, a 13.7% drop. Four-year Public

colleges were the only colleges with an increase in enrollments, a 0.4% increase.

California enrollments also grew by 0.4% from the prior year.

Selling the English Major, Jaschik, S., Inside Higher Ed, January 11, 2016

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/11/professors-consider-how-sell-english-

major-students-parents-administrators

(keywords: degree programs, humanities, value of a college degree)

At this year’s MLA conference, some colleges voiced concern over the declines in the number of

English majors; such as 40% decline in the past three years at University of Maryland, College

park. It was most frequently posited that the enhanced focus on employability after college is

contributing to the decline. Conference participants highlighted the importance of “selling”

English as a major by pointing out that skills learned as an English major are essential to most

career pathways.

Comments from original scanner:

- Framing Humanities o Where do our students go? o Experience in college (UCUES) o After college

Without the humanities, how would we understand what we make, how societies evolve, and

cultures survive? University of California, UniversityofCalifornia.edu, March 16,

2015 http://www.ucop.edu/federal-governmental-relations/_files/fact-sheets/humanities-

advocay-day-fact-sheet-2015.pdf

(keywords: humanities, research, federal funding)

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the only federal agency that supports

research, education and public programs in the humanities. Funding from NEH is critical to

supporting UC humanities research. Programs supported by NEH include, UC Humanities

Network, UC Humanities Research Institute.

Diversity Courses are in High Demand. Can they make a difference? Brown, S., The Chronicle

of Higher Education, January 7, 2016

http://chronicle.com/article/Diversity-Courses-Are-in-High/234828

(keywords: general education, diversity)

A student led campaign at the University of Iowa has resulted in the incorporation of a diversity

and inclusion course in general education requirements. Advocates for courses say it is most

important to focus on power and privilege differentials in these courses, rather than any

particular demographic group. While some opponents say that the a required course is

unnecessary or are unsure of its ability to produce results, more universities are starting to

acknowledge skills learned in such courses are essential for an increasing pluralistic society.

After some initial faculty resistance, UCLA recently also approved a diversity-related course

requirement.

Assessing the impact of arts and humanities research at the University of Cambridge, Levitt, R.

Diepeveen. S. Chonaill, S. , Rabinovich, L. & Tiessen, J., Rand Corporation Europe (2010)

http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2010/RAND_TR816.pdf

(keywords: arts, humanities, research, assessing impact)

The University of Cambridge aspires to develop methods to assess impact of research

conducted by the university in arts and humanities. A key finding during exploration was that

many faculty conducting research didn’t plan for assessing impact when doing research.

Authors note in the future if faculty have this focus in research they may be better at providing

evidence of impact. The authors propose using a model called the “Payback Framework” when

attempting to assess the impact of arts and humanities research.

What is the Value of an Education in the Humanities? Adam Frank, NPR 13.7: Cosmos &

Culture, February 3, 2016

http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/02/02/465239105/what-is-the-value-of-an-education-

in-the-humanities

(keywords: degree programs, humanities, liberal arts, general education, value of a college

degree)

University of Rochester Astrophysics Professor Adam Frank argues that “balance” is the key to

defending the value of humanities and a liberal arts education. The old barriers between the

humanities and technology are falling. Historians now use big-date techniques to ask their

human-centered questions; engineers use the same methods, but with an emphasis on human

interfaces, to answer their own technology-oriented questions. Addressing society’s emerging

challenges will require an understanding of both the technological and scientific foundation of

our society, as well as the human beings who populate it.

No subsidies for ‘French literature majors,’ one governor warns: All funding will be based on

outcomes, he says, The EAB Daily Briefing, February 3, 2016

https://www.eab.com/daily-briefing/2016/02/03/no-subsidies-for-french-literature-majors-

one-governor-warns

(keywords: degree programs, humanities, liberal arts, general education, value of a college

degree, performance-based funding)

Governor Matt Bevin (R) is proposing to implement performance-based funding for higher

education in Kentucky, but his emphasis on investing in high-demand degrees has some

educators worried. Bevin’s budget did not detail outcome measures schools would be

evaluated on, but he did comment on what disciplines were worthy of state support: “There

will be more incentives to electrical engineers than French literature majors. All the people in

the world that want to study French literature can do so, they are just not going to be

subsidized by the taxpayer.”

Comment: Liberal arts and tomorrow’s workforce, Michael T. Benson, Courier-Journal,

February 2, 2016

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2016/02/02/eku-president-liberal-arts-

tomorrows-workforce/79713348/

(keywords: degree programs, humanities, liberal arts, general education, value of a college

degree)

President of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) argues that as more and more jobs become

automated with advanced technologies, liberal arts is the training that will increasingly be

rewarded in the modern marketplace. Discusses ways EKU is trying to wed liberal arts with the

practical and technical skills of today.

