Month: November 2013
AFTNJ at Black Friday 2013 Walmart Protest
Walmart workers and labor supporters joined to protest Walmart’s poor labor practices. See http://forrespect.org for more information about Walmart workers’ organizing for respect.…
Read MoreRU graded on Sandy response
Lack of communication, inadequate backup power among flaws cited
In the wake of superstorm Sandy, Rutgers University secured its campus by hosting emergency shelters for more than 7,000 state and local residents who were forced from their homes, and its contributions were recognized last summer by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security.
But the worst storm to impact New Jersey in decades also exposed flaws in the university’s emergency-response system.…
Read MoreMoody’s Issues a Negative Outlook for Higher Education
By Scott Carlson
Moody’s Investors Service on Monday issued a negative outlook for higher education in 2014—which should come as a surprise to no one. The bond-rating agency’s report last week, a survey of net-tuition revenues, was grim, and its outlook for higher education in recent years has been mostly bleak.
This year Moody’s cited a weak economy that will “affect families’ willingness and ability to pay for higher education.”…
Read MoreChristie: In-state tuition bill benefits too rich
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he would not sign the version of an immigrant tuition bill passed by the state Senate.
Christie says the Senate bill grants richer benefits than the federal Dream Act and could make New Jersey a magnet for students in the country illegally who want to go to college.…
Read MoreRutgers releases report on university’s response to Hurricane Sandy
By Kelly Heyboer/ The Star-Ledger
NEW BRUNSWICK — When Hurricane Sandy hit last year, Rutgers University did a good job following its emergency plan and evacuating thousands of students. But the state’s largest university made several key mistakes — including failing to communicate well with its faculty, staff and students, according to an internal report.
[…]Lucye Millerand, head of the Rutgers faculty union, criticized university officials last month for not publicly releasing the report.…
Read MoreFight Back Against the Assault on Public Education: Dec. 9 Day of Action
By Bob Braun
The assault on public education isn’t confined to Newark or Montclair or Highland Park or Camden. Not confined to Chris Christie’s New Jersey. It’s a national phenomenon and countering it will take a national pushback. The beginning of that pushback just could be Dec. 9 when a national coalition of educational, parent, community and civic groups launch “A National Day to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education.”…
Read MoreThe Resurgent Interest in Performance-Based Funding for Higher Education
Who wants performance-based funding and why? Answering those questions is important if we wish to defend funding formulas that support high-quality education.
By Michael K. McLendon and James C. Hearn
Observers of higher education policy might be forgiven a sense of surprise at recent developments in the funding of state higher education systems. At the turn of the century, after indifferent results and occasional policy debacles, it was easy to find commentary from chastened proponents on the declining commitments to performance-based funding and budgeting systems for public higher education.…
Read MoreTensions rise at Kean U. as officials recommend denying tenure to 2/3 of eligible professors
By Kelly Heyboer/ The Star-Ledger
UNION TOWNSHIP — In an unusual move that is stirring up campus protests, Kean University’s administration is recommending denying tenure to six of nine eligible faculty members this year even though most say they have spotless records.
The professors, who are all in their fifth year of employment at the Union Township-based public university, are set to go before the Kean board of trustees next month for what was expected to be a routine tenure vote.…
Read MoreTexas Education Board Flags Biology Textbook Over Evolution Concerns
By Motoko Rich
The Texas Board of Education on Friday delayed final approval of a widely used biology textbook because of concerns raised by one reviewer that it presents evolution as fact rather than theory.
The months long textbook review process in Texas has been controversial because a number of people selected this year to evaluate publishers’ submissions do not accept evolution or climate change as scientific truth.…
Read MoreState Releases First Results from Pilot Trials of Teacher Evaluation Systems
By John Mooney
Initial report correlates data collected from 25 districts participating in pilot for at least a year
As New Jersey public schools this year move to new teacher evaluation systems, two dozen districts that tested the systems over the past two years are starting to provide information about lessons learned and challenges ahead.
The Christie administration this week released the first of two reports from the 25 pilot districts that were charged — and funded — to test the new systems that use uniform evaluation practices, as well as student performance measures, to gauge the effectiveness of teachers.…
Read MoreNew Refrain at Kean U.: Just Saying No to Tenure
[…]
According to the faculty union, Mr. Farahi sent letters this month to six professors, telling them that at the board’s meeting, on December 7, he would recommend that the university turn down their tenure bids.
“In a normal year, 10 to 20 percent of faculty up for tenure are denied,” said James A. Castiglione, an associate professor of physics and president of the union, the Kean Federation of Teachers.…
Read MoreImmigrants go on ‘pilgrimage’ for in-state tuition, citizenship
By Matt Friedman/The Star-Ledger
TRENTON — Noemi Medina speaks with an American accent. The 18-year-old single mother from Pennsauken went to pre-K, elementary school, middle school and high school in the United States.
But when Medina tried to enroll at Camden County Community College this year, she found herself faced with higher tuition than most other students and ineligible for state financial aid programs.…
Read MoreTop administrator leaves Kean University after plagiarism probe
By Kelly Heyboer/ The Star-Ledger
UNION TOWNSHIP — A top Kean University administrator has left the school after being accused of plagiarism, according to campus documents and school officials.
A complaint filed last week said Katerina Andriotis, the university’s associate vice president for academic affairs, copied nearly nine pages of a 15-page campus enrollment management report from two documents found on the internet.…
Read MoreTake action: Support Unemployment Insurance for Adjuncts
Please [click here] to write to legislative leaders in the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate to request they act on legislation providing unemployment benefits to college and university adjunct faculty members.
12/11/13 update: Thank you for participating. …
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