You can reach over 50,000 key decision makers in higher education every issue!

When you are ready to advertise, take advantage of our multicultural audience to find the right candidate for your position

Latest Headlines

<< April 2013

May 2013

May 24 - New Student Loan Resource Available to U.S. Service Members

WASHINGTON - America's servicemen and servicewomen will now have more information about their federal education loans, special benefits available to them, and their repayment options with the release of a new brochure announced yesterday.

“We know that our servicemen and women are faced with an abundance of challenges and transitions while deployed and upon returning to civilian life,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “With Memorial Day approaching, we want to redouble our efforts to ease their transition and provide them with educational opportunities, resources and the ongoing support they have earned. This easy-to-read brochure is a small but important way to help - it outlines what service members need to know to manage their student loans and maximize their benefits.”

May 24 - Statement from Education Secretary Duncan on Preventing Student Loan Interest Rates from Doubling on July 1

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan this week released the following statement on student loan interest rates:

“Our priority is to ensure that Congress doesn't allow federal student loan interest rates to double on July 1. President Obama has put forward a comprehensive solution that will help middle-class students and their families afford college by lowering interest rates on July 1, without adding to the deficit, and Sen. Harkin and Congressman Miller have also been leaders within Congress to prevent rates from doubling for students and families.

May 24 - NASFAA Statement on H.R. 1911, the Smarter Solutions for Students Act

WASHINGTON - The following statement was issued by Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA):

“NASFAA applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 1911 and urges Congress and the administration to continue to work together to find a permanent, fiscally sustainable solution on federal student loan interest rates. While the House bill is not perfect, it prevents interest rates from doubling on subsidized Stafford loans on July 1; lowers interest rates in the near-term for undergraduate, graduate and parent borrowers; ties student loan interest rates to a variable market-rate; contains vital caps on future interest rate increases; and retains important consolidation options for students to lock-in favorable rates in the future.

May 24 - After Senate Committee Passage of Bipartisan Immigration Bill, DREAMers Encouraged by Continued Momentum, Pledge to Keep Fighting

WASHINGTON - United We Dream (UWD), one of the largest immigrant youth-led networks in the country, says that it is encouraged by the continued momentum on immigration reform after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed S.177, the bipartisan immigration bill, on Tuesday evening.

Cristina Jiménez, managing director of United We Dream said:
“With the bipartisan passage of the Senate immigration bill, our nation moved one step closer to a historic victory not only for the immigrant youth movement, but also for our nation. Immigration reform that creates a real roadmap to citizenship for millions of Americans, ends senseless deportations, and reunites families, is within our sights. DREAMers will keep fighting, confronting politicians and challenging them to lead, and organizing thousands of undocumented youth across the country.

May 23 - Collective Impact Strategies for Latino Student Success Identified at Diplomás Conference

SAN ANTONIO - Utilizing the collective impact approach as their model, educators from two institutions of higher learning and four public independent school districts in San Antonio laid the groundwork for increasing college attainment for the city's Latino students at the Destination College Week Higher Education Conference at cafécollege on April 29. Convened by the Diplomás project, the conference participants accomplished three concrete goals that will lay the foundation for future efforts: 1) strengthen a shared understanding of Latino student attainment in San Antonio; 2) discuss emerging issues, challenges and opportunities across systems; and 3) develop shared goals and strategies to create a coherent plan to increase Latino student success. The Diplomás project, housed at the San Antonio Education Partnership, is a place-based collaborative effort across 16 sector-partners aimed at Latino student success.

May 23 - Top 10 College-Bound Student Questions Answered by Admissions Expert

WASHINGTON - Dr. Oliver McGee, 2012-13 American Council on Education Fellow at the University of California-Los Angeles and former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of transportation inside the Clinton administration, gives his advice on getting admitted to top-ranked elite colleges and universities. A nationally recognized admissions expert, McGee gives students, parents, teachers and guidance counselors insider tips and advice on receiving an affirmative letter from college admissions committees. McGee served five years on the Faculty Admissions Committee of Ohio State University. Serving in admissions for the largest public university in the U.S. provided him with incredible experience to become an expert on the college application process, as well as a widely known science, technology, engineering and mathematics education mentor.

May 23 - Drake U. Launches Program to Retain Minorities

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Drake University in central Iowa has launched an initiative to recruit minority students to increase the school's retention rate.

Two faculty members started the Crews Scholar Program in an attempt to change course, The Des Moines Register reported. Some faculty and students have expressed concern that the school isn't retaining these students.

May 23 - Kentucky Campuses Awarding More than 61,000 Degrees

By BRUCE SCHREINER/Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky's fast pace in awarding post-high school diplomas slowed slightly in the past year, but its public and independent colleges and universities are expected to award more than 61,000 degrees and other credentials in the school year coming to a close, according to a report released last week.
Historic numbers of degrees are still being conferred at the associate, bachelor's and master's degree levels, the state Council on Postsecondary Education said in a report. Degrees for some doctoral programs are also at historic levels, it said.

