Universities Weblog

The Provost of West Virginia Universty, Gerald E. Lang , and the dean of the university's College of Business and Economics, R. Stephen Sears, have both stepped down from their administrative positions following the release of an independent panel's report on the Heather M. Bresch affair that was critical of WVU and the two administrators.

Lang had been provost at WVU for 13 years, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Heather Bresch was awarded an MBA by WVU, apparently without completing all required course work. Bresch is the daughter of West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, and accusations of political favoritism are being circulated in the case.

Are college and university endowments hoarding their money? Senator Charles E. Grassley, (R-Iowa) thinks so. And he wants to do something about it. He wants to require colleges and universities to spend at least five percent of their endowment every year, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Grassley is not alone. Last week his idea gained the support of Steven T. Miller, commissioner of the IRS's tax-exempt division. In remarks made at Georgetown University and published by , Miller said that the IRS was considering ways to make sure that colleges spend their endowments at at a rate that reflects the size of their assets.

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The Miami Herald is reporting that the University of Florida has a new policy of the use of Taser guns on students - but it is not clear that the new policy would have prevented Andrew Meyers from being Tased back in September when he disrupted a campus forum where U.S. Sen. john kerry, D-Mass., was speaking.

According to the Miami Herald:

A University of Florida committee recommended the school adopt a revised Taser policy Tuesday that would still allow campus police to use a Taser stun gun against a student who disrupted a campus forum.

The 52-page new policy "reflects an appropriate balance between the needs of security and law enforcement and the safety of law enforcement personnel, on the one hand, and the safety of arrestees and detainees on other."

Among the changes, the policy would require that a security officer be able to explain why he had used the Taser gun.

Back in December we reported on a case at West Virginia University where questions had arisen about an MBA awarded to Heather Bresch, the daughter of West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. The Chronicle of Higher Education today reported that a panel investigating the incident has concluded that the university erred in awarding Bresch her degree.

The story first surfaced when Bresch was named the new head of Mylan, Inc. - a Pennsylvania-based drug company that specializes in generic pharmaceuticals. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote a routine story about her new appointment and discovered the questions about her WVU degree.

The question now…

I stumbled across a piece at Campus Grotto recently that asked the question: Why Go to College? They generally have some good material on their site, but their answer left a taste in my mouth. Their answer wasn't bad, but they placed a lot more emphasis on the social experience than on learning or preparation for a career, I thought.

So I looked around a little…

The U.S. Department of Education has an answer online and, naturally, it's in a PDF format. Their answer was a chart. It showed that in 2006, about seven percent of high school drop outs were unemployed, while a little more than four percent of individuals with just a high school diploma were unemployed. Only about two percent of college graduates were unemployed then. The high school dropouts were making about $21K a year. The diploma-but-no-college kids were making an average of $31K a year. And the college grads had an average income of $50K a year. It sounded more statistical than inspiring.

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Applying to US Universities has pointed out that the 2009 US News college rankings are now out.

Online access costs $14.95. And like the Applying to US Universities website, I don't necessarily endorse the rankings or suggest that you buy the online edition, but it's not be a bad investment if you can afford it. Its a good starting point to help you find your college or grad school.

The release has made for buzz across the blogosphere.

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Carson-Newman College is a small private, Christian liberal arts institution in Jefferson City, Tennessee, not far from either Knoxville or Gatlinburg. The school was founded in 1851 and is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Association.

College Profiles provides a more in-depth look at the college. I've toured Carson-Newman on a couple of occasions. The beautiful 90-acre campus is set in the Appalachian Mountains. Many of the buildings give you the feel of the Antebellum South. But the facilities are relatively modern on the inside.

The campus of St. Xavier University is closed indefinitely after two different incidences of threats on campus, according to The Times of Munster, Indiana.

Students living on campus were asked to leave by noon today. The Chicago-based institution closed two difference campuses and classroom space in downtown Chicago. The Catholic liberal arts school has about 5,700 students.

In the first threatening incidence graffiti was found in a campus restroom that read: "Be prepared to die on 4/14."

Chicago police and the FBI are involved in the case.

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Scholarships Dot Com had a nice piece a while back on the pros and cons of attending a large state university.

Most of my college employment life has been spent at relatively small schools. But I've been a student at a couple of pretty good sized institutions. So I see both sides of the issue.

Small schools can be expensive while large universities tend to be more affordable. A small college might focus on providing personalized attention to students, but large universities have the resources to attract the leading expects in academic fields.

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