U Utah Rewrites Fight Song Lyrics
After many changes throughout history, the university's fight song changed again to reflect a more gender-neutral tone, from "our coeds are the fairest” to “our students are the finest” and the line “no other gang of college men” will now be “no rival band of college fans."
NY Times: 'Change Makers Create Cultural Change on Campus'
"From racial and ethnic diversity to an influx of "first generation" students and the challenges of being a low-income student, most college and universities in this country have begun to recognize that the face of higher education is changing. The struggle, however, has been in how to accommodate or support these students." This New York Times article highlights Northwestern University's actions toward shifting its values to change its culture.
CC System of New Hampshire Reduces Tuition
In an effort to address higher education affordability, the system's new board of trustees president recently announced a five percent tuition reduction for all state community colleges due to the restoration of money to the state's budget.
Colorado Signs Affordability Bill into Law
The recently signed bill will allocate an additional $100 million in state funding for Colorado’s colleges and universities to help offset several years of recession-driven cuts. As part of the legislation, Colorado’s universities and colleges agreed not to raise tuition by more than six percent a year.
Bentley U Remakes Disability Icon
With assistance from the university's Diversity Mini-Grant program, the Accessible Icon Project will repaint handicap parking spots on campus with an icon that represents independence and abilities of individuals who use wheelchairs.
Belmont Abbey College Focuses on Affordability
A recent move to shrink general administrative costs by $1 million annually builds on the 33 percent tuition reduction last year to help the college focus on student learning and affordability.
Oregon Passes 2 Bills to Help Students Through Higher Education
The two bills, recently signed into law by the governor, are intended to help low-income students attain a higher education credential. One bill asks for a study on the feasibility of providing free community college classes to Oregon high school graduates. The other sets aside $750,000 for low-income families.
U Maryland Holds Diversity Open Mic Night
(U.S.): On behalf of a month dedicated to honoring diversity, the Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community organized the open mic night to give students a creative platform to share about their identity in hopes of transcending stereotypes.
Wesleyan U Links Tuition to Inflation
In an effort to keep tuition affordable for students and make strides to decrease or eliminate heavy debt burden, the university recently announced it will increase tuition in concert with inflation.
California State U Creates Pathways for Underserved Students
(United States): Answering President Obama’s call to increase college opportunity for disadvantaged students, the California State University is partnering with more than 100 African American churches to speak to youth and their families about the value of a college degree and access to financial aid.
Lehigh U Greeks Adopt Diversity Policy
(United States): The new policy, which was developed in support of the university’s Principles of an Equitable Community, prohibits any Greek organization from sponsoring or endorsing an event or program that discriminates against anyone “based on color, disability, gender identification, genetic information, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economics, veteran status, or any differences that have been excuses for misunderstanding, dissension or hatred.”
Northwestern U Offers New Class on Diversity
(United States): As a result of on-campus racist incidents since 2012, Diversity and Inequality at Northwestern University focuses on how issues can impact the university's present state, it will compare these issues to other universities, and it will examine these issues historically. The university is currently contemplating a social inequality and diversity requirement for all students.
U Washington Students Present on Affordability to State House
(United States): In a recent presentation to the state's House Higher Education Committee, the university's Student Debt Reduction Working Group discussed findings of roughly 50 percent of students graduate with debt and the average amount is over $21,000. The presentation is part of an effort to increase the dialogue on college affordability between students and lawmakers.
U Michigan Students Pass Diversity Resolution
The university's Central Student Government listened to and adopted a recent resolution that addresses minority student enrollment, the creation of a scholarship for undocumented students, and official student government support of student activism directed toward increased diversity on campus.
AASCU Proposal to Maintain College Affordability
The newly released proposition from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities proposes using existing federal resources to create a new federal matching grant program that leverages federal funds to incentivize states to boost operating support for public higher education, in turn mitigating tuition price increases and improving college affordability.
U Kansas Researchers Devise Diversity Assessment Tool
In an effort to measure diversity in higher education, the recently published paper discusses the researchers method to create the final instrument, ACES, which quantifies Attitude towards diversity, Career activities and professional norms, Environment conducive to diversity, and Social interactions with diverse groups.
North Carolina Launches the LGBTQ College Consortium
The North Carolina LGBTQ College Consortium aims to foster communication and build community among the state’s various lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer college student organizations with annual meetings and a conference, periodic conference calls, webinars and leadership development events.
South African Academe Promotes Equity Index
(South Africa): In an effort to spur progress toward an academe that reflects South Africa's ethnic mix, the University of KwaZulu-Natal has developed and introduced an "equity index" that tracks how closely student, staff, senate and governing council bodies reflect the country’s ethnic and gender make-up. Controversially, the data allow institutions to be ranked by how similar they are to the South African population as a whole.