May 22 - High School Students Face Up to College Cost Reality, Saving More and Making Tradeoffs

WASHINGTON - A new survey of high school students across the country showed a strong up-tick in college savings habits and a willingness to make the tradeoffs necessary to attain higher education. The students participating in the College Savings Foundation's (CSF) fourth annual How Youth Plan to Fund College survey seem willing to pursue a variety of ways including working and going to school part time to avoid at least some of the student debt that is threatening to drag on the economy.

May 22 - Hudes and Arroyo to Be Honored at Bronx Community College's 53rd Commencement

NEW YORK - Bronx Community College's 53rd commencement will take place on Friday, May 31. The commencement exercises will start 10 a.m. at Ohio Field, situated on the historic landmark campus of Bronx Community College, located at 2155 University Avenue, near 181st Street in the Bronx.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes will serve as commencement speaker, and New York State Assemblywoman Carmen E. Arroyo will be the recipient of the Bronx Community College President's Medallion.

May 22 - Miss. College Board Teams with Minority Biz Site

By LAURA TILLMAN/The Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The state of Mississippi's College Board last week announced an initiative to partner with a website that promotes minority businesses.
The website, Where2Go411.com, connects minority-owned businesses with buyers online. The College Board is encouraging more Mississippi businesses to use the website so universities can easily find them when searching for potential vendors.
The initiative was launched at Jackson State University. All eight of the state's public universities will participate in training sessions at vendor fairs to introduce local businesses to the website.

May 22 - National Society of Hispanic MBAs Opens Nominations for 2013 Brillante Awards

IRVING, Texas - The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) each year seeks nominations for those truly outstanding individuals, businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, and companies whose endeavors coincide with the NSHMBA mission and directly further the advancement and recognition of Hispanics and the Hispanic community.

The winners are presented with the Brillante Award for Excellence, a prestigious honor given by NSHMBA and to be presented during the organization's Annual Conference & Career Expo, which will be held this year in San Antonio, Texas. 2013 Annual Conference dates are Oct. 10-12. The official awards presentation will take place during official fundraising Founder's Gala on Oct. 12.

May 21 - Report Finds Demographics of College Graduates Do Not Reflect Changes in Overall Student Body

WASHINGTON - A new analysis from the American Council on Education (ACE) finds that individuals who earned their baccalaureate degrees in 2007-08 were not nearly as racially diverse as the overall undergraduate student body. They were largely unmarried, childless, White young adults in their early 20s who were financially dependent on their parents and who seamlessly moved along the path toward degree attainment.

The data-rich analysis also indicates that immediately after earning their degree, many of these graduates were between jobs or moving in and out of the labor force, although the situation had improved slightly a year later. By 2009, one in five of this group of graduates had returned to school.

May 21 - Oregon Chancellor Worries About Affordability

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - The interim chancellor of the Oregon University system says she's worried that continuous tuition increases are going to stop enrollment growth at Oregon's public universities.

Melody Rose tells the Albany Democrat-Herald Oregon universities are hitting what she calls the “elasticity of demand.” So far, tuition increases averaging 6 percent a year over the past decade haven't seemed to affect demand. But there are signs that is about to change.
One of those signs is the mounting problem of student debt.

May 21 - ETS's Chief Diversity Officer Offers Penn State Commencement Address

PRINCETON, N.J. - Jhan Doughty Berry, chief diversity officer at Educational Testing Service (ETS), addressed the 2013 graduating class of the College of Education at Penn State University's main campus during commencement ceremonies May 5, 2013. Berry is a two-time alumna of Penn State's College of Education.

As chief diversity officer at ETS, Berry is responsible for the corporate-wide strategic diversity initiatives. Formerly, she was the senior director for institutional diversity and adjunct assistant professor of educational psychology and psychology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where her research and scholarship was in the area of working with adults and children with severe mental health and/or physical disabilities, pediatric health care, intervention-based research, ethical issues in research and multicultural issues in education. She reflected on her career and addressed the challenges and realities facing students in every department of the College of Education who are entering the workplace.

May 21 - Fresno State Celebrates Diversity at Commencement Events

FRESNO, Calif. - The honorable Hilda Solís, former secretary of labor under President Barack Obama and a former U.S. congresswoman, was honored Saturday during California State University-Fresno's 37th Annual Latino Commencement Celebration.

The event is the oldest and largest of four commencement celebrations of diversity at Fresno State that were held after the university commencement Saturday morning.

