Free speech in American higher education was sorely tested by three bizarre events in the waning days of September and another incident in early October. Each one has potentially grave implications for free expression and academic freedom, and thus merits closer scrutiny. The first event was the extension, then withdrawal and eventual…

California community colleges have a new program that provides advocates for former wards of the state. The program is the statewide Foster Youth Success Initiative, which this fall placed liaisons at all of California's 109 community colleges. The liaisons serve as advocates, helping foster youth tap into resources such as scholarships, housing,…

Dubai has long competed with its wealthy Persian Gulf neighbors to become a regional hub of higher education. Yet its Knowledge Village, a collection of nearly 20 foreign-university campuses and local educational institutes, has been overshadowed by Qatar's Education City, which is home to the branch campuses of a number of high-profile American…

In this article, the author discusses the importance of liberal arts education in the preparation of soldiers for war. He draws on his experiences teaching students from Army and Air Force ROTC programs and on Elizabeth D. Samet's book "Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature through Peace and War at West Point" to illuminate the purpose served by…

Speaking at a Harvard University commencement 60 years ago, Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed a massive program of aid and redevelopment--since known as the Marshall Plan--to bring a war-ravaged Europe back to economic health, political stability, and peace. Today colleges and universities need a new such plan, with university…

There was a time, not long ago, when students signed up to use Cornell University's rock-climbing wall by scribbling their Social Security numbers on a piece of paper tacked nearby. Steven J. Schuster remembers that era with a mixture of amusement and horror. An alarming number of personal records--many laced with Social Security numbers and other…

As community colleges have matured, many presidents' jobs--especially at the largest colleges in the country--have grown to become those of college president, entrepreneur, lobbyist, global ambassador, county leader, and fund raiser rolled into one. Their compensation has grown as well. At the largest two-year colleges and college systems in the…

Nearly 60 percent of Mansfield University's 2,900 undergraduates live off campus, many commuting up to an hour each way. While the commuter population has remained steady in recent years, students' expectations for how the institution should serve them have increased, officials here say. When Maravene S. Loeschke became president of Mansfield last…

A "striking number" of professors involved in governance at universities with high-profile athletics programs say they are disconnected from and do not know much about the issues facing college sports, according to survey findings released last week by the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. The survey, which was conducted by…

Mock interviews have become increasingly common in athletics departments around the country. Press attention is unavoidable in today's collegiate sports landscape, no matter the size of the institution or the nature of the sport. Many athletic directors want to make sure their players are ready for it--even if the likelihood is slim that they will…

This year's annual conference of the nation's historically black colleges and universities appeared to be well timed for Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, coming just as President Bush prepared to sign into law the largest increase in federal student aid since the GI Bill. But while Ms. Spellings basked in the praise of several of the…

The Social Science Research Network, an online clearinghouse popular among social scientists, has created a Humanities Research Network (HRN) that is similar. To begin with, the new network will cover three areas--philosophy, classics, and English and American literature--broken down into detailed subcategories. More disciplines will be added in…

The University of Kentucky has an evaluation system to determine the president's bonus that would make many chief executives uncomfortable: Everyone on campus can participate--the faculty, the staff, even the students. Lee T. Todd Jr., president of the University of Kentucky, and James F. Hardymon, former chairman of the university's board,…

At the top echelon of higher education, boards have to pay to play when hiring a president. "The Chronicle"'s latest survey of executive compensation shows what might be described as the minimum pay now required at the top institutions. At public research universities, the minimum compensation among the big players is roughly $450,000. In the…

With more and more students--especially those taking online courses--demanding access to technology help at all hours of the day and night, colleges are responding by extending help-desk hours. More than half are open late into the evening, according to a recent survey by Educause, the educational technology consortium, and a few are available…