University Business - April 2009 - (Page 9)

BEHIND the NEws Graduation goals a major challenge Although most of the money in the new stimulus package is focused on K-12 initiatives, during his february 24 address to Congress President Barack obama called for America to once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. he added confidently, “that is a goal we can meet.” the consensus: It’s a noble, achievable goal. But how to meet it is causing some consternation among higher ed leaders, and even comparisons to the moon landing. “We strongly support the president’s goal,” says terry hartle, senior vice president of the Division of government and Public Affairs at ACe. “the nation will be enormously better off and colleges and universities are prepared to do their part.” But hartle’s enthusiasm is tempered. “It’s fairly easy to establish ambitious goals. Reaching them is harder,” he notes. this, of course, is not the first recent lofty education goal. In 1990, President george h.W. Bush and the nation’s governors called for a 90 percent high school graduation rate. In 2002 came the no Child left Behind Act with its expectations of continuous improvement. “We landed a man on the moon, but it took a nationwide effort,” hartle says, adding that even if every current high school graduate who goes to college graduates from college, we wouldn’t reach obama’s goal. graduating more students of both traditional and nontraditional age would certainly help. “the state, and our institution, is making adult education part of our strategy in increasing the number of college graduates in Kentucky,” says Doug Whitlock, president of Eastern Kentucky University. focusing on adult learners will help offset the predicted decline in the high school age population. there’s also an increased focus in the state on preventing K-12 dropouts and encouraging college attendance. Community colleges, accustomed to enrolling both adults and underprepared students, are bracing for increased enrollment as students flee from four-year institutions’ high tuition rates. Miami Dade College, where enrollment rose 15 percent in the last year, is sharing tutoring and life-skills classes with local schools to better prepare students for college, explains President eduardo J. Padrón. “Both President obama and secretary Duncan have asserted that community colleges will play a major role in rejuvenatJohn t. Consoli, university of maryland U President Obama’s Lofty Ambitions ing our ailing economy,” he says. “As costs continue to rise and universities limit enrollment, and many retain an elitist admission policy, community colleges will be a more critical asset than ever in extending the possibility of a college education.” But nothing can happen without funding. hartle praised the resources obama has committed, pointing out that a 25 percent increase in resources will be needed to add 1 million more graduates to the 3 million our country already produces annually. Budget stabilization funding may provide capacity to begin ramping up to accommodate new students, Whitlock adds. “But we have to be careful not to get recurring expenses tied to nonrecurring dollars.” —Ann McClure institutions snip Agreement with Apparel maker severAL institutiOns hAve terminAted apparel licensing agreements with russell Corp., after the clothing company closed a unionized factory in honduras in January. After a university Advisory Committee on Labor standards and human rights recommendation, the University of Michigan officials ended its license. spokesperson Kelly Cunningham says u-m has contracts with a number of licensing companies to produce and distribute similar university-branded products through similar channels. these vendors will target russell’s accounts, following the expiration of its contract in march. Cornell University (n.Y.) announced that its decision was made after review of a study of the factory closing. mike Powers, director of operations, says, “russell’s actions in this case are a clear violation of the codes of conduct that Cornell licensees agree to follow when they become licensed.” the University of Minnesota’s russell contract will also expire in late march. daniel Wolter, director of news service, says administrators don’t foresee problems in filling this gap with three other brand vendors the university currently uses. he estimates revenue from sales of the university apparel made by russell in 2007 was more than $26,000. At least eight others are severing ties to russell, including Purdue (ind.), the University of Washington, the University of Montana, New York University, Columbia (n.Y.), Georgetown (d.C.), Penn State, and Rutgers (n.J.). —Michele Herrmann universitybusiness.com April 2009 | 9 http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - April 2009

University Business - April 2009
Contents
Editor's Note
Company Index
Advisory Board
College Index
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Internet Technology
Financial Aid
The Main Event
Software Serves
Managing the Experience
Independent Outlook
What's New
End Note

University Business - April 2009