May 20 - 10 Highest-Paid Public College Leaders in 2011-12

By The Associated Press

Top 10 recipients, in total compensation, among public college leaders in 2011-12:
1. Graham Spanier (x), Pennsylvania State University, $2,906,271
2. Jay Gogue, Auburn University, $2,542,865

May 20 - America's Promise Releases Report on Improving the Financial Aid System

WASHINGTON - Even as the importance of obtaining postsecondary education increases, current and prospective students - especially those from lower-income families - face formidable financial obstacles. As part of the 2013 Building A Grad Nation Summit, America's Promise conducted a “fishbowl” roundtable discussion, “Re-Imagining the Financial Aid System,” supported through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of its Reimagining Aid Design and Delivery (RADD) initiative. To summarize the key themes that emerged during the session, America's Promise released a report: Improving the Financial Aid System to Increase College Completion.

May 20 - AFT Calls on Congress to Pass the Student Loan Affordability Act

WASHINGTON - American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten last week called on Congress to act swiftly to pass the Student Loan Affordability Act introduced by Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Said Weingarten: “America's college students must have the opportunity to focus on learning and pursuing their dreams, instead of having to worry about whether they can afford the next semester or will be able to repay tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt. The Student Loan Affordability Act will prevent millions of students from seeing their loan debt and interest rates skyrocket.

May 20 - NACAC Survey: Space and Financial Aid Still Available for Students on College Campuses

Arlington, Va. - At least 210 colleges and universities still have space available for qualified freshman and/or transfer students and all have financial aid to offer, according to the results of the National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NCAC) annual Space Availability Survey: Openings for Qualified Students. The survey queries NACAC member four-year colleges and universities on the availability of space, institutional financial aid and housing as of May 1, 2013. Now in its 26th year, the survey is designed as a tool for counselors, parents and teachers as they assist students who have not yet completed the college admission process.

May 17 - Growing Numbers of Teachers, Parents, Call for Moratorium on High-Stakes Linked to Common Core Assessments

CINCINNATI - Growing numbers of teachers and parents across the country are very much in favor of the Common Core State Standards and want the implementation of these standards done right. As a result, they are calling on federal and state officials to put the brakes on the high stakes associated with Common Core assessments until the new standards are properly implemented and field-tested.

“The momentum is building to step on the accelerator of quality implementation, and put the brakes on the stakes,” said American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten during a visit to the Oyler School in Cincinnati. “Teachers everywhere are speaking out. They know these standards can transform teaching and learning. But for that to happen, they need the necessary tools and resources to effectively teach the new standards.”

May 17 - High School Grads Mull “Gap Year” Before College

By JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD/The Des Moines Register

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Sydni Heron received her diploma from Ames High School in May 2012. In September, she was in Ecuador where she treated machete wounds and helped deliver a baby at a small-town clinic.
The Des Moines Register reports that while many high school graduates head directly to college, Heron, 19, opted to delay college for one year to work and gain life experience, a growing trend called a gap year. Heron said living in a foreign land where she did not speak the language helped her develop a newfound confidence.

May 17 - University of Virginia One of Nation's Least Economically Diverse

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The University of Virginia (UVA) remains one of the nation's least socioeconomically diverse public schools in the nation, according to a new report that also commends the University of Richmond for serving low-income students.

The report, released last week by the New America Foundation, is critical of what it calls higher education's “relentless pursuit of prestige and revenue.”

May 17 - 6 Tips to Manage Student Loan Debt

By ALEX VEIGA/AP Business Writer

Finding a job in a slow-growing economy is daunting enough without new financial obligations.
Yet that's the challenge many university students graduating over the next few weeks will face before too long. The clock on their student loans will begin counting down to their first payment due date.

May 17 - Biden Tells College Grads: Don't Listen to Cynics' Claim U.S. in Decline

By KATHY MATHESON/Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Today's college graduates are well-positioned to lead America in the 21st century and shouldn't listen to cynics who say the nation is in decline, Vice President Joe Biden told thousands of new degree holders at the University of Pennsylvania on Monday.
“It's never, ever, ever been a good bet to bet against America,” Biden said. “You're the most competent, capable, caring generation this country has ever produced.”

May 16 - Graduation Fees charged on 15 of 23 Cal State Camp

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Graduating students at more than a dozen California public universities will have to hand over money before they are handed their diplomas, the Oakland Tribune newspaper. Across the state, 15 of Cal State's 23 campuses have graduation fees.

Cal State East Bay charges $45 to graduate. At San Francisco State, the fee is $100 _ $60 more than it was two years ago.

May 16 - New Indiana Law Gives Veterans More Access to College

By ANNIE McMINDES/Vincennes Sun-Commercial

VINCENNES, Ind. (AP) - A bill signed into law allowing veterans greater access to a more-affordable college education will keep Vincennes University among the top schools for military and former military personnel.
The bill, signed by Gov. Pence on May 2, grants in-state tuition eligibility to honorably discharged veterans and active duty National Guard members who enroll in one of Indiana's state colleges within a year of settling here.

