Redefining Community College Success

     An Education Department committee further honed its recommendations for how to overhaul the way the government measures the success of community colleges. Though there was general agreement on crafting completion measures, there was strong disagreement about whether the government should require community colleges to report their students employment outcomes.

Student fees policy ‘a slow car crash’, top academic says

By Graeme Paton, Education Editor

6:00PM BST 20 Jun 2011

Sir Peter Scott, former vice-chancellor of Kingston University, said the Government’s overhaul of higher education was probably the “worse example of public policy making” he had ever seen.

He said ministers had failed to create a true market on fees by imposing a £9,000 cap – encouraging almost every university to charge at the top level.

Sir Peter also attacked the proposed expansion of further education colleges as a cheap alternative provider of degree courses, saying the idea was “sheer fantasy”.

The comments come just weeks before the Coalition publishes its long-awaited Higher Education White Paper setting out the fine detail of its reforms, including policies designed to stop too many universities charging top-end fees. The document had originally been promised in the New Year.

In a speech on Monday, Sir Peter, professor of higher education studies at the University of London’s Institute of Education, criticised the “slow car crash that the Government’s plans to reform higher education are turning into”.

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Addressing academics at Nottingham University, he said: “Whatever you think about the policy direction – and I will be open and tell you that I am very much opposed to it – it is difficult to recall a worse example of public policy making.

“Compromise has followed adjustment; wishful thinking has followed the apparent failure to do any serious modelling; no options review, no risk assessment – the whole thing is a mess, and getting messier.”

Under Government reforms, almost all direct state funding for teaching has been abolished and universities can charge up to £9,000 to plug the gap.

So far, around two-thirds of universities have declared plans to charge the top amount while most others want to levy fees of at least £8,000.

It is feared the Government will be forced to cut university funding further to plug a hole in its higher education budget if the student loans bill escalates beyond Treasury estimates.

Sir Peter said: “Nearly every university has decided to charge fees right at the top of the permitted range. What reasonable person expected a different outcome?

“The only substantial difference is between those which want to assert, uncompromisingly, that they are among the very best – hence they have decided to charge £9,000 – and those that want to demonstrate their social conscience, so they will charge £8,500.

“Both are simply positioning statements not market decisions – and the £500 difference is neither here-nor-there.”

Ministers have proposed an expansion of private universities and further education colleges, which can provide degree courses at a fraction of the price of universities.

But Sir Peter added: “FE colleges have a vital role to play in the local delivery of mainly sub-degree, sub-Bachelors, higher education… but to imagine that they can, or want to see themselves, in opposition to universities in the mass undergraduate market is sheer fantasy.”

The comments come just weeks after Oxford dons passed a motion of no confidence in David Willetts, the Universities Minister. Academics from Cambridge are set to take a similar vote at the end of July.

Happy Father’s Day!

Whether you live close to or far away from your dad, this Sunday is the perfect occasion to let him know just how much you appreciate him. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and pressure of your own life and to forget how important it is to let those you love know how much they mean to you. Now that I am working a 9-5 job and am really tired when I get home, I appreciate even more how my parents were able to work and raise a family. I truly don’t know how they gathered the energy to make sure I did my homework, take me to sports practices or friends’ houses, cook dinner, clean the house, etc. Maybe you’ve had some sort of similar realization.

Whatever the case, take this weekend to do something for your dad. It doesn’t have to be anything big, parents seem to think the smallest gestures mean the most. So send a card, send him his favorite candy, give him a call. Whatever you decide, let him know you love and appreciate him! It’s likely that you wouldn’t have made it this far in your educational career without him.

HERALD SPOTLIGHT: Roosevelt Donaldson

Having the opportunity to watch many of the athletes in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties when they begin playing football at the youth football level, the Miami Herald will continue to shine the spotlight on many athletes during the pre-spring, spring and summer.

With the chance to see the athletes away from the football field as well, we can bring you up close and personal with some of the top prospects in the nation – right here in our own backyard.

Don’t forget that the exposure continues on FACEBOOK (Herald Recruiting) and via

PLAYER: Roosevelt Donaldson 
YEAR: 2012
 SCHOOL: Southridge
 CITY: Miami
 POSITION: DL 
HEIGHT: 6-2 
WEIGHT: 255 
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH: Pat Burrows

* PHOTO COURTESY OF ELITE SCOUTING SERVICES

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Makes his way to Southridge for his final season after two stellar years at Coral Reef.

