Student Governance and Campus Administration

Colleges across the country are raking in millions by giving credit card companies student names and special access to the student body. An investigation by the Huffington Post Investigative Fund found that although some of the credit card industry’s practices are being halted by the new Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD Act), they can still set up “affinity” contracts with schools.  These contracts grant card marketers lists of student names, rights to market at campus events and the right to use the school’s logo, implying the school played some r

Weeks after the chancellor of the University of Connecticut left to take over the University of Illinois, the chancellor of the Connecticut State University system is facing tough criticism from the legislature over his performance on the job.   Legislators are concerned that the chancellor, David G. Carter, runs the system in too secretive a manner involving only a handful of other administrators.  For example, the chancellor for Southern Connecticut was removed without a board vote and replaced by a former colleague of Carter’s.  Now, Connecticut is on the hook for two

 Last week Laramie County Community College in Wyoming lost its legal battle to keep a report about the mishandling of a student on a school trip from seeing the light of day.  While Judge Peter Arnold had initially issued a restraining order against the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, he lifted the order last week.   The report the college was trying to keep quiet alleges that the school’s president mishandled suicidal behaviors in one of the students on a school trip to Costa Rica.  After the student exhibited suicidal behaviors more than once, the school’s president asked a

As steep declines in state revenue force colleges in California to cut back, the California Community Colleges are essentially outsourcing some of their students to for-profit Kaplan University.  Under a memorandum of understanding between Kaplan and the California Community Colleges, some students will be able to take select online courses at a steep discount and have the credits transfer back to their home college. While students will receive a steep discount off Kaplan’s normal tuition rates, they’ll still pay far more than they would at their community college.  A course th

Despite a freeze on executive compensation, administrator salaries at Rutgers University now cost the school $14 million, an increase from last year. Though current administrators salaries remain frozen, new administrators came in at higher salaries than their predecessors, contributing to the increase. Despite cuts totaling more than $173 million, University officials argue they need to maintain high administrative salaries to lure and keep strong staff.  Currently, the president of Rutgers has the ninth highest salary among presidents of four-year institutions in the nation. 

This week Illinois Governor Quinn vetoed a scholarship reform bill, arguing it doesn’t go far enough to stop lawmakers from rewarding campaign contributors and loyalists.  Illinois has long had a program whereby lawmakers can give out up to two four-year scholarships, or a combination of smaller scholarships that add up to the same amount, to whomever they see fit.  Lawmakers often give those scholarships to campaign contributors or children of politically connected constituents. The bill Quinn vetoed would have banned lawmakers from giving scholarships to someone whose family

After a state auditor was critical of the way North Dakota State University officials handled a series of building projects, several lawmakers want to take oversight of building projects away from the North Dakota Board of Higher Education. The state auditor’s report showed that officials split up spending projects to avoid going to the Board for approval and used funds earmarked for asbestos to remodel the President’s office space.  During the course of the audit, three officials at the University resigned.  In response, lawmakers are concerned that the Board struggles to say

Kean University may soon eliminate all but one academic department, replacing them with academic colleges. While faculty members argue the proposal is an attempt to consolidate power, administrators argue is necessary to trim costs.  The plan, which could be put in place this summer, would replace academic departments headed by faculty chosen chairs with a smaller number of schools headed by presidentially appointed executive directors.  While the administration argues the plan is necessary to fill a budget hole that could be as high as $17.7 million, faculty members argue the