May 16 - UW students suggest tuition hike to pay faculty

SEATTLE (AP) - A University of Washington student-led group says if the state doesn't give the school money to give their teachers a raise after four years of frozen salaries they're willing to pay higher tuition to cover the cost.

The Provost's Advisory Committee for Students presented their idea to the UW Board of Regents on Thursday, The Seattle Times reported.

May 16 - Fla. College Presidents Given Expensive Perks

By GARY FINEOUT/Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A probe ordered by Florida Gov. Rick Scott has determined that the pay and benefits of state college presidents varies widely with little explanation as to why some presidents earn large six-figure salaries.
This same review shows many presidents have contracts with provisions that appear to violate law - or in some instances, the contracts automatically renew each year without approval by local college boards.

May 15 - College Planning Conference for Minorities Set at Eastern Kentucky University

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A conference geared toward helping minority students get into the college of their choice is scheduled for June at Eastern Kentucky University.

The Council on Postsecondary Education is accepting registrations for the event, which will be held June 28-29. It will be the council's 26th year for the Academically Proficient High School Junior and Senior Diversity Conference.

May 15 - Despite Growth in Diversity, School Segregation Intensifies in Massachusetts, Says Civil Rights Project

LOS ANGELES - The Civil Rights Project released a new study last week, the first of its kind to thoroughly explore school segregation trends in Massachusetts since the peak of desegregation in the 1980s. Losing Ground: School Segregation in Massachusetts shows student enrollment in the commonwealth's public schools growing more diverse, while the state's public schools become increasingly segregated along race and class lines.

May 15 - ECMC Foundation Increases Its Pledge to $12.3 Million in Higher Education Scholarships

ST. PAUL, Minn. - ECMC Foundation has announced that it would fund another year of the ECMC Scholars Program. Program participants from selected high schools are eligible to receive up to $6,000 per student in postsecondary grants.

The ECMC Scholars Program was created to encourage underserved students to pursue postsecondary education. The departments of Education in Virginia, Oregon and Connecticut (the states in which the program is active) each selected several public high schools to participate in the program according to need-based criteria. Then counselors and teachers from each school identified students with the potential to succeed in college, but who may need extra motivation to work up to their potential. The majority of ECMC Scholars are the first in their families to attend college.

May 15 - Doctoral Graduate from UNT's College of Education Wins National Doctoral Dissertation Award with Latina/o-Based Research

DENTON, Texas - Mary Amanda “Mandy” Stewart has earned the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award from PDK International for research that she conducted while earning a doctoral degree in literacy and language studies from the University of North Texas' (UNT) College of Education.

Stewart received the doctoral degree in 2012 and is a postdoctoral research associate for the Morningside Children's Partnership, an initiative with UNT to improve the academic outcomes of children in Fort Worth's Morningside community by focusing on young people's educational, health and emotional needs from conception through college.

Read More…

May 14 - Two New Exhibitions Open at the Museum of Latin American Art

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The 20th century saw numerous internationally acclaimed photographers travel through Mexico and document the country from their unique perspectives. Some of these artists were drawn to Mexico for its revolutionary sociopolitical ideas, while others felt a kinship with the Mexican pictorial movement and its new realism, a post-Mexican Revolution art movement that was developed in opposition to formalism. A number of photographers had simply traveled to Mexico on vacation and were inspired to incorporate that experience into their art, while others were drawn to the country's ancient history and spirituality or the desire to document its sacred monuments.

Read More…

May 14 - UNT's Project NEXUS Helps Prepare Educators to Teach Math and Science to English-Language Learners

DENTON, Texas - A University of North Texas (UNT) program is enhancing math and science teachers' skills and knowledge to help them more effectively teach middle school and high school students who are English-language learners, thanks to a $985,000 Title III National Professional Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education. UNT was one of 101 universities across the country to receive the grant, which is funding 100 percent of the project.
Through Project NEXUS, UNT is partnering with the Region 10 Education Service Center and Denton and Lewisville school districts to offer professional development workshops to:

Read More…

May 14 - Eleven NJCU Students Inducted into National Spanish Honor Society

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Eleven New Jersey City University students recently were inducted into New Jersey City University's (NJCU) chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Spanish Honor Society, at a campus ceremony during which a Hudson County community leader was granted honorary membership.
The NJCU students who were inducted are: Gladys Fernández, María Muñoz, and Yasmina Navarro of Newark, N.J.; Carmen Aparicio and Diana Santana of North Bergen; Rosío Moncayo and Patricia Santos of Union City; Vanessa Romero of West New York; Kimberly Pinedo of North Arlington; Claudia Rosado of Cliffside Park; and Angela Silverio of Hackensack.

