The Ticker

United Arab Emirates U. May Cut Jobs to Spend More on Research

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 13:55:12 -0500

United Arab Emirates University, which announced plans last year to offer Ph.D. programs as part of its effort to become a leading international research institution, is considering eliminating about 200 staff jobs so it can put more money into research, according to The National, an English-language newspaper

Judge Allows Licensing Lawsuit Against NCAA to Proceed

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 13:00:33 -0500

A federal district judge in San Francisco has denied the NCAA's motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit filed last July on behalf of former college athletes who believe they should be compensated for the use of their images and likenesses in videos and memorabilia. The ruling opens the door for lawyers to scrutinize the NCAA's licensing deals, estimated at more than $4-billion. The judge denied some claims made by the only named plaintiff in the case, Ed O'Bannon, a former basketball star at

Students Arrested at UC-Irvine After Protest of Israeli Ambassador's Speech

Tue, 9 Feb 2010 07:46:00 -0500

A dozen people were arrested at the University of California at Irvine on Monday evening for disrupting a lecture by the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, according to a blog run by The Orange County Register, which also has photographs and video of the event. Mr. Oren was interrupted repeatedly by shouts from protesters irate over Israel's treatment of

Professor's Alleged Religious and Anti-Gay Remarks Draw Letter From ACLU

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 20:53:47 -0500

In response to student complaints that a health-science professor at Fresno City College makes overtly religious and anti-gay statements in his lectures, the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the college today demanding that it ensure that all its health-science classes teach

Canada Cuts Off Federal Funds for Its Only Aboriginal-Run University

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:09:33 -0500

The Canadian government is halting the transfer of federal funds to the troubled First Nations University, citing concerns over finances and longstanding governance issues, according to a statement issued by Chuck Strahl, minister of Indian and Northern Affairs. The

Appeals Court Reinstates Title IX Wrestling Case Against UC-Davis

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:58:06 -0500

A federal appeals court today reinstated a gender-discrimination lawsuit filed by three female wrestlers against the University of California at Davis, the Associated Press reported. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said the university had appeared to violate Title IX, a key

Rep. John Murtha, Powerful Lawmaker Adept at Steering Earmarks to Home State, Dies

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 15:31:52 -0500

Rep. John P. Murtha, a powerful Pennsylvania congressman renowned for his prowess in bringing home pork-barrel spending to his district, has died from complications of gallbladder surgery, according to news reports. Mr. Murtha, a Democrat, was chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees military spending. Among the money he has steered to projects in his home

Florida State U. Accepts NCAA Penalties in Wide-Ranging Cheating Scandal

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 14:39:00 -0500

After fighting for nearly a year against NCAA penalties, Florida State University announced on Sunday that it would vacate wins and other records for its football and nine other teams from the 2006 and 2007 seasons, when the NCAA said 61 athletes benefited from an academic-fraud scheme. According to a report by the McClatchy

California Community-College Students May Take Online Kaplan Courses for Credit

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 14:17:08 -0500

Community-college students California will be able to fulfill some of their associate-degree requirements by taking single online courses from Kaplan University under an agreement announced today. Local community colleges will determine which online Kaplan courses meet their requirements. The state's

Foreign Ph.D. Recipients in Science Stay in U.S. at Near-Record Levels

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 13:48:00 -0500

Despite the alarms being raised about brain drain, the percentage of foreign students who receive doctorates in science and engineering in the United States and who choose to stay in the country after graduation has climbed in recent years, according to a study by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the National Science Foundation. Using tax records, the study found 67 percent of

Colleges Open Food Banks to Help Struggling Students

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:48:00 -0500

Several colleges, including Michigan State and Oregon State Universities, have opened food banks on or near their campuses to help students who are struggling to pay tuition and living expenses. Rachael DeWitt, a graduate student who runs the food pantry at Grand Valley State University, said more than 200 students have received help from the pantry since it opened, in April, according to the Detroit Free

Big Salaries and Lax Governance at Kansas City Osteopathic University

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:07:00 -0500

The Kansas City Star has published a detailed investigation of relaxed financial controls at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. Karen L. Pletz, the university's president, had her compensation increase from $261,000 in 1999 to nearly $1.2-million before she was fired, in December. The newspaper also describes large pay packages for other ousted officials at the small university, instances of nepotism,

Australian Student Is Arrested by Israeli Security Forces

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:36:00 -0500

An Australian student at Birzeit University has been released on bail pending an appeal to Israel's High Court after she and a flatmate were arrested early Sunday morning by Israeli troops on a raid into the Palestinian-controlled territory where they lived, according to the Ma'an News Agency. Bridgette Chappell, a campaigner against Israel's security barrier, was threatened with deportation after the Israeli troops said

Summit of Community-College Trustees Is Snowed Out

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 21:05:00 -0500

As the Middle Atlantic states continued digging out on Sunday from a massive winter storm that blanketed the region with snow, campuses began deciding whether to open or remain closed on Monday, and at least one major meeting was called off: The Association of Community College Trustees, which was to have held its National Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., Monday through Wednesday, was rescheduled, probably for March.

Britain Toughens Student Visa Rules

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 19:58:48 -0500

The British government has introduced stringent new student visa rules, effective immediately, the BBC and The Guardian reported. The new measures will require students to demonstrate above-beginner-level proficiency in English and will bar those studying for less than six months from bringing dependents with them. A new register