Did You Know? UNC Schools Will Get Millions in COVID-19 Funding

Jan 7, 2021 · · No Comments on Did You Know? UNC Schools Will Get Millions in COVID-19 Funding

Last week, Congress approved the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, a $2.4 trillion spending package that includes $23 billion in aid for public and non-profit colleges and universities. The relief package will provide about $286 million in new Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding (HEERF) to UNC system schools. Of that amount, almost $90 million is … Continue reading “Did You Know? UNC Schools Will Get Millions in COVID-19 Funding”

Did You Know? In 2020, Students Stopped Transferring

Dec 31, 2020 · · No Comments on Did You Know? In 2020, Students Stopped Transferring

Students listened to public health advice for 2020: stay at home. A report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that transfer students fell by 8.1 percent compared to fall 2019. That was more than three times the 2.4 percent decline in overall student enrollment. Rather than make a change in an uncertain environment, … Continue reading “Did You Know? In 2020, Students Stopped Transferring”

Did You Know? COVID-19 Cleaning Means Millions in Extra Spending for NC State, App State

Dec 10, 2020 · · No Comments on Did You Know? COVID-19 Cleaning Means Millions in Extra Spending for NC State, App State

Although most universities have moved classes online since the spring, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent to ensure that the campus facilities still open are kept clean and safe for use. North Carolina State University has shuttered classrooms, but many buildings such as the Talley Student Union and the recreation center remain open, … Continue reading “Did You Know? COVID-19 Cleaning Means Millions in Extra Spending for NC State, App State”

University Administrators’ Pandemic Power Grab

Nov 27, 2020 · · No Comments on University Administrators’ Pandemic Power Grab

Universities’ profligate spending habits have caught up with them after substantial losses in student enrollments due to COVID-19. As undergraduate enrollment fell by 4.4 percent and students had fewer “on-campus experiences,” universities desperately began laying off employees. Some even have plans to consolidate departments and entire campuses. Those actions spell trouble for the future of … Continue reading “University Administrators’ Pandemic Power Grab”

Did You Know? For Some Post-Graduate Plans, Employer Tuition Reimbursements Is the Way

Nov 19, 2020 · · No Comments on Did You Know? For Some Post-Graduate Plans, Employer Tuition Reimbursements Is the Way

Many students since the pandemic have questioned whether they should attend graduate school or change their career plans altogether. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that 17 percent of graduate students said their career plans changed since the pandemic started. Students are now worried they cannot afford graduate school. According to a 2020 Pew Research … Continue reading “Did You Know? For Some Post-Graduate Plans, Employer Tuition Reimbursements Is the Way”

For Teacher Training, Drop Critical Theory and Add Character

Nov 18, 2020 · · No Comments on For Teacher Training, Drop Critical Theory and Add Character

With the pandemic, more parents are discovering what their children are being taught in public schools—from explicit how-tos in sex-ed class to narratives of power that divide everyone into oppressors and oppressed. Yearning for a richer emphasis on cultural literacy, character, and civil discourse, parents are turning to alternative curricula, such as Core Knowledge and … Continue reading “For Teacher Training, Drop Critical Theory and Add Character”

Did You Know? The Trouble with Aiding Students with Learning Disabilities

Nov 12, 2020 · · No Comments on Did You Know? The Trouble with Aiding Students with Learning Disabilities

As college classes go online, one group of students is ignored: those with learning disabilities. The Atlantic calls learning disabilities an “invisible disability” because they aren’t physically obvious. These disabilities can be detrimental to a student’s success if they don’t get help. Students with disabilities aren’t rare; almost 20 percent of undergrads reported having one, … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Trouble with Aiding Students with Learning Disabilities”

Did You Know? Ed Dept. Punts on Accreditation Rules for Online Classes

Nov 5, 2020 · · No Comments on Did You Know? Ed Dept. Punts on Accreditation Rules for Online Classes

Accreditation agencies have the responsibility of judging whether colleges are offering students a quality education. Since COVID-19, however, their biggest changes have been to dismiss concerns about short-changing students. This change can be seen most clearly with online classes. Ordinarily, accreditation standards would ensure educational quality, and schools that cut corners would risk penalties and … Continue reading “Did You Know? Ed Dept. Punts on Accreditation Rules for Online Classes”

Did You Know? Grad School Can Affect Whether Students Take a Class Pass/Fail

Oct 15, 2020 · · No Comments on Did You Know? Grad School Can Affect Whether Students Take a Class Pass/Fail

Since the pandemic, many colleges have gone from giving letter grades to offering students a pass/fail grading option for their courses. Letter grades become a passing (P), which gives students credit but is not included in their GPA. If a student fails, they receive an F that stays on their record. Schools suggest that students … Continue reading “Did You Know? Grad School Can Affect Whether Students Take a Class Pass/Fail”

Without Lab Time or Facilities, Students Get Lower-Quality Education

Oct 12, 2020 · · No Comments on Without Lab Time or Facilities, Students Get Lower-Quality Education

In spring 2020, when universities went online due to COVID-19, few of them expected to be online in the fall as well. After a failed reopening of schools, courses again went online. Davidson College in North Carolina launched a College Crisis Initiative to determine how “colleges and universities innovate in a crisis mindset” and found … Continue reading “Without Lab Time or Facilities, Students Get Lower-Quality Education”