Notes in the Margins: Languages, pay disparities and grad rates

MATC officials downplay difference in pay for teaching the same courses Some full-time faculty at Madison Area Technical College earned almost twice as much as part-time faculty for teaching the same course. The issue of part-time faculty pay has been controversial at the college, as leaders of the Part-Time Teachers' Union charge there's too wide a gap in pay between full- and part-time teachers. (Wisconsin State Journal)

Chinese, Japanese Language Education Grows French and Spanish used to be the only foreign languages offered in high school. While most students are still taking one of those two, languages like Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic are increasingly being offered in high schools, according to a recently released survey by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (U.S. News & World Report)

Tennessee ties funding to grad rates The state of Tennessee gave colleges their marching orders: Raise your graduation rates, or else. If graduation rates decline, so does state support for that institution. So state colleges and universities are getting creative in their efforts to make sure the students they enroll leave with diplomas in hand. (The Tennessean via The Quick & the Ed)

Arizona Universities Face Tuition Hikes Of Up To 22% A state board is considering whether to hike the tuition of Arizona university students to record levels, increases that are well above the national average for tuition increases. (Associated Press via The Huffington Post)

Penn State To Cut Top-Ranked MFA Program Pennsylvania State University is preparing to cut a graduate program ranked in the Top 5 in the world in its field. (The Huffington Post)

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