Author Profile

Shannon Blosser

Shannon Blosser worked as a staff writer at the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy from 2004 to 2007, covering higher education issues across North Carolina and the nation.

Blosser began his career as a journalist working as a sports and news writer in West Virginia and North Carolina. Blosser graduated from West Virginia University in 2002 with a B.S. in journalism.

Articles by Shannon Blosser

Bowles leads accountability charge in first year

Feb 7, 2007 · Shannon Blosser

CHAPEL HILL – When Erskine Bowles took over as president of the University of North Carolina system in 2006, his top priorities were to make the system more accountable to taxpayers and to make the system more efficient. His interest in those goals was among the reasons that Bowles, a former business executive and Clinton administration chief of staff, was the top choice as a replacement for then-president Molly Broad.

In his first year, Bowles lived up to his promises in these areas. Throughout the year, Bowles and the Board of Governors initiated policies that focused on ways to “manage this organization in the most efficient, effective manner we possibly can,” as he told the Board of Governors in his first address. “We are going to do everything we can to make sure we operate this place in a manner that you can be proud of, that any organization could be proud of,” Bowles said in January 2006.

Bush FY 2008 budget includes more financial aid

Feb 5, 2007 · Shannon Blosser

Increases in federal higher education spending were among the proposals included in President Bush’s $2.9 trillion budget for fiscal year 2008, which he presented to the Democratic-controlled Congress Monday.

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings’ Commission on the Future of Higher Education, which issued a report in September, had foreshadowed many of the budget proposals, including increases in Pell Grant funding and reforms of the federal financial aid system.

According to White House budget information, Bush is proposing a five-year increase in the Pell Grant funding. The increase would take the maximum Pell Grant award from $4,050 to $5,400.

Legislative agenda centered on PACE study

Jan 24, 2007 · Shannon Blosser

RALEIGH – Legislators return to Raleigh today for the start of the 2007 regular session, with Democrats holding stronger majorities in both the state House (68 Democrats to 52 Republicans) and Senate (31 Democrats to 19 Republicans). Within a week, legislators will begin to wade through wish-list items from the University of North Carolina system. The list includes policy changes and a large spending request to give more money for faculty salaries.

The first General Assembly session of the new year will be held at noon. Today’s sessions are primarily ceremonial, with swearing-in ceremonies and the official transfer of the Speaker of the House chair to Orange County Democrat Rep. Joe Hackney. Democrats elected Hackney to replace the embattled Rep. Jim Black. Senate Democrats elected Sen. Marc Basnight to serve an unprecedented eighth term as Senate President Pro Tem.

Private colleges, universities want part-time students to receive grants

Jan 17, 2007 · Shannon Blosser

RALEIGH – The state’s association of private, non-profit colleges is pushing to extend the state’s Legislative Tuition Grant program to part-time students. Hope Williams, president of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, made the appeal at a meeting of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee in December.

The legislative tuition grant (called NCLTG) is a popular state program that has been in effect since 1975. In 2006, the General Assembly raised the maximum grant per student from $1,800 to $1,900 per year.

The program originated in efforts to “strengthen the academic, management, and financial quality and viability of the private higher education sector,” says education researcher Nat Fullwood, In the 1970s, the University of North Carolina system was expanding rapidly and it was evident that private colleges and universities would lose students to the state system.

Speech codes still plague college campuses

Dec 21, 2006 · Shannon Blosser

Some people would have you believe that the age of “political correctness” is over. Supposedly, the movement to stifle speech that could be regarded as offensive by individuals in certain “protected” groups has lost its impact, especially in the institution where political correctness activists found their strongest support – higher education.

Unfortunately, that simply isn’t true.

Duke course among YAF’s

· Shannon Blosser

A course at Duke University entitled “American Dreams/American Realities,” was recently named one of the most bizarre political correct courses by the Young America’s Foundation.

Gerald Wilson taught the course in the spring semester as part of the school’s history curriculum. It was ranked 11th among the 12 courses highlighted by the Young America’s Foundation, which attempted to find what it considered the most troubling examples of leftist activism in the college classroom. The Young America’s Foundation is a Washington-based think tank that promotes conservative ideologies among college students.

Blue Ridge CC censured by state board

Dec 20, 2006 · Shannon Blosser

RALEIGH – The Blue Ridge Community College’s Board of Trustees was censured Friday for its actions after an investigative audit in January found multiple financial violations involving the school’s baseball program. The expression of disapproval comes after talks failed between the school and the state to resolve some of the concerns listed in the audit report.

The censure took the form of a resolution approved during a special meeting called to address Blue Ridge Community College. It specifically deals with the board’s failure to monitor the actions of Blue Ridge Community College President David Sink and his involvement with the athletics department.

Hamilton Center Denied at Hamilton College

Dec 1, 2006 · Shannon Blosser

Hamilton College has changed its mind and turned down plans for a $3.6 million center studying the achievements and failures of Western civilization.

The proposed Alexander Hamilton Center for the Study of Western Civilization, funded by a gift from an alumnus, was announced in October, but in late November the college reversed course. According to a statement from the college, “Hamilton College has announced that the Alexander Hamilton Center will not be established at this time due to a lack of consensus about institutional oversight of the Center as a Hamilton program.”

A closer look at the UNC budget request

Nov 30, 2006 · Shannon Blosser

When the General Assembly considers the University of North Carolina budget request in January, UNC President Erskine Bowles will once again be at the center of attention.

During the short session this year, Bowles was still in the initial months of his presidency, leading the charge for $299 million in new UNC funding. When the dust settled, Bowles had been able to garner 55 percent of that requested funding, increasing UNC’s general fund appropriation to $2.2 billion. In the months since, Bowles has been heralded for his effectiveness in working with legislators.

Democrats set higher education agenda

Nov 28, 2006 · Shannon Blosser

WASHINGTON – Days after securing control of U.S. Congress for the first time since 1994, Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate began to formulate their agenda for the upcoming 110th Congress. Among the top agenda items for Democrats are higher education initiatives that could increase federal spending.

Chief among the higher education projects for Democrats is an attempt to make college more affordable by slashing interest rates and increasing funds for Pell Grants. College Republicans cut $12 million from the program to reduce budgetary spending. Other plans include increased funding for teacher education, higher education research, and tax deductions geared towards math, science, technology and engineering students.