Notes in the Margins: Applications, female profs and British funding

Students continue trend of applying to more colleges The result is somewhat tougher competition and more uncertainty. And it has intensified the national debate about the ethics of colleges recruiting ever more applicants. (Los Angeles Times)

Women professors find gains at MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology has made significant strides in hiring, promoting, and supporting women scientists and engineers over the 12 years following a devastating faculty report that documented inequity on the campus and brought national attention to the problem, according to a new university study to be released today. (The Boston Globe)

Embarrassing Liaisons at British Universities A controversy over Libyan donations to the London School of Economics has shined a bright and not entirely welcome light on how British universities raise money. (The New York Times)

SAT Head Defends Reality-TV Question The fact that this essay prompt generated so much attention only reinforces the fact that the experts and scholars who develop the test succeeded in choosing an engaging, thought-provoking topic. (The Daily Beast)

Bill would partner state with online university At a time when Washington's higher-education budget is being slashed, some lawmakers believe a partnership with Western Governors University, a private, not-for-profit online school, could provide more access to college programs without costing the state any money. Critics say the legislation raises philosophical questions about just what constitutes a college education. (The Seattle Times via The Huffington Post)

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