Financing December 2017

Tennessee Higher Education Institution Gets $148k USDA Ginseng Project Grant

Middle Tennessee State University has landed a $148,000 federal grant for a ginseng experiment. According to a university news release, the U.S. Department of Agriculture grant will help MTSU support planting up to 100 acres (40 hectares) of ginseng in Tennessee, depending on participation by growers. MTSU says this could add $4 million in farm profit annually once the harvest is normalized.

Financing December 2017

Higher Education Faculty Member Donates $100K Prize to Student Aid Fund--On a Positive Note

A Temple University professor who won a $100,000 prize for research into the rising cost of college will donate the money to a fund she established to help students cope with financial emergencies.

Financing December 2017 Premium

This Week’s Top 5 Trending Headlines in Education and Beyond

The following are the headlines that received the most views on our Facebook page.

Financing December 2017

Republican Higher Education Bill Clears First Hurdle

Republican legislation making its way through Congress goes after a number of key student loan subsidies and deductions, and critics say it could make college less affordable for millions of Americans. A rewrite of the nation's main law governing higher education that passed the House Committee on Education and the Workforce late Tuesday would eliminate subsidies for interest payments on federal student loans while the students are in college. The American Council of Education estimates the change would affect 6 million students. And new graduates would not be able to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, a program launched in 2007 with the aim of motivating students to take government and teaching jobs in remote rural areas.

Financing December 2017

U of Missouri Endowment Tops $1B for the First Time in the Higher Education Institution’s History

The endowment of the University of Missouri's flagship campus in Columbia has topped $1 billion for the first time even as the campus struggles to recover from race-related protests and drops in enrollment. Since the protests in 2015, enrollment has dropped by almost 13 percent. The endowment shrank during the recession, but through new private gifts and stock market growth, it's increased by more than $400 million since the campus launched its latest fundraising campaign six years ago.

Financing December 2017

Ex-Kent State President, Husband Pledge $1M for Higher Education Scholarships

The former president of Kent State University and her husband have committed to donating $1 million to pay for arts scholarships after their deaths. Former president Carol Cartwright and G. Phillip Cartwright also have pledged to give $10,000 annually starting this year to Kent State's College of Arts to fund scholarships for under-represented students.

Financing December 2017

Arkansas State Athletics Gets $10M Gift; Higher Education Institution Slating Gift for Stadium Renovation, Expansion

Arkansas State University's athletics department has received about $10 million in donations to renovate Centennial Bank Stadium.

Financing December 2017

Northern Illinois U Trustees Again Vote to Freeze Tuition; Lower Fees for Undergraduate Education

Northern Illinois University trustees have again voted to freeze tuition and lower fees for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Trustees also approved a half-percent decrease in undergraduate fees.

Financing December 2017

SNHU Freezes Tuition at $30,800 for 2018-19 to Make Education More Accessible

South New Hampshire University is freezing tuition for the 2018-19 academic year at the current rate of $30,800. With housing and fees, the cost for on-campus undergraduate students is between $41,700 and $46,800 per year.

Financing November 2017

Foundations Putting $50M into Childhood Education, Services --On a Positive Note

Two Michigan-based foundations plan to invest $50 million to support efforts to improve childhood education and services in Detroit.

Financing November 2017

Study: Most Student Loan Fraud Claims Involve For-profits

Students who attended for-profit colleges filed more than 98 percent of the requests for student loan forgiveness alleging fraud by their schools, according to an analysis of Education Department data published Thursday.

Financing November 2017

USF Announces First-of-a-Kind "Pay It Forward" Scholarship

The University of Saint Francis has announced a new scholarship available to incoming students who exhibit a commitment to service and helping others.