Read More…

May 14 - Duquesne Creates Clemente Endowment for Hispanics

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh, Pa.'s Duquesne University has endowed a $1 million scholarship fund for Hispanic students to honor one of the city's best-known Major League Baseball players, Roberto Clemente.
The school plans to award three to five scholarships this summer to incoming freshmen, who can renew the scholarships each year based on academic performance.

Read More…

May 13 - Live and Learn: Most GenXers Are Continuing Their Education

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - More than one in every 10 members of Generation X are enrolled in classes to continue their formal educations, according to a new University of Michigan study.
In addition, 48 percent of the 80 million GenXers take continuing education courses, in-service training and workshops required for professional licenses and certifications.

Read More…

May 13 - Duke University Fuqua School of Business Presents Winning Recommendations for Preparing Women and Minorities in STEM Fields

FAIRFAX, Va. - Two second-year MBA candidates from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke took first place in the Executive Leadership Foundation's (ELF) 2013 Business Case Competition, which focused on developing workforce talent with skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. Duke was one of three finalist teams competing for $70,000 in scholarships. Sponsored again this year by Exxon Mobil Corporation, ELF's annual competition invited MBA/MA teams from 70 business schools to analyze a compelling business issue that challenged their critical thinking, analytical and communications skills. The 2013 winners were selected by a distinguished panel of judges that included leaders from corporations and nonprofits such as BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Merck, Sustainable Star, the Johns Hopkins University, and the National Council of La Raza.

Read More…

May 13 - Six Takeaways from the Census Bureau's Voting Report

WASHINGTON - Last week's report from the Census Bureau on the diversifying American electorate in 2012 confirms an historic turnout milestone first noted last December by the Pew Research Center, but undercuts a number of other widely-reported demographic analyses of last year's presidential vote, says the Pew Hispanic Center.
Here from the Pew Hispanic Center are the six most important takeaways from Census Bureau data:

Read More…

May 13 - Excelencia in Education President Recognizes Latino Student and Faculty Success at Inaugural Kansas State University Awards Banquet

WASHINGTON - Sarita Brown, president and co-founder of Excelencia in Education, delivered the keynote address at Kansas State University's Semillas de Excelencia Learning Communities Banquet and Awards in Manhattan, Kan., last week.
“We are excited to have Sarita share her experiences and insight with the campus community,” said April Mason, provost of Kansas State University. “Ms. Brown is one of the most distinguished and well-regarded thought leaders in advancing educational opportunities for diverse and multicultural students. Her expertise is sure to benefit all of us at Kansas State University as we work together to enhance opportunities and expand student success for all.”

Read More…

May 10 - Hispanic High School Graduates Pass Whites in Rate of College Enrollment

WASHINGTON - A record seven in 10 (69 percent) Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college that fall, two percentage points higher than the rate (67 percent) among their White counterparts, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of new data from the Census Bureau. As recently as the class of 2000, only 49 percent of Hispanic high school graduates immediately enrolled in college the following fall.
This milestone is the result of a long-term increase in Hispanic college going that accelerated with the onset of the recession in 2008. The rate among White high school graduates, by contrast, has declined slightly since 2008.

Read More…

May 10 - Alejandra Ceja Appointed Director of White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics

WASHINGTON - U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan yesterday announced the appointment of Alejandra Ceja as the new director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The initiative is tasked with expanding academic excellence and improving educational opportunities for Hispanics by making recommendations to President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
“Alejandra is a trusted advisor and leader in the Hispanic community,” Duncan said. “As director of this important initiative, Alejandra will continue her exceptional work of pursuing academic excellence and opportunities for Hispanics across the country.”

Read More…

May 10 - New President to Lead Puerto Rico University Board

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A new president was appointed to the board of directors of Puerto Rico's largest public university after several top officials resigned to protest a plan to reform the board.
The new board of the University of Puerto Rico last week appointed Jorge Sánchez as president. Sánchez is a dermatologist who has held several positions within the university system and previously was the governor's adviser on health issues.

Read More…

May 10 - Colleges Leaving Low-Income Students Behind

WASHINGTON - In their relentless pursuit of prestige and revenue, American private and public four-year colleges and universities are increasingly using financial aid to attract the best and most affluent students rather than to help low-income and working-class families pay for college, according to a new report released this week by the New America Foundation's Education Policy Program.
The report presents a brand new analysis of little-examined U.S. Department of Education data showing the “net price” the lowest-income students pay after all grant aid has been exhausted. The analysis shows that hundreds of colleges expect the neediest students - those from families making $30,000 or less annually - to pay an amount equal to or even more than their families' yearly earnings.

