WITH A SLEW OF CHARGES that struck at the integrity of one of the key ladders to success, US Attorney Andrew Lelling on Tuesday attempted to break up a college admissions scam fueled by millions of dollars in bribes paid by wealthy, well-connected individuals from the worlds of business and entertainment. Dozens of people across […]
Higher Education and Adult Learning
Posted inEducation
Meehan cites looming demographic crisis
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS President Marty Meehan laid out a plan on Monday to create a new “online college” for adult students that he said could become the system’s bulwark against increasing financial pressures on college campuses caused by competition for fewer college-aged students. Meehan, in his annual speech to state leaders […]
Posted inOpinion
UMass Bayside deal is about a lot more than money
IT’S RARE FOR THOSE OF US in public life to have the opportunity to make a profound and lasting difference for the people we serve. That’s why we are so excited about the transformation just around the corner for UMass Boston as a consequence of the Bayside lease. Much has been made of the extraordinary […]
Posted inEducation
UMass Boston scores big revenue gain with Bayside lease
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS on Thursday tapped Boston-based Accordia Partners to develop the former Bayside Expo Center site, agreeing to a deal that university officials said could generate a transformational $235 million in revenue for its Boston campus. The university bought the 20-acre property adjacent to UMass Boston in 2010 for […]
Posted inEducation
Protesters say parking strike effective
THEY WERE OUT HOLDING SIGNS reading, “Monopoly, UMass Boston Edition,” and “You’re Driving Us Out.” The students, faculty, and staff of UMass Boston spent Wednesday outside the new on-campus West Garage urging drivers to boycott parking there for a day. The “parking strike,” where protesters flagged down drivers, explained their concerns, and urged them to […]
Posted inEducation
Parking ‘strike’ called at UMass Boston
STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY at UMass Boston say they plan to hold a “parking strike” on Wednesday, urging people not to park at campus garages and lots where charges have increased from $6 to $15 a day. “Our administration talks about their commitment to urban mission, but I can’t see it on a $15-a-day parking […]
Posted inOpinion
A blueprint for building affordable dorms
HAVING RECENTLY PARTNERED with the University of Massachusetts Boston to plan, develop, and build the first residence hall in the history of the campus, I understand the concerns around the affordability of student housing, and recognize that in a city where the average rent is over $2,100 per month there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to […]
Posted inOpinion
The college bubble is starting to burst
This op-ed has been updated with a revision to the initial reference to Hampshire College. THE FOURTH SHOE has dropped. Hampshire College just joined Wheelock, Mt. Ida, and Newbury College in throwing in the towel, with the school’s announcement that it is seeking a long-term partners to keep it afloat financially and may choose to […]
Posted inOpinion
The sorority defense doesn’t stand up
SEVERAL CURRENT and former Harvard sororities and fraternities recently sued Harvard in both state and federal courts, citing gender discrimination that violates Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the US Constitution. The sheer irony of this move is laughable. In 2016, Harvard’s then-president Drew Faust banned students in sororities, fraternities, and final […]
Posted inOpinion
Public higher ed isn’t really that public any more
THE BOSTON FOUNDATION and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation recently released a new report, Grade Incomplete: Implementation of the Community College Funding Formula in Massachusetts. The report examines the “performance-based funding” formula developed in 2012 as a tool for allocating state resources to Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges based not only on “inputs” like the number of students […]