Editorial: Liberal arts degrees are valuable, too, Timothy D. Easley, The Herald-Dispatch

(Huntington, WV), February 2, 2016

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/opinion/editorial-liberal-arts-degrees-are-valuable-

too/article_4e0e0dfb-e7b2-5ea0-a259-5eeb2084565b.html

(keywords: degree programs, humanities, liberal arts, general education, value of a college

degree)

Argues that college studies can provide the technical foundation for very specific careers, but

they also can inspire a broader view of one’s self and the world around us that can translate

into a different kind of success, as well as leadership and civic responsibility.

The Open University at 45: What can we learn from Britain’s Distance education pioneer, Ben

Wildavsky, The Brown Center Chalkboard, Brookings, February 1, 2016

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/brown-center-chalkboard/posts/2016/02/01-open-

university-broadcast-lectures-wildavsky

Article discusses the impact of the Open University (OU) on distance learning in higher

education. OU broadcasted lectures through BBC radio and television to students and provided

them with distance tutors that graded assignments and exams. The article proposes four tenets

to successful distance learning that the OU embodies: continual change, recognition or

differential needs of part time learners, provide multiple points of entry, and combining scale

with personalization.

ORU Freshmen are all wearing fitness trackers in pioneer program, Bill Sherman, Tulsa World,

January 7, 2016

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/religion/oru-freshmen-are-all-wearing-fitness-trackers-in-

pioneer-program/article_38e95c1c-a584-5bbc-875c-910f241958e8.html

Oral Roberts University (URU) is focusing on educating the “whole person” with an emphasis on

mind, body and spirit. Freshmen are required to wear Fit-bits to track physical activity, heart

rate etc. Data from the Fitbits is collected by the school and factored into grades. University

goal is set to 10,000 steps per day. The Fitbit tracking has been positively received by most

students.

Policymakers and Leaders need more timely measures of student progress, Nate Johnson, The

Evolution, February 9, 2016.

http://evolllution.com/programming/program_planning/policymakers-and-leaders-need-more-

timely-measures-of-student-progress/

The author finds fault with states, Trustees and the federal government to using graduation

rate data and other time-lagged data to assess institutions and their leaders. He states that

many college leaders may not have been in there current position when the most recently

reported graduating cohort (Fall 2008 entrants) started at the college and therefore had no

opportunity for influence on policy or resources related to these students. He calls for looking

at more recent cohort graduation rate, and progression rates. He suggests using something

similar to WASC’s Absolute Graduation Rate Dashboard or New Zealand’s approach to progress

and completions data.

Public Universities Seek to Redesign First-year Experience, Paul Fain, Inside Higher Education,

February, 1, 2016

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/02/01/public-universities-seek-redesign-

first-year-experience

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities will be making big changes to its

first year of college curriculum in order to improve graduation rates. Using “proven methods”

of success the college will restructure curriculum with a focus on improving outcomes for low-

income and first-generation students. The restructure will likely be comprised of degree maps

and more clearly defined pathways. So there will no longer be “too many choices for students”

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding some of this work.

AASCU Announces New Project to Re-Design Students’ First Year Experience, Maura Hunter &

Erica Christ, AASCU, February 1, 2016

http://www.aascu.org/newsreleases/RFY/

A coalition of 44 member institutions will work together for 3-years to re-design the first year

college experience. The institution hopes this process will not only improve economic well-

being, but overall quality of life for the student. They will meet in Austin Texas, Feb 4 for the

formal kick off to the project.

Aiming Higher Education at Great Jobs and Great Lives (2016).

Gallup. http://www.gallup.com/services/170939/higher-education.aspx

Gallup is creating a well-being certification for institutes of higher education that have an

“outstanding focus” on student and employee well-being. Two metrics , the Gallup-Healthways

Well-Being Index and the Gallup-Purdue Index, were used to assess the need for this

certification. Results from the Gallup-Purdue Index showed that roughly 11% of US college

graduate “thrive” in all five elements of well-being. The Gallup survey claims the well-being

measures are predictive of worker productivity, absenteeism, and healthcare cost burden.

George Mason University has put forth an effort to become the first-certified Well-being

University in the World.

INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES AND MEASURES

Facing skepticism, colleges set out to prove their value, Jon Marcus, The Hechinger Report,

1/22/16

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/facing-skepticism-colleges-set-out-to-prove-their-

value

(keywords: economic impact, planning)

Virginia Tech has released a series of reports, maps, and other materials that quantify their

economic impact on the state and their local community. This includes information about the

number of science graduates they produce, where in the state they find work, and how much

they earn. It also details the impact on tourism and spending of their athletic programs as well

as the spending impact of their research enterprise. Private colleges have joined in this effort by

making the argument that they are a better public investment since their students require less

publicly funded financial aid and graduate at faster rates than students in public schools. This is

part of a large effort by both public and private colleges to demonstrate their value in clear

economic terms to taxpayers and public officials, rather than relying vague pronouncements

that colleges are producing good citizens and doing good things with public money.

AASCU 2016 Public Policy Agenda

http://www.aascu.org/policy/public-policy/2016PublicPolicyAgenda.pdf

(keywords: advocacy, planning)

The top priority remains continued advocacy for sufficient and sustained state support for

public higher education. The state disinvestment in higher education has been the biggest

source of cost increases for students in the past several decades. State support should further

be targeted at need-based aid for low-income students. Universities should also oppose “free”

community college movements (including President Obama’s) since it redirects scarce public

financial aid toward students with less financial need who would otherwise bear some tuition

burden. Colleges should also promote student civic engagement by encouraging student

participation on the electoral process and by opposing state legislation that limits college

students’ ability to vote. At the federal level, colleges should advocate for expanding grant

programs rather than continuing to expand federal loan programs. Reform federal needs

analysis to the benefit of low-income students by including home equity and business/farm

value in the calculation. Reduce student loan debt burden by reducing subsidized loan rates and

expanding income-based repayment options.

Cuomo Proposes Higher Education Initiative in NY Prisons, McKinley and McKinley, Jr, The New

York Times, 1/10/16

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/11/nyregion/cuomo-proposes-higher-education-initiative-

in-new-york-prisons.html?_r=0

(keywords: access, diversity)

The Governor of New York announces a plan to provide college courses to inmates in an effort

to improve prison rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. The program would be funded in part

by unused criminal forfeiture funds and private matching funds. The program would expand

existing prison college courses and make the transferrable to outside colleges. Colleges would

be also offered $5,000 per inmate for a program of 30 college credits. Only inmates within 3

years of release would qualify.

Higher Education and the Public Good, Muriel Howard, The New York Times, 1/14/16

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/college/coll-howard-pres.html?8bl

(keywords: access, affordability, planning)

Education beyond high school is now essential for everybody as the economy and most

employers require workers to have some postsecondary education. Higher education is a public

good that should be within reach of everyone regardless of socioeconomic status, race, age, or

any other reason. Colleges should not prioritize prestige, rankings, or attracting research funds

over the mission of expanding access – our future economic stability and national security

depend on it.

Universities Race to Nurture Startup Founders of the Future, Natasha Singer, The New York

Times, 12/29/15

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/technology/universities-race-to-nurture-start-up-

founders-of-the-future.html

(keywords: workforce, planning)

More colleges are expanding classes and programs that focus on entrepreneurship to attract

and server students who want to turn their ideas into inventions or companies. On the heels of

poor job market prospects and visibility of highly successful Silicon Valley tech ventures, more

students have come to expect their colleges to offer instruction in entrepreneurship. Faculty

have been the most vocal opponents, criticizing these programs as promoting narrow skill sets

rather than bringing the intellectual and moral rigor needed to tackle complex problems.

Despite this criticism, top Ivy League schools, where space is at a premium, are dedicating

increasing space to “innovation centers” where students, faculty, and staff can work to turn

ideas into products. Even if students never pursue a startup company, these entrepreneurial

skills are necessary in a world where people can no longer expect to remain with one employer

for their entire career.

Top 10 Higher Education State Policy Issues for 2016, Harnisch and Lebioda, AASCU, January

2016

http://www.aascu.org/policy/publications/policy-matters/TopTen2016.pdf

(keywords: access, affordability, planning, workforce, diversity)

Higher education leaders have identified the top policy issues facing universities in 2016. Chief

among them are keeping college affordable, meeting state economic and workforce needs, and

expanding access to underserved populations such as undocumented students and veterans.

Progress in all of these areas will be essential if higher education is to remain a top priority for

state policymakers in 2016.

IRAP’s Environmental Scanning Editorial Board Christopher Brooks | Danielle Brown | Ryan Chan | Renatta DeFever | Chris Furgiuele | Darin Jensen | Susannah McCormick | Brianna Moore-Trieu | Kimberly Peterson | Yang Yang | Xiaohui Zheng