Read More…

May 10 - Iglesias to Give WNMU Commencement Address

SILVER CITY, N.M. (AP) - Captain David C. Iglesias, a former New Mexico U.S. attorney and a prosecutor in the case that inspired the movie A Few Good Men, will give the commencement address at Western New Mexico University today.
Iglesias was one of eight U.S. attorneys fired by the Bush administration in 2006 in cases the inspector general later deemed to be politically motivated.

Read More…

May 9 - Clorox and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award 12 Hispanic Moms and Teens with $120,000 in Scholarships

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Clorox Company and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) have announced the 12 recipients of the Clorox Suena Sin Limites (“Dream Without Limits”) scholarship program, aimed at supporting college-bound Hispanic high schoolers and Hispanic moms. From the nearly 5,000 applications received, six mothers and six high school seniors will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship each to attend an accredited U.S. university during the 2013-14 school year. Aspiring students were asked to submit an essay detailing their academic goals and how a scholarship would enable them to make their biggest dreams a reality and in turn give back to their family and community.

Read More…

May 9 - High Schools Fail to Teach What Graduates Need to Succeed in Community Colleges, Instead Teaching What They Don't Need

WASHINGTON - Students are failing to learn the basic math and English skills and concepts needed for success in community colleges, according to a new report from the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) titled, What Does It Really Mean to Be College and Work Ready: The English and Mathematics Required by First Year Community College Students.
That's the surprising - and discouraging - central conclusion of a groundbreaking two-year study, which examined the skills and knowledge in mathematics and English literacy that high school graduates need to succeed in the first year of their community college programs.

Read More…

May 9 - ASU Offers Pilot Program to Help Minority Students

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona State University (ASU) is offering a 10-week pilot program that includes workshops covering everything from applying to college to financial aid.
The Future Sun Devil Families program is open to the families of all high school students, but it's aimed at minorities.
For many first-generation, college-bound students, programs like these can be the difference between wanting to go to college and actually making it there.

Read More…

May 9 - Minorities Claim Profiling at Providence College

By ERIKA NIEDOWSKI/Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A group of students and faculty at Providence College is asking the school to take steps to combat what it calls a pattern of racial profiling of minority students on campus and a hostile climate.
Members of the newly formed “Coalition Against Racism” say campus security regularly questions minority students about whether they belong on school grounds. They say that minority students are followed by security in places like the bookstore and have been called racial epithets by other students and that the N-word was written in a dorm bathroom last year.

Read More…

May 8 - Senate Backs Minn. Tuition for Immigrants' Kids

By PATRICK CONDON/Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The children of immigrants who are in Minnesota illegally would be eligible for in-state tuition and financial aid at the state's public colleges and universities under a bill the state Senate passed last week.
The bill often called the “Dream Act” passed by a 41-23 vote. Four Republicans split from the rest of their party to support it, while two Democrats strayed from the majority to vote against it.

Read More…

May 8 - ETS Launches Microsite Devoted to the Value of Higher Education

PRINCETON, N.J. - In response to recent and ongoing debate over the value, design and future of America's higher education system, Educational Testing Service (ETS) has launched a microsite devoted to exploring these issues and offering a positive platform for discussion.
The ETS Value of Higher Education microsite offers links to current news stories, research reports, resources and lists of upcoming events in higher education. It also offers interested parties the opportunity to join the conversation and follow the latest news and postings via Twitter, @ValueofHigherEd.

Read More…

May 8 - Scholarship Benefit Memorializes Fresno State's Los Danzantes Founder

FRESNO, Calif. - California State University (CSU)-Fresno's folkloric dance group, Los Danzantes de Aztlán, yesterday hosted a scholarship benefit. The proceeds will fund a new scholarship named in honor of the dance group's founder, the late Chicano and Latin America studies professor emeritus Ernesto Martínez.
Fresno State President John D. Welty joined with former Danzantes members like the Hon. Rosendo Peña, associate justice of the 5th District Court of Appeal, to host the event. The evening featured performances by current Los Danzantes de Aztlán group members.

Read More…

May 8 - Kan. Governor Continues Higher Education Tour

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Gov. Sam Brownback has been continuing his statewide tour aimed at building support for protecting cuts to the Kansas higher education system.
The Republican governor made stops Monday in Manhattan at Kansas State University, meeting with students and faculty. He was at Fort Hays State University on Tuesday, along with a stop to the University of Kansas School of Medicine's Salina campus.
Brownback wants legislators to keep funding for the state's universities, community colleges and technical schools stable in the 2014 budget. Legislators are going the opposite direction with the House seeking a 4 percent cut and the Senate a 2 percent cut to higher education.
The governor also wants to keep the state's sales tax rate at 6.3 percent instead of reducing to 5.7 percent as scheduled in July.

May 7 - “Sugar Man” Rodríguez to Get Honorary Degree

DETROIT (AP) - A Motor City folk-rocker who unknowingly found fame an ocean away will be honored by his alma mater.
Sixto Rodríguez will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters May 9 from Wayne State University during the school's commencement ceremonies at Ford Field. The Detroit university is honoring the 1981 graduate for his “musical genius and commitment to social justice.”

