Attracting Foreign Students. Australia Canada Win Over USA. #highered. #immigration #leadership

As university enrollments decline and as diversity and campus diversity becomes more and more discussed on campus this article alerts us all to the failures in the US of recruiting international students.  We are being out done by australis and canada as well as other nations.  This should be  a bigger issue of debate on campuses and should be part of the US discussion/debate in coming months and years on our immigration policies.

 http://www.economist.com/news/international/21689540-australia-and-canada-seek-attract-more-foreign-students-america-and-britain-could?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/brainswithoutborders

Hottest Career: Local Government. #leadership

As students get nearer to completing their undergraduate degree or their graduate degrees (Master in Public Administration, MPA, etc.) they begin to think about their future employment.  More and more as students think about an undergraduate major to select or what graduate degree to pursue they want to know what will help them find employment after graduation.  This article is about the current and future growth of jobs in local government.  Good advice and good information.

 http://icma.org/m/en/Page/100092/Local_Government_Management_The_Hottest_Career_Youve_Probably_Never_Heard_Of

Poverty Based Affirmative Action #highered #poverty #changemakers #edpolicy

 

"A new study by the Jack Cook Foundation finds that only 3 percent of students at our most selective colleges come from the 25 percent of families with the lowest incomes, while 72 percent come from the richest 25 percent of families.

This is compounded by the fact that once admitted, poor students soar academically. According to the study, the poor students who do attend these elite schools graduate at equal rates and earn similarly high grades as their wealthy peers. 

Today at selective colleges we have affirmative action for the wealthy."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-need-poverty-based-affirmative-action-at-americas-colleges/2016/01/29/fc24c71c-c526-11e5-8965-0607e0e265ce_story.html

Why Is It So Hard For Syrian Refugees To Get Into USA. #leadership. #refugees

NYT reports that of 4.5 million Syrians who have fled Syria, less than 2500 have been allowed into the U.S.  Why so few?  Where is the leadership in the public square?  Where is the outrage in our country and globally?   

 http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/magazine/why-is-it-so-difficult-for-syrian-refugees-to-get-into-the-us.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fmagazine&action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Teachers and Textbooks

 

Interesting article on teachers at all levels of education and the process of using what/which textbook.  Are we paying too much for these textbooks--have we let it get out of hand?  Have we  not actively enough considered using open source material instead of textbooks?  Is there a middle ground, a balanced position on this issue.  Well worth a read. 

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/brown-center-chalkboard/posts/2016/01/19-textbooks-behind-teachers-learning-curve-classroom-walsh?cid=00900015020149101US0001-0122

Top Int'l Relations Books For Presidential Candidates #leadership. #changemakers.

With the Iowa presidential caucus just finished last night and as we move into the New Hampshire primary next week and onto the other primaries, this is a very interesting listing of books that candidates for US President in both parties might want to take a look at and read.  THese will be good reads for all of us interested in International relations and policy positions on foreign affairs.  Worth a read. 

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/28/my-top-international-relations-books-for-individual-presidential-candidates/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-posteverything%3Ahomepage%2Fcard

More Transparency in Michigan Demanded. #leadership. #changemakers.

The current Flint water controversy has raised the issue of transparency in Michigan.  Michigan just recently received an "F" grade from a national transparency organization for the state's policies on transparencies.  The Governor's Office and the legislature in Michigan are exempt from Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act and their are now calls for the statutory elimination of those exemptions.  The time has come for a  discussion between the legislature, the Governor and Michigan citizens.  In todays world where information moves at lightening speed we should not have one of the most archaic open government systems in America.  Need a thorough discussion with taxpayers and public policy makers.  Find a reasonable and workable solution/alternative to the current total exemption in Michigan.

 http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2016/01/30/flint-crisis-spurs-calls-change-open-records-law/79566480/

DPS Deficit and DPS Performance. #edpolicy. #leadership.

This is an excellent review of the issues regarding the Detroit Public School financial and performance problems-- a real crisis for Detroit and for Michigan.  The article is written by Tom Watkins who is a former Michigan State Superintendent of Education and former Director of Michigan Department of Mental Health.  Tom is a very accomplished public administrator and a good friend and former colleague.  Worth a read.

 http://domemagazine.com/tomwatkins/tw011516

Trustee Training

As university governing bodies face greater demands by student bodies,  more challenging revenue losses due to cuts in state aid and declining enrollment and more scrutiny of President and administrator actions, the question is are the university trustees equipped to handle these issues.  Are they doing independent review of the issues or are they just rubber stamping the suggestions presented to them by administrators?  Are they equipped to understand the complexities of pubic sector budgeting and political issues versus the fiscal and operational issues in the private sector? What kind of training is being provided?  Is it being taken or avoided?  Should the training be mandatory versus voluntary.  This research view is an interesting review of these and many other issues.  Governing in the public square requires a different skill set and experiences than governing in the private sector. 

 

 http://www.publicagenda.org/files/ADifficultBalanceResearchBrief_PublicAgenda_2015.pdf