The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education has released a number of recommendations to improve transfer rates among disadvantaged students attending community colleges in Texas. Through these recommendations, the Institute urges all institutions to challenge existing practices that deter the possibility of achieving structured academic pathways, student-centered cultures and culturally sensitive leadership.

Below is a list of additional recommendations outlined by the Pell Institute. Although the study’s research group focused on community colleges in Texas – these guidelines can be applied to institutions around the country.

The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) is co-located at the University of Illinois and Indian University. It was created to help institutions of higher education discover and adopt practical practices in student assessment. Last week, NILOA issued two brand new research papers on assessing higher education learning outcomes.

Over the years the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested billions of dollars into improving this country’s education system. Last week the Foundation announced an additional investment of $12.9 million in the form of technology grants, to expand the scope and effectiveness of learning in America’s community colleges. 

Infusing technology with curriculum is not a new concept, however in the past these new resources have only been used as an “add on” to the traditional curriculum. The goal of this grant program will be to strengthen the system through improved teaching and learning, more flexible and engaging delivery options and increased data transparency.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the University of Alabama $300,000 to expand their successful textbook rental program. Alabama is one of 30 institutions in the country to receive funding through the College Course Materials Rental Initiative Program. The goal of the program is to find new and innovative ways to reduce the rising costs of college textbooks.

The rental program at Alabama started as a pilot that involved just three courses and has since expanded due to the help from this grant. Other programs aimed at lowering the costs of textbooks at Alabama include binder-ready textbooks, digital books and paperback books. The grant will cover 42 percent of the cost of the textbook rental program; the remainder of the funding will come from the Supply Store at Alabama.

To read more about this grant and others like it at the U.S. Department of Education’s website, click here.
 

The Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC), in Missouri, announced on Monday the creation of a new scholarship fund. Ozarks is partnering with the Musgrave Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks to help fund this program. The program, entitled, the Fallen Soldiers Project will pay tuition, fees and books, not covered by the VA, for spouses and children of soldiers killed on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.