Education News

MPR News keeps track of the latest education news in Minnesota so you can understand the events shaping the future of learning and how it impacts students at any level.

Stay informed about local education events, policies and more happening in schools and colleges across Minnesota.

Emilie Thiessen, news editor of Saint Cloud State University’s student paper, the University Chronicle, argues that the “banded tuition” policy at some state schools — which charges part-time students more per-credit than it does full-timers — inadvertently punishes those students who can’t finish in four years (or aren’t ready to): … We would be encouraged…
How a Republican and a Democrat view the dire higher-ed scenarios
So what do legislators think of state higher-education officials’ use of dire-but-impossible budget-cut scenarios that show what it would be like if sacrifices were made in just one area — such as faculty layoffs, school closures or double-digit tuition increases? I’ve received split reactions from two House higher-ed committee members — both educators — one…
Tommies review new confession app for smartphones
“Many people thought this was a way to substitute for the human experience and it’s not. No diocese has ever given any serious thought that this would substitute for the experience.” The Rev. John Malone, vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, on the $1.99 “Confession: A Roman Catholic App” for smartphones, which…
Pulling the plug — A perfect storm is brewing that could change higher education Nevada is considering closing down five of its nine higher education institutions because of budget shortfalls this legislative term. And in California, at least three universities are considering going private because of the state’s lack of funding. In Connecticut, Montana and…
Would a University of Wisconsin split drive up tuition?
“My fear is that this potentially moves UW-Madison toward becoming a higher tuition model that would exclude those very students who have been able to attend UW-Madison from the past.” University of Wisconsin Regent John Drew during discussions today on a proposal to separate the University of Wisconsin – Madison from the rest of the…
Video: Carleton student photographs year of beard growth
Carleton student Corey Fauver filmed himself growing — and coloring and cultivating — his beard for a year. It’s stop motion, so you can see it slowly evolve, but later on in the video he plays around with it in some interesting ways. Got this from City Pages, which says his video took second place…
With legislators pressing them for budget-cut scenarios this week, officials from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) have been using an interesting (and familiar) tactic that injects a little drama — necessarily or unnecessarily? — into the proceedings . So what are they doing? When explaining how a 15-20-percent…
After I posted about the book Why Does College Cost So Much? yesterday, I got a note from Rand Park, director of corporate relations for the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He pointed me to a 2003 article from The New Yorker. It focuses on a phenomenon, mentioned in the book, that is…
Donna Shalala: UW-Madison needs new business model We are at a crossroads in 2011 with regard to UW-Madison and the University of Wisconsin System. It’s always uncomfortable to argue that the System’s flagship institution deserves special treatment. It’s not an argument that says UW-Madison is better; rather, it’s an argument that UW-Madison is different. (Wisconsin…
House higher-ed legislators press MnSCU officials
Legislators got a little animated during the House higher-ed committee’s meeting this afternoon. Several pressed Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) officials on several budget-related issues. Here are the highlights — and what got them going: Enrollment. Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona) warned MnSCU) system CFO Laura King that enrollment increases caused by people seeking more…