If Kent State Beats Goals, Professors Will Profit (Chronicle of Higher Education - Washington, D.C.)
Kent State University is trying a new and unusual tactic to improve its status, retention rate, and fund raising—paying cash bonuses to faculty members if the university exceeds its goals in those areas. The bonuses are built into a contract, approved last month, that covers 864 full-time, tenure-track faculty members who teach and do research on the university's eight campuses. Proposed by Lester A. Lefton, Kent State's president, the "success bonus pool" will be divided among faculty members if the Ohio institution improves retention rates for first-year students and increases the research dollars it generates and the private money raised through its foundation. College presidents seek to re-examine drinking age (Plain Dealer - Cleveland, OH)
Two Ohio college presidents are among dozens nationwide who are asking lawmakers to consider whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from 21. Mothers Against Drunk Driving was sharply critical of the proposal, according to the Associated Press, claiming that lowering the drinking age would lead to more fatal traffic accidents and could compromise campus safety. Known as the Amethyst Initiative, the group of about 100 college presidents includes the leaders of institutions such as Colgate, Dartmouth, Duke, Morehouse, Mount Holyoke, Pomona, Smith, Syracuse, Tufts and Whittier. Lester Lefton, president of Kent State University, said through a spokesman that he did not sign on to the initiative because he thinks the drinking age is a policy issue best left to lawmakers.Last-minute options can lessen college aid panic (The Star Press - Muncie, IN)
Crunching the numbers on college costs has been a particularly grim task for parents of incoming freshmen this year. The weak economy has strained their cash resources and the nationwide mortgage crisis has made many unwilling or unable to tap home equity. On top of that, dozens of lenders have stopped issuing federally guaranteed loans because of the credit market turmoil. Lester Lefton, president of Kent State University and also a psychologist, strongly advocates doing whatever it takes to get a college education and a degree from the highest-quality institution affordable. But he says people have to think realistically about the debt load and the time it will take to pay it. Also Ran In - Some last-minute college financial aid available (Leader Telegram - Eau Claire, WI)
- Options can ease college-aid panic (Charleston Post Courier - Charleston, SC)
- Last-minute options for college aid available (PhillyBurb.com - Philadelphia, PA)
- Last-minute options can lessen college aid panic (Lower Hudson Journal News - White Plains, NY)
- Last-minute options can still give students loans, lessen college-aid panic (Lubbock Online.com - TX)
- Financial aid can still be found (Connecticut Post - Bridgeport, CT)
- Eleventh-hour efforts could pay off in college aid search (Austin American Statesman - Austin, TX)
- College aid available late in the game (Dispatch - Columbus, OH)
- Don't let college cost numbers crunch you (The Salinas Californian - CA)
- Students can find aid, even at last minute (Seattle Times - Seattle, WA)
NEOUCOM to add CSU, get new board Gov. Strickland approves changes to medical school (Record Courier - Ravenna, OH)Gov. Ted Strickland will appoint a new Board of Trustees to lead the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, following the signing of House Bill 562 by Strickland, Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut and the Ohio General Assembly.The final report of the Northeast Ohio Universities Collaboration & Innovation Study Commission, including all 18 recommendations, was unanimously approved by the Commission's members. Commission members included: Dr. Michael Schwartz, President, Cleveland State University; Dr. Lester Lefton, President, Kent State University; Dr. Lois Margaret Nora, President, Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy; Dr. Luis M. Proenza, President, The University of Akron; Dr. David C. Sweet, President, Youngstown State University; board members from each institution, and other higher education, non-profit and corporate leaders in Northeast Ohio.Boomerang Kids
A common trend in today's society is boomerang kids. These are young adults graduating college and not moving on - or out of mom and dad's! Experimental Psychologist and President of Kent State University Dr. Lester Lefton helps to understand why kids are returning to the nest - and how to help them fly away.
Also Ran In Last week, as part of an academic conference, I participated in a panel discussion about campus safety with several other college presidents, including Virginia Tech President Charles Steger. As we talked about the need for all campuses to plan for emergencies, we nonetheless assumed that the kind of violence that shattered the Virginia Tech community 10 months ago would remain relatively rare and random.
Also Ran InOp-Ed: In a Global Race, Higher Ed Remains Vital Cog
Our world is indeed flat, and changing at an unprecedented pace — faster than most Americans realize. One of the most profound of these changes has been the advent of a truly global economy — an economy comprising millions of businesses and perhaps more than a trillion devices, all linked through the web. Also Ran In WCPN Radio Interview: Americans View Rebates With Mixed Emotions
Survey after survey finds most Americans say they will save their government tax rebate, or use it to pay down debt. Only a minority of Americans say they plan to go out and spend it on non-essentials, like a flat screen TV. One noted psychologist has been watching with curiosity how people are handling this money. ideastream®'s Eric Wellman spoke with Kent State University President Lester Lefton about rebate psychology. Back to President's Page
|