Catawba College Hosts Diversity Conversations
The campus' Diversity Club hosted a week of activities focused on appreciating differences. Events included exhibitions, a "race kiosk," varied ethnic food offerings and a documentary.
Department of Education Solicits College Affordability Feedback
President Obama has directed the U.S. Department of Education to develop and publish a new college ratings system that would be available for students and families before the 2015-16 school year. The ratings system will help students compare the value offered by colleges and encourage colleges to improve. As part of an effort to gather public input about the development of the system, the Education Department has the last of four open forums on Nov. 21 at Louisiana State University. Transcripts of the forums are available. To submit input, email collegefeedback@ed.gov.
Bucks County CC Holds Diversity Discussion
Spurred by the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman case, the Interactive Conference on Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Understanding brought the campus community together in a moderated discussion around issues facing minorities and how to find harmony among diverse groups.
Excelencia in Education Observes Schools for Latino Successes
Excelencia in Education recently recognized Cañada College, University of Texas at Brownville, Pan American and Austin, Esparanza College of Eastern University, Rio Hondo College, Del Mar College, Bluegrass Community and Technical College and Grayson College for their efforts in helping Latino students to succeed academically.
Northern Illinois U Promotes Programs in Diversity
Birthed from a communications class, diversity education ambassadors promote the university's academic programs in diversity and importance of being culturally competent through in-class discussions.
Vancouver Island U Appoints First Elder-in-Residence
The first full-time elder, Geraldine Manson, will provide support and guidance to aboriginal and non-aboriginal students and share traditional practices and knowledge within the curriculum of the Faculty of Health and Human Services.
Northern Illinois U Hosts First Diversity Festival
After faculty members attended a diversity conference, the university's Latino Student Alliance group hosted the inaugural Unity Conference and Celebration that focused on celebrating the differences within its diverse student body.
Adrian College Announces New Loan Repayment Plan
The new plan to be rolled out in fall of 2014, AdrianPlus, is a loan repayment assistance initiative that offers to pay all or part of its students' loans if they are unable to secure a well paying job post graduation.
Rutgers U Approves Gender-Neutral Lyrics to Alma Mater
A decades-long debate ended this semester when the university song was changed from "My father sent me to old Rutgers/ And resolv'd that I should be a man” to "From far and near we came to Rutgers/ And resolved to learn all that we can." This change more accurately reflects the 65,000-student college where nearly half are female.
St. Mary's College of Maryland Institutes Gender-Neutral Housing
Inaugurated this fall, students of the college are given the freedom to choose their roommates independent of gender, sex, sexual identity or sexual orientation. "Open housing" was employed to respond to the needs of students who do not identify with traditional gender norms, and to provide options for all students who feel that they would have a more positive shared-living experience with a roommate of the opposite sex or gender.
Kansas State U Students Revive African-American Newspaper
(U.S.): Originally a paper by the Black Student Union in the 1970s, Uhuru, meaning "freedom" in Swahili, now has a new generation of interested students that have renewed it as a section of the student newspaper under the name Uhuru Kauli, Kauli meaning "opinion" or "speech.' This section will work with underrepresented student groups and multicultural organizations.
Princeton U Seeks to Diversify Students, Faculty, Administration
(U.S.): After a recent 19-member group found that the university’s graduate program population, faculty and top administration lacks diversity, the president and board of trustees recently signed recommendations from the diversity group including interdepartmental autonomy for creating diversity in their ranks, additional resources and accountability through monitoring.
U Cambridge Adopts Gender-Sensitive Attire Code
(U.K.): Due to attention from the student union’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Other campaign, the new graduation attire code allows women to wear suits and men to wear skirts.
Cuyamaca College Begins ‘The Diversity Dialogues’
Encouraging students to embrace diversity at a school with a large Iraqi refugee population, the semester long workshop series is designed to give students a deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures, construct environments that foster cultural learning, and to apply principles of cultural competency to personal, professional or academic life.
Northern State U Unveils New International Sculpture Garden
Combining the university’s international education mission and its passion for the arts, the new space will display five sculptures by Vietnamese artist Tuan Nguyen, made possible by Picture Art Foundation, and other sculptures by regional and national artists.
Obama Explains the New College Affordability Legislation
On the recent bus tour in New York and Pennsylvania, the president says the new plan intends to rate colleges based on outcomes, initiate competition between schools to lower the graduation rate, and help more students participate in the pay as you earn loan repayment program. Schools he visited include University of Buffalo, Binghamton University and Lackawanna College.
