Notes in the Margins: Tolkien, Muslims and the beloved Internet

Tens of thousands of veterans still waiting for GI Bill money The Department of Veterans Affairs is blaming bad weather for a paperwork backlog that's left tens of thousands of college students without their February GI Bill money, and it says some may not see their payments for another week or so. (The Virginian-Pilot)

'Tolkien Professor' brings Middle-earth to iTunes Traditional public scholars - Umberto Eco, Noam Chomsky, Stephen Jay Gould - spoke mainly through books, magazines and op-ed pieces. Today's populist profs tap potent new platforms: blogs and podcasts, tweets and Facebook fan pages. (The Washington Post)

Charges Against Muslim Students Prompt Debate Over Free Speech Charges filed against 11 protesters at the University of California, Irvine, prompted a feisty argument about the role of free speech on a college campus. (The New York Times)

Reform for Student Health Plans Student health plans provided through colleges and universities would be subject to most of the same provisions that President Obama’s health care reform laid on all other insurers, under a proposed regulation announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday. (Inside Higher Ed)

Community College Students Value Internet Access Above All Else: Survey Is the internet more valuable to community college students than professors? More than 70 percent of community college students believe that "high-speed internet access is important for success in community college," according to the findings of a recently released survey. (The Huffington Post)

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.