College President James Wright will throw the first pitch when the Boston Red Sox face the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on June 6, according to a College press release. The Red Sox are honoring Wright, an avid sports fan, for his 40 years of service at the College and his leadership in assisting military veterans attend institutions of higher learning, the release said. Wright served three years in the U.S. Marines before attending college. He began visiting wounded veterans in 2005 and worked with Congress to make college more accessible for former members of the armed forces, according to the release. "The Red Sox are a remarkable institution, and I admire their rich history, excellence on and off the field, and the commitment of their fans," Wright said in the release. "This will be a memorable honor."
Colleges and universities nationwide are working to attract donors by stressing students' increasing need for financial aid, according to The New York Times. As a result, some institutions are focusing their fundraising efforts on immediate needs like financial aid, instead of long-term projects like new facilities, The Times reported. Chapman University in Orange, Calif., has shown potential donors letters from students about their need for financial aid and stressed the issue in its annual phone-a-thon, according to The Times. Chapman's strategy helped it raise $2.1 million at a gala that aimed to raise $2 million, but giving has recently slowed, The Times reported.
The number of liberal arts colleges in the United States is decreasing as many become institutions primarily for professional degrees, according to a study by researchers at Albion College and Michigan State University. The study re-investigated the findings of a 1990 paper written on the topic by education economist David Breneman. It found that the number of liberal arts colleges has continued to decrease since 1990. Of the 212 colleges included in Breneman's analysis, only 64 percent can still be classified as liberal arts colleges. The more recent research also found that more selective institutions are more likely to retain their liberal arts mission, as they face less pressure to change in order to attract students.