Read More…

May 7 - African-American and Hispanic Ph.D. Science Graduates Are More Likely to Accrue Debt than Their White and Asian Peers, Study Finds

WASHINGTON - African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to go into debt while earning a doctorate in the sciences than their White and Asian counterparts, according to a new issue brief by experts at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). The disparity is largest for African-Americans, who are twice as likely to accrue more than $30,000 in debt.
The Price of a Science PhD: Variations in Student Debt Levels Across Disciplines and Race/Ethnicity examines debt accrued by those who were U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents when they received their doctoral degrees in 2010. This brief is being released as institutions of higher education, policymakers and others are encouraging minorities to pursue advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Read More…

May 7 - LAGRANT Foundation Celebrates 15 Years by Awarding $250,000 in Scholarships

WLOS ANGELES - The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) recently offered its utmost congratulations to the newly selected 2013 scholarship recipients of its 15th anniversary scholarship program. After receiving applications from ethnic minority students across the country in undergraduate and graduate programs related to advertising, marketing and public relations, TLF has selected 36 exceptional students to be the recipients of the scholarship, totaling $250,000.

Read More…

May 7 - In Texas, House Gives Tentative OK to Fixed College Tuition

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Public universities in Texas would have to offer students fixed four-year tuition prices under a bill that has cleared a key House vote.
Gov. Rick Perry has hammered public universities about making college more affordable. A proposal by Republican state Rep. Dan Branch would offer locked-in tuition plans that prohibit universities from charging a student more in their senior year than what they paid as a freshman.

Read More…

May 6 - Budget Cuts Nix $90M in Federal College Aid

By PHILIP ELLIOTT/Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - Schools near military bases and tribal lands will face a $60 million shortfall between now and September and aid to college students will be cut by almost $90 million, according to the Education Department's plan to carry out the automatic spending cuts mandated by Congress.
In all, the Education Department lost $2.6 billion as part of failed budget negotiations that forced deep spending cuts to reduce the nation's debt. Every corner of the federal government has been slashing services to comply.

Read More…

May 6 - Group Aims to Demystify College for At-Risk Youth

By MARA ROSE WILLIAMS/The Kansas City Star
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Corrie Mills doesn't usually run through the halls of Central High School, waving a piece of paper over her head. But this wasn't a usual day.
“I got a scholarship!” she blurted, out of breath, to her college adviser.
It didn't matter that the letter was from a university the 19-year-old senior isn't planning to attend. Just knowing that a college wanted to help pay her way was reason enough for elation, and for a race to the Missouri College Advising Corps office.

Read More…

May 6 - Mexican-Origin Hispanics in the United States

WASHINGTON - A record 33.7 million Hispanics of Mexican origin resided in the United States in 2012, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center. This estimate includes 11.4 million immigrants born in Mexico and 22.3 million born in the U.S. who self-identify as Hispanics of Mexican origin.
Mexicans are by far the largest Hispanic-origin population in the U.S., accounting for nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of the U.S. Hispanic population in 2012. Hispanics of Mexican origin are also a significant portion of the U.S. population, accounting for 11 percent overall.

Read More…

May 6 - USF Program Helps Students Manage Money, Debt

By STEPHANIE HAYES/The Tampa Bay Times
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Six business students sat in a classroom at the University of South Florida (USF), facing a screen with concern and curiosity. They were ready to graduate, and the reality of the massive amounts of money they'd borrowed was sinking in.
A question appeared on the screen.

Read More…

May 3 - Indiana Payment Plans Help Ease Student Loan Burden

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - Indiana college graduates struggling under the weight of student loan debt could find it easier to manage under a federal program that bases payments on income and forgives debt sooner for those working in the public or nonprofit sectors.
The U.S. Department's “income-based repayment” program began in 2009, but many Indiana college students are just now learning about it.

Read More…

May 3 - College of the Ozarks Wants Debt-Free Students

By EMILY YOUNKER/The Joplin Globe
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. (AP) - April Gregory spends part of each week in a warm, sometimes stuffy laundry on the campus of College of the Ozarks, washing, drying and pressing clothes and linens.
The Joplin Globe reports that the college sophomore from Harrison, Ark., also maintains an off-campus job and has held summer jobs, but she's not complaining. Her jobs - plus a new no-debt policy at her school - will ensure that she graduates in a few years without any debt to her name.

