Quick Takes
June 1, 2010
Lambuth Will Remain Nonprofit, but Investors Will Pay Bills
On Friday, just a week after announcing it would be sold to private investors, Lambuth University announced it would not be sold and would retain its nonprofit status. Bill Seymour, the president, said in an interview that negotiations with the investors led both sides to think that the university would be best served by keeping its nonprofit status, but working with the investors, whom he declined to name. Lambuth had been rushing to send its accreditor -- the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which has placed the university on probabation -- a proposal to approve an ownership change. Seymour said that, at the last minute, the university decided not to file, and that it will instead seek approval to add new online courses that will be offered in a yet-to-be-determined partnership with the investors. Lambuth is so low on cash that it didn't make payroll in May, but Seymour said that the investors would do so, and would provide money to keep the university running until the new online programs start. He said existing programs would also continue. Asked if the funds being provided by the investors were a donation, he declined to characterize them in any way.
Belle S. Wheelan, president of the SACS Commission on Colleges, said that the organization would review whatever proposal Lambuth makes. Asked about whether issues were raised by investors keeping the institution running without a change in ownership, she said that nonprofit colleges can receive gifts or loans from outside groups. But she added that "if you are paying the bills, you may own the place."
New Scrutiny for Brown's Handling of Rape Allegation
An Associated Press article provides an in-depth look at the accusation that Brown University unfairly pushed out a student accused of stalking and then rape by a student who is the daughter of an active alumnus. The article examines accusations that Brown either was too quick the judge the accused or -- if it took the charges seriously -- not to refer the matter to judicial authorities. The accused is suing Brown over an agreement he says he signed under pressure that led to the end of his studying there -- just weeks after he arrived.
Congressman Attacks College's Scholarship for Undocumented Student
Santa Ana College's foundation recently announced a new scholarship for students at the California community college who cannot document a legal right to be in the United States. The scholarship honors Tan Ngoc Tran, a former student who has been active in the campaign to help such students get a college education and who was killed by a drunk driver last month. The Orange County Register reported that Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican, has written the college, urging it to abandon the scholarship. "Channeling our scarce resources to illegal immigrants, even if they are students, is unforgivable at a time when so many of our citizens and legal residents are struggling to meet their own education needs," he wrote.
Internships Viewed as Vital and Market Is Improving
A national survey of college and university career centers has found near-unanimous agreement among officials that students who have had internships are at a significant advantage when they look for jobs. The survey, by Internships.com -- a Web site that lists internships -- also found some encouraging news for those seeking internships, in that two-thirds of career centers reported that they received more internship postings this year than last year. Many of those in the survey viewed as unrealistic new federal limits on unpaid internships. Many career center leaders view those positions as providing key opportunities -- even without cash -- for their students.
Eroding Student Empathy
College students today are not as empathetic as college students were in the 1980s and 1990s, according toan analysis by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. The study -- based on an analysis of student surveys over a 30-year period -- was presented last week at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science. Students were categorized based on how the responded to statements such as "I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things look from their perspective" or "I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me."
