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From the issue dated July 18, 2008 |
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Short SubjectsKNOCKOUT POETRYIn Japan, a scholar of communications, in the hope of getting people to talk with one another, holds "boxing" competitions in which the blows are thrown verbally, in verse. THIS PROF GETS GOOD MILEAGE: Among the vehicles in Grand Theft Auto IV is a car called the Karin Dilettante, apparently named for a psychology professor who has been critical of video-game violence. DOG IS DEAD: Uga VI, the winningest in the University of Georgia's line of bulldog mascots, has been laid to rest in a marble vault. SOMETHING AFOOT: Police investigators in Canada have turned to academe for help in solving the mystery of five human feet, clad in running shoes, that have washed ashore in the past year. RAZING RUCKUS: A contractor who was clearing derelict properties for new development at Jackson State University accidentally demolished the wrong house, much to the surprise and chagrin of its owner. The FacultyA LINGERING INFECTIONFederal charges against a professor who uses bacteria in his artwork have been dismissed, but he and his colleagues warn that the episode may have a chilling effect on academic and aesthetic freedom. REPUTATIONS AT STAKETwo professors at New Mexico State University say baseless charges of plagiarism have been leveled at them by the university president in what has been a long-running battle. YOUR FIRST REAL TASTE OF ACADEMIC CULTURENo better preparation for the tenure track exists than a graduate assistantship; here's how to make the most of it. HOW NOT TO EVALUATE YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADGo ahead, submit a long, gossipy rant against your chairman, but prepare to be ignored. PEER REVIEW: A new academic officer grows in Brooklyn ... Texas Tech names a president ... A chancellor plans a homecoming to Chicago. Research & BooksTHE MACHINE AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSEIf all goes as planned, physicists in Switzerland will soon start up the Large Hadron Collider, a $10-billion particle-smashing project that carries the hopes of a generation of scientists. A LINGERING INFECTIONFederal charges against a professor who uses bacteria in his artwork have been dismissed, but he and his colleagues warn that the episode may have a chilling effect on academic and aesthetic freedom. Information TechnologySPINNING A NEW WEBA nationwide effort to redesign the Internet will now involve economists and social scientists in hopes of designing a more adaptable network. GASLESS CLASSESHigh prices at the pump may be driving an increase in online enrollments. LINKED IN WITH: Wayne Brown, on the role of college CIO's. THIS PROF GETS GOOD MILEAGE: Among the vehicles in Grand Theft Auto IV is a car called the Karin Dilettante, apparently named for a psychology professor who has been critical of video-game violence. Money & ManagementA NEW ERA IN DEVELOPMENTAs government support wanes and ambitions soar, colleges expand their fund-raising staffs, with no end in sight. ALL-OUT FOR FUND RAISERSTo attract and hang on to good ones, the University of California at Irvine goes to considerable lengths. GIMME SHELTERFirst-time buyers benefit from the fall of house prices, but senior faculty members and administrators have homes to sell before they move, and that complicates colleges' recruitment efforts. REPUTATIONS AT STAKETwo professors at New Mexico State University say baseless charges of plagiarism have been leveled at them by the university president in what has been a long-running battle. FROM PROFESSOR TO PRESIDENTTo get the leaders they need, colleges must help academics develop leadership skills, says the chancellor of the University System of Georgia. REQUIREMENTS INCREASED: Kean University plans additional office hours for professors and more class meetings per course in an attempt to deal with budget cuts by raising its enrollment. NEWS ANALYSIS: Colleges should be thinking about how they will cope in an oil-deprived future. FINANCIAL WARNING: A new report by Moody's Investors Service sets a cautious tone for private colleges in 2008 and 2009. THE TALLY OF DESTRUCTION: The University of Iowa estimates that it suffered $232-million in damages during recent flooding. MOVING FORWARD: West Virginia University selects an eager veteran as its interim president. PEER REVIEW: A new academic officer grows in Brooklyn ... Texas Tech names a president ... A chancellor plans a homecoming to Chicago. Government & PoliticsFEWERLOANSFORYOU.COMWeb sites that compare student loans for prospective borrowers scramble to adapt to the changing credit market. BALLOT BOUND: Organizations in three states say they have enough signatures to require a vote in November on measures that would limit affirmative action. CHARGE IT: An audit has turned up misuse of government-issued credit cards by employees of the Department of Education. StudentsA KEY TO THE INSIDE TRACKMore and more colleges are offering students stipends so they can afford to take unpaid internships. GASLESS CLASSESHigh prices at the pump may be driving an increase in online enrollments. FEWERLOANSFORYOU.COMWeb sites that compare student loans for prospective borrowers scramble to adapt to the changing credit market. AthleticsDOG IS DEAD: Uga VI, the winningest in the University of Georgia's line of bulldog mascots, has been laid to rest in a marble vault. InternationalIN AFRICA, FOR THE LONG TERMGroups of American colleges and foundations strive to create lasting partnerships with universities in African countries. KNOCKOUT POETRYIn Japan, a scholar of communications, in the hope of getting people to talk with one another, holds "boxing" competitions in which the blows are thrown verbally, in verse. ONE-WAY TRAFFIC: The U.S. ambassador to India has criticized what he sees as a trade imbalance in higher education between the two countries. CommentaryWORDS OF WISDOMOn being imaginative, resilient, and a good ancestor: excerpts from this year's graduation speeches. FROM PROFESSOR TO PRESIDENTTo get the leaders they need, colleges must help academics develop leadership skills, says the chancellor of the University System of Georgia. WHOSE SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE? The process of grading the SAT's essay portion is so demonstrably subjective that the results are useless, writes Leonard Mlodinow. Special Supplement: The Academic WorkplaceA MIDLIFE CRISIS HITS CAMPUSESCollege workers in midcareer are most likely to express negative feelings about their jobs, The Chronicle's first extensive survey of college workplaces has found. SUCCESS STORIESThe practices and policies that help make some colleges great places to work. IT'S ALL IN THE ATMOSPHERECollege employees say their work environment is the thing they value most about their jobs. WHEN GENERATIONS COLLIDEWhen four distinct age groups meet in one academic workplace, cultural clashes are inevitable. THE PERKS OF COLLEGE LIFEBenefits in higher education are under scrutiny, but most employees still do better than workers at private companies. FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIESAllowing faculty members to stop the tenure clock has become a popular benefit, a new survey shows. WORK BY THE NUMBERSIt looks like an algebraic formula, but a workload policy at Boise State University gives professors remarkable flexibility in their teaching, research, and service. SCALING BACKMore colleges are offering professors a part-time option. A HEALTHY STRATEGYProfessors and staff members are well-advised to take great care when planning for medical expenses during retirement. GIVING BIRTH TO A GOOD POLICYThe need to help faculty members balance family life with career issues is inarguable. Joseph Untener offers a guide to creating one of the most important such policies: for maternity leave. THE JOB-MARKET FUN HOUSEAcademics in search of tenure-track positions should consider all offers -- but also know their own limits, writes Laura S. Malisheski. Letters to the EditorChronicle CareersYOUR FIRST REAL TASTE OF ACADEMIC CULTURENo better preparation for the tenure track exists than a graduate assistantship; here's how to make the most of it. HOW NOT TO EVALUATE YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADGo ahead, submit a long, gossipy rant against your chairman, but prepare to be ignored. VISIONS AND REVISIONIs it better to revise your first draft, or junk it and start over? DETAILS OF AVAILABLE POSTS, including teaching and research positions in higher education, administrative and executive jobs, and openings outside academe |