A new degree program could grant students across the Utah System of Higher Education a bachelor's degree in just three years.
Geoffrey Landward, commissioner of higher education with the Utah System of Higher Education, recently approved a new degree category called the Bachelor of Applied Studies. It would have a minimum of 90 credits for students to complete which would differ from the current standard of 120 credits.
"That saves a student a full-year of tuition, but it also puts them in the workforce a full year earlier. So that is a double benefit. They're saving money on the degree side, but they're also earning more money now that they have a degree and they're in the workforce," he said.
Landward added areas of study within the new category would be limited and tied to specific industry needs and occupations, but would also require national accreditation and need approval by the state's board of higher ed before being made available. He said that Southern Utah University already has a three-year degree program which lets students complete three semesters of school per year, rather than completing the traditional two.
Landward said they've asked schools across the state to think about what industries they would like to see more degrees in and adds that this provides institutions with a creative opportunity to work with industry partners to ensure students who potentially could earn three-year degrees are valued and what Landward calls "hire-able."
To make this happen, Landward said they'll be identifying what he terms "core competencies," while scrutinizing elective requirements.
"Do we really need all of these electives? And if not for this particular occupation, can we streamline that degree? And it may not be just three years, it may be three and a half years for example. We're not set on just one number, but the idea is let's see if we can finish this degree in under four years," he explained.
He said there will likely be challenges, and though these programs aren't available yet, he added he's excited for what this could mean for students accessing higher education in the Beehive State.
get more stories like this via email
State data first reported by EdSource show that fraudsters have stolen more than $7.5 million in student financial aid from California community colleges so far this year.
The theft amounts to less than one-tenth of 1% of student aid awarded in the Golden State.
Victor DeVore, dean of student services with the San Diego Community College District, said they use technology to flag suspicious applicants, and require them to submit proof of identity and residency, but it's still a game of cat and mouse.
"Last year, we had about 10,000 fraudulent applications that we blocked," said DeVore. "But even with that, every time we have some kind of metric or filter, the fraudsters are able to get through that."
The California Community College Chancellor's office says about 25% of applications are flagged as suspected fraud, up from 20% two years ago - as both fraud and its detection get more sophisticated.
The problem got worse during COVID as so many classes went online, making it difficult to require students to get financial aid checks in person.
The financial fraud means less money goes to students in need.
But Nicole Albo-Lopez, vice chancellor of educational programs and institutional effectiveness with the Los Angeles Community College District, said the enrollment fraud that goes with it has real consequences.
"The biggest frustration is when our classes are being filled by individuals that have no intention of actually attending the class," said Albo-Lopez, "keeping students from completing their educational goals within a preferred time frame, because they'll have to wait a semester or two to be able to take that class."
Many schools now require students to meet via zoom with staff trained to detect fraud - and they drop students who haven't verified their identity a few weeks before classes start.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
get more stories like this via email
Educators across the state are watching the University of North Texas, as the school denies it overstepped the parameters of Senate Bill 17.
The legislation went into effect in January and forbids public colleges and universities from having Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices and programs.
The accusations were made after UNT faculty members realized the university changed course titles and class descriptions.
Brian Evans, Ph.D, president of the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors - said they first noticed the changes in May.
"You had about a couple of hundred of fall course syllabi that the UNT administration required instructors to scrub words like class, equity, and race," said Evans. "And then more recently - in October - the UNT administration censored over 200 courses in a similar way."
During a faculty senate meeting, UNT Provost Michael McPherson said the changes were not related to SB 17, but were an exercise to bring the College of Education into alignment with standardized testing.
Evans' organization, along with two other education groups, sent letters of concern to the university. He added that UNT administrators crossed a huge red line when they unilaterally censored course content.
"It appears that the UNT administration is doing the opposite of what Senate Bill 17 is saying," said Evans. "Senate Bill 17 was not about curriculum. Senate Bill 17 was about employment practices."
The groups want university administrators to reverse what they call the "scrubbing" of curriculum, stop censoring the professors work, and involve educators in any future changes to course work.
get more stories like this via email
Maine's College of the Atlantic has once again topped the Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges.
The Bar Harbor-based school has been recognized as the nation's "greenest" nine years in a row, based on student surveys regarding administration, student support and conservation efforts.
Rob Levin, dean of communications for the college, said the school's location between Acadia National Park and Frenchman Bay draws students looking to channel their environmental passions.
"Sustainability is really at the heart of this pedagogy," Levin explained. "It underlies so much of what we do here at COA and why students choose to come here."
Levin pointed out the school is reducing its carbon footprint with construction of a new dormitory and academic center, both built with sustainable materials. College of the Atlantic was the first school in the U.S. to achieve carbon-neutrality in 2007 and is working to be completely fossil fuel free by 2030.
The school's system of inclusive governance was also a factor in the school's top "green" ranking. The population of 360 full-time students are highly involved in campus policymaking, as well as day-to-day campus operations.
Levin noted students have laid insulation in at least 10 campus buildings and worked on alternative heating and cooling systems, which has already led to a 50% reduction in fossil fuel use over the past three years.
"Engaging students in a real way in campus decision-making can create a very productive channel for institutional change while also providing meaningful, valuable educational experiences," Levin emphasized.
Levin stressed students have been crucial in school initiatives to use nontoxic cleaning products, boost recycling and composting programs and phase out single-use plastic. All undergraduate students receive a self-designed degree in human ecology, which focuses on the connection between humans and their environment.
get more stories like this via email