Notes in the Margins: Fires, pop culture and racial identity

What Happens to For-Profit Colleges Without George Miller in Congress? He’s been particularly interesting, for this publication, due to his role on the Education and Labor Committee and his role in curtailing abuses in the for-profit college industry. He wasn’t huge champion of the issue, but he played an important policy role. (Washington Monthly)

Educators use pop culture, interactivity to engage students in online courses The issue of student engagement has begun to loom particularly large in the growing field of massive open online courses (MOOCs), classes designed to reach hundreds — or even thousands — of college students. (USA Today)

Yale Students Tangle With University Over Website The shutdown of a course comparison website built by two students turned into something of a free speech cause. (The New York Times)

‘Dear White People’ uses fictional Ivy to take on collegiate racial identity Premiering at Sundance, 'Dear White People' tackles racial identity at predominantly white universities. (USA Today)

Legislation aims to prevent college fire deaths  The act would require colleges and universities to notify students about what kind of fire-safety systems are in their college-owned dorm rooms or apartments and notify them again when they move in. Additionally, the bill would require the U.S. Department of Education to aggregate data on the number and percentage of campus beds with fire sprinklers, using existing annual submissions to the department. (Newsday via University Business)

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