Productivity in Higher Education?

Another hot topic in these economically difficult times. Texas A&M has been making a big push (for a state institution) along these lines. There's been a lot of opposition to the effort, but it's clearly put these important issues more clearly on the table. It's my view that a lot of our smaller institutions may not survive the next couple of decades if we don't confront these productivity concerns head on, so I'm glad to see the ideas being discussed, even if I don't always agree with the specific approaches.

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2011/07/20/o_donnell_on_faculty_productivity_data

http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/college-inefficiency-resource-misallocation-or-underutilization/29844

http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/faculty-productivity-is-coming/37718?sid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en

Higher Education Bubble?

Here's some more on what many see as a possible higher education bubble.

http://blog.american.com/2011/07/chart-of-the-day-the-higher-education-bubble/

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/07/will-college-bubble-burst-public-subisidies

But what many of these stories miss is that "net tuition," as opposed to stated price, has actually stayed pretty much flat, at least for CIC institutions, over the last decade or so. Aid of various sorts (instiutional, state, and federal) has kept pace and then some in the last 10 years. You can see the consequences in the budget woes of many of our CCCU brethren, as this story notes.

http://www.cccu.org/news/cccu_tuition_student_aid_increases_for_2011_2012

Classical Christian Colleges on the Rise?

We've been having some discussions with Classical Christian groups at times. As usual, in a short article, the author doesn't have room to identify all the streams of thought here, but it's good to see the attention that's being given to these efforts.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/07/12/classical_christian_college_movement_offers_great_books_curriculum

Fall of the Faculty

We've met the enemy, and it's us. Hmm . . .

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/07/14/new_book_argues_bloated_administration_is_what_ails_higher_education

Heroic Academics

Cute story about University of the Ozarks prof who creates action figures of real-life colleagues and students at his school.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/07/18/ozarks_professor_makes_action_figures_of_his_colleagues_and_students