This study assessed implementation of food defense practices in public schools in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The first phase involved a qualitative multi-site case study: one-day visits were made to five school districts in the states of Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. A principal,…

This past June, the Iowa River overflowed its banks and deluged 20 buildings on the University of Iowa's Iowa City campus. As the floodwaters finally receded, regents and administrators on the Iowa campus began dealing with all the ramifications and lessons of the flooding--including the key roles of testing emergency plans, nonstop communication,…

A growing number of public colleges and universities in the United States have hired management consulting firms to help develop strategies aimed at increasing institutional effectiveness and efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to explore the frames and strategies of consultants in US public higher education reform efforts. Drawing upon a…

The closing of hundreds of U.S. schools in recent weeks because of concerns about swine flu underscores the need for administrators to make plans for continuing their students' education during any extended shutdown, emergency experts and federal officials say. Fears about a severe flu pandemic had eased as of late last week, but experts say…

This book seeks to explore thematic and pragmatic applications of financing the community college to help facilitate educational reform, to assist efforts related to internationalization, and to create systemic support systems to maintain the mission. It includes chapters on a wide variety of finance related topics, and specific case studies of…

Some regions are prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or earthquakes. Other tragedies, such as fires or acts of violence, can occur just about anywhere. Regardless of the specific type of disaster, schools and universities must be prepared to cope with crises that can disrupt operations, destroy facilities, and displace students and staff.…

This article reports on the situation unfolding at the University of Iowa which is all too familiar: Two athletes are accused of rape. The university botches its response. Heads roll. Few things make university presidents and their top aides more nervous than an athlete accused of sexual assault. Most colleges welcome the exposure that a big-time…

The 12 states comprising the North Central Region have been affected in similar ways by the farm crisis of the 1980s. Statewide surveys show sizeable proportions of farm operations that are experiencing moderately high levels of financial stress. The problems caused by chronic stress on family structure and functioning, the loss of mainstreet…

Over the last 3 years, the advocacy organization Speech First has filed six lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of bias response teams on the grounds that they violate free speech. Bias response teams are university-wide committees that respond to reports of racially charged incidents on college campuses to promote institutional goals of…

The Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center recently completed a 4-year project to increase use of mental health services by normally reluctant rural populations and to increase coping ability among persons affected by the farm crisis. During the first 2 years, program goals included aggressive outreach to potential patients, mental health education…

This article reports that the nation's economic crisis is bringing colleges higher borrowing costs, smaller endowments, tighter budgets, and fears over the availability of loans for their students. Yet one of the most critical factors in colleges' health--student enrollment--appears to be largely holding strong, at least for now. Tuition and fees…

This leader's guide contains materials for conducting a 1-, 2-, or 3-hour workshop to help teachers develop techniques and classroom activities that will address and alleviate student stress resulting from the rural crisis. Resources for the 1-hour program include introductory remarks, a 28-minute videotape about how the agricultural economic…

Designed to accompany a 28-minute videotape about the impact of the Iowa agricultural crisis on the school setting, this publication offers suggestions for classroom activities and ways teachers can become effective in reducing student stress. Teachers are encouraged to deal with students with problems by showing sensitivity and warmth,…

In the Summer of 2008, the state of Iowa suffered from a series of disasters that left 84 of the state's 99 counties as declared disaster areas. The Iowa College Student Aid Commission and the Governor of Iowa responded to the disasters by providing special grants to individuals who were affected by tornadoes and floods of the summer. This report…

Survey of 1,040 Iowa farm operators found persons most at risk of forced displacement from farming were younger, better educated, large-scale operators who leveraged assets during the 1970's. Analysis linked financial hardship with perceived changes in quality of life, personal/familial stress, and family-life patterns. Discusses implications for…