Higher Education
e-Digest
Volume 2 / Issue 18
June 4 , 2014
In This Issue:
FROM FEDERAL PARTNERS

 

U.S. Department of Education Announces $75 Million First in the World Competition

 

To spur innovation in higher education aimed at helping more students access and complete a college degree or credential, the U.S. Department of Education announced the availability of $75 million in the First in the World (FITW) program. The grants will fund the development and testing of innovative approaches and strategies at colleges and universities that improve college attainment and make higher education more affordable for students and families. This grant has up to a $20M set aside for Minority Serving Institutions (MSI). Applications are due by June 30, 2014. Learn more about the grant competition here and here, or click here for the Federal Register announcement.

 

Making it Easier to Pick and Pay for College through Ratings

 
According to HomeRoom, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Education (May 21, 2014), President Obama charged the U.S. Department of Education to promote postsecondary access, increase affordability, and achieve meaningful outcomes by designing a college ratings system.  By increasing accountability for the federal investment in higher education and making better information available to consumers, the President hopes to achieve these goals. Learn more about the President's call to action. 
NEW RESOURCES
 

The Campus Pride Index

 

The Campus Pride Index, an LGBT-friendly campus climate index, is an important tool for assisting campuses in learning ways to improve their LGBT campus life and ultimately shape the educational experience to be more inclusive, welcoming, and respectful of LGBT students. There are currently more than 400 schools listed in the index and more campuses are joining each year. Campuses have until July 25, 2014 to update their profile.

 

Community Connect from Safe Communities America

 

Campuses and communities are natural partners for injury reduction structured around a community coalition model. Community Connect is a free e-newsletter from the Safe Communities America, a program of the National Safety Council, which offers strategies for campus and community injury reduction.  Highlights from the May 2014 issue include:

  • Kentucky Project Updates
  • Guidelines: Addressing Campus Sexual Assault
  • County Health Rankings 2014
  • Understanding Violence: online course
  • Funders as Community Partners webinar

 

Subscribe to the bi-monthly e-newsletter here.

 

A Wake-up Call: Enterprise Risk Management at Colleges and Universities Today

 

Findings from a recent survey, conducted by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) and United Educators (UE), indicate a modest increase in the use of risk assessment in high-level decision making regarding risk management over the past five years. They also show that boards and administrators are not yet substantially committed to this process, leaving the opportunity to implement an approach for assessing threats and seizing opportunities. Click here to read the executive summary, detailed overview of the findings, and best practices. 
IN THE NEWS
 
For more news clips, visit Stay Connected on the NCSSLE website!
RECENT RESEARCH

Veteran Ally: Practical Strategies for Closing the Military-Civilian Gap on Campus Osborne, N. (May 2014) Innovative Higher Education

 

Social Networks, Substance Use, and Mental Health in College Students

Mason, M., Zaharakis, N. & Benotsch, E.G. (May 2014) Journal of American College Health

 

African American Students, Retention, and Team-Based Learning: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Retention at Predominately White Institutions Hunn, V. (April 2014) Journal of Black Studies

 

Stebleton, M.J., Soria, K.M & Huesman, R.L. (April 2014) Journal of College Counseling 
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND WEBINARS
  

Webinars

 

The Power of Peer Groups and Posses in College Success

Wednesday, June 4, 2014, 2-3 PM EDT

 

The transition from high school to college can be daunting, academically, socially, and emotionally-and often especially so for students from minority groups who aren't well represented on many college campuses. The Posse Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in New York that gives scholarships to diverse groups of students with strong leadership skills and sends them to selective colleges in "posses" of 10. The idea is that the scholars can bond before they ever go to campus and then can provide support to one another throughout their college years. The approach seems to work: While typical college graduation rates hover around 57 percent, about 90 percent of Posse scholars finish in four years. Learn more and register for this Education Week webinar here. The webinar will also be archived and available on-demand shortly following the event.

 

Conferences

 

Learning Summit 2014

June 8-11, 2014, Chandler, AZ  

 

The Learning Summit is a working retreat for college teams to connect with colleagues and to share experiences, discuss issues, and explore strategies for overcoming obstacles and meeting challenges related to learning. Learn more about this conference.

 

Educational Policy Institute Education Week 2014

September 28-October 3, San Antonio, TX

 

The Educational Policy Institute's Education Week is designed for higher education leaders and practitioners interested in learning more about student retention and persistence issues, strategies, and solutions. This eighth annual International Conference focused on students, bringing together top researchers, policymakers, and professionals involved in student retention and success at secondary schools and postsecondary institutions. The symposium is sponsored in part by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the University of Texas San Antonio. Learn more about this conference.

 

EDUCAUSE 2014 Annual Conference

September 29-October 2, 2014, Orlando, FL and online

 

The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference is designed for higher education IT professionals. It provides content and exploration of today's toughest technology issues facing campuses around the world, and convenes some of the brightest minds in the community. Learn more about the conference.

 

From Mission to Action to Evidence: Empowering and Inclusive General Education Programs

February 19-21, 2015, Kansas City, MO

 

The conference focuses on how campuses are bringing principles of excellence in line with essential learning outcomes and high-impact educational practices to prepare all students for the global, multifaceted, and scientifically challenging context in which they will live and work. Sessions might describe models of integrative, cumulative, and campus community collaboration, as well as address policies and practices that support faculty innovation and leadership to strengthen students' abilities to integrate, transfer, and apply their knowledge to enhance the quality of their own lives and advance the common good. Learn more about this conference.  
About NCSSLE's Higher Education e-Digest

The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments Higher Education e-Digest addresses campus and community engagement, health, safety, and security. Regular contents include news from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and other federal partner agencies and organizations, salient research summaries, examples of effective field practices, announcements submitted by IHEs and other subscribers, and relevant upcoming events. The Higher Education e-Digest also highlights NCSSLE resources and the availability of ongoing services, including technical assistance, products, and tools. 

For More Information 
Visit http://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov

Engagement | Safety | Environment
The Center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students within the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is operated by the American Institutes for Research in collaboration with Child Trends; Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning; EMT Associates; the Silver Gate Group; and Vision Training Associates.
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