Read More…

May 3 - Three of Six Prestigious ACE Fellowships Awarded to Business Professors with Leadership Potential Go to PhD Project Professors

MONTVALE, N.J. - The PhD Project has announced that three of the six prestigious American Council on Education (ACE) Fellowships given to business professors, which prepare promising faculty for roles of senior leadership in academia, have been awarded to PhD Project professors for the 2013-14 academic year.
Jorge Pérez, Ph.D., associate professor of information systems, Kennesaw State University (KSU); José Antonio Rosa, Ph.D., PhD program director and professor of marketing and sustainable business practices, University of Wyoming (UW); Charles Wesley Richardson Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing, Clark Atlanta University (CAU), were among the 50 fellows selected to this year's program, following a rigorous application process.

Read More…

May 3 - Top Officials at University of Puerto Rico Resign

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - The president of Puerto Rico's largest public university is resigning, along with the head of the institution's board of directors.
Miguel Muñoz and Luis Berrios said they are leaving because of the governor's plan to revamp the university board by creating new positions and reducing the amount of time members would serve.

Read More…

May 2 - Rio Hondo Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Community, Honorees, Alumni and Employees

WHITTIER, Calif. - Rio Hondo College officially celebrated its 50th anniversary in high style with more than 400 public officials, community members, college alumni, emeriti, faculty, staff and friends gathered for a festive evening at the City of Industry Expo Center Friday, April 19.
The occasion of Rio Hondo's 50th anniversary provided its board and administrators the chance to thank and acknowledge the community that initiated plans and funded construction for a community college that began serving students in 1963.

Read More…

May 2 - Raytheon and Student Veterans of America Launch New Scholarship to Empower Student Veterans

WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Company and Student Veterans of America (SVA) launched a new scholarship program for student veterans who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology, engineering or math. Three student veterans - who are enrolled in a STEM degree program and have demonstrated leadership in their local communities - will each be awarded a $10,000 scholarship, for a total commitment of $30,000 in scholarships. Applications are now being accepted through July 12, 2013.

Read More…

May 2 - Epsilon Kappa, St. John's Chapter of the National Hispanic Honor Society, Celebrates Two Alumni at Induction Ceremony, May 4

QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's Spanish Honor Society will hold its Induction Ceremony and celebrate two of its alumni, Carlos A. Bravo (MA in Spanish, 1995) and Miguel Alejandro Valerio (MA in Spanish, 2010), on May 4, 2013. During the event, Dr. Marie-Lise Gazarian, director of the Graduate Program in Spanish and moderator of Epsilon Kappa, will interview the two poets in a reading of their recently published books: Ambrosía a manos llenas, 2012, and Los presentes de la muerte, 2013.

Read More…

May 1 - Soledad O'Brien Named Distinguished Visiting Fellow

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) has named award-winning journalist and author Soledad O'Brien Distinguished Visiting Fellow for the 2013-14 academic year.
“Through her work on Black in America, Latino in America and other journalistic endeavors, Soledad has focused America's attention on the important issue of education inequality,” said Dean Kathleen McCartney. “In addition, with her husband Brad, she founded and leads the Soledad O'Brien and Brad Raymond Foundation, which provides funds and support for young women with leadership potential to attend college despite facing economic or personal challenges. We are tremendously excited to welcome Soledad to the Harvard Graduate School of Education community and look forward to working with her to ensure that all children have access to a high quality education.”

Read More…

May 1 - Tuition, Fees at UNM Doubled over Past Decade

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Tuition and fees at University of New Mexico (UNM) have doubled over the past decade, with the cost of admission rising at a rate that far exceeds inflation.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that regents approved another hike this month for the 2013-14 school year.
It will rise 13 percent for undergraduate students who take 12 credit hours or less. That's the biggest jump in nine years, to a cost of about $6,846 in in-state tuition and fees for those students.

Read More…

May 1 - PTK Opens Doors of Opportunities for San Jacinto College Students

PASADENA, Texas - High-achieving students at San Jacinto College find challenges, camaraderie and scholarship opportunities through Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).
Kevin Castillo is living proof.
“PTK changed my life completely,” said Castillo, who serves as the PTK chapter president at San Jacinto College South. “I used to be afraid of public speaking, but by facilitating PTK workshops, hosting new member induction ceremonies, and speaking at chapter meetings I have overcome that fear. PTK has challenged me and helped moved me away from my comfort zone.”

Read More…

May 1 - Brownback: Higher Education Deserves to Avoid Cuts

By JOHN HANNA/AP Political Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Gov. Sam Brownback said Friday his administration has pushed Kansas' higher education system to take on additional work and that legislators should protect funding for state universities and colleges because they've “stepped up aggressively” to meet rising expectations.
The Republican governor wrapped up a week of touring university, community college and technical college campuses with a visit to Washburn University in Topeka. The tour is designed to highlight the importance of the higher education system to the state's economy and to promote budget proposals from Brownback to hold spending on higher education at current levels for the fiscal year beginning in July.

Read More…

Covering Issues that Affect
Hispanics in Academia