This is a big, physical football prospect who runs extremely well and is exceptionally strong. He could emerge into something special this coming season, especially with the talent he has around him on the defensive side of the ball.

Saw him for the first time at the end of his freshman season, and by the way he played at such a young age, there was little doubt that he would become something very special.

His ability to stop the run as well as he creates pressure as a pass rusher will give him a major advantage. Will be counted on heavily to provide that inside rush that all great defenses have. Keep your eye on his progress. Colleges simply love what he has to offer.

HERALD STATEWIDE INFORMATION Statewide Information

Jimmer and Jazz fans weigh in on 2011 NBA draft results

In the crowd at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City for the Utah Jazz’s 2011 NBA Draft party Thursday night, BYU shirts and Cougar jerseys with the No. 32 prominently displayed were everywhere.

Not only were they supporting former BYU star Jimmer Fredette on his big night, many were hoping he would end up in a Jazz jersey.

Instead, “The Jimmer” ended up being selected by Milwaukee with the No. 10 pick and was shipped to Sacramento in a draft-day trade.

The fans voiced their disappointment with an outburst right after the selection was announced, then again when asked about the results afterwards

“I don’t like Sacramento but at least he’s in the NBA,” said Mitchell Gregory, 9, of Lehi. “Hopefully he’ll be able to help them out and hopefully he will be happy. I want the Kings to trade him to the Jazz or to another team like the Knicks.”

A group of fans decked in Jimmer gear made the trip down from northern Utah just hoping to see Jimmer end up with the Jazz.

“I wanted them to get Jimmer, but I like the guy they got,” said Chad Edgington, 50, of Fruit Heights. “I don’t know if we can criticize what the Jazz did or not but I do know that everywhere Jimmer went, he had exceeded expectations.”

The consensus among the group was that Sacramento will be glad to have Jimmer on the roster.

“Jimmer is going to save the Kings franchise,” said Spencer Klein, 22, from Farmington. “The state of Utah is going to save the Kings because people here are going to buy Kings jerseys.”

McKay Meyer, 21, of Fruit Heights added: “It’s good for Jimmer personally. People soak him up. He’s going to become their team and get the star treatment. The Kings were looking for something to smile about and they got it.”

Even Daryl Graziano, 24, from Ogden, who was proudly wearing a University of Utah T-shirt, said Jimmer could’ve done some great things for the Jazz.

“He could’ve kept opponents from sucking in with his shooting from the outside,” Graziano said. “I was disappointed when Jimmer got picked at No. 10 – but don’t tell my dad.”

Trey Wolthoff, 11, from Layton, said he wasn’t surprised the Jazz didn’t get Jimmer but he expected him to go sooner in the draft. He said he would’ve liked to see Jimmer end up with Miami, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

While the Jimmer fans in the audience might not have gotten the result they hoped for, the opinions varied on what Utah ended up doing by picking Enes Kanter from Turkey with the No. 3 pick and Alec Burks from Colorado at No. 12.

“Kanter I can see getting at No. 3,” said Ryan Van Wagenen, 22, of Sandy. “But I remember seeing Burks in an interview couldn’t even remember Tyrone Corbin’s name. I would’ve liked to have seen Chris Singleton (from Florida State) at No. 12.”

Brian Greenhalgh, 40, of Nephi said he would’ve preferred to see the Jazz get a point guard.

“I thought we should’ve taken Brandon Knight (from Kentucky),” he said. “But I think getting Burks was a good pick.”

Riley Edgington, 22, of Fruit Heights recognized that the results of the draft won’t be clear for a number of years but he still would’ve liked to see the Jazz go a different direction or make a trade.

“We needed a point guard and we didn’t get one,” he said. “We needed someone who can shoot and we got one that can only make layups. We missed the chance to get the face of the franchise.”

Arbitrator denies teachers’ pay grievance

A special arbitrator at the end of last month ruled that the Palm Beach County School District was within its rights to take three years of experience pay away from about 300 teachers hired at the beginning of the school year that just ended. Arbitrator Patricia Renovitch denied the grievance filed this year by the Classroom Teachers Association on behalf of those teachers. District negotiator Van Ludy said the district dropped the salary of incoming experienced teachers who worked outside the school district, which is based on the number of years they have worked, down three years or “steps” at the beginning of the school year. This was done to be fair and make the pay of those teachers from outside the district the same as teachers who already worked for the district.