Kenneth Starr, the former solicitor general famous for his investigation of the Whitewater land deal and former President Bill Clinton's extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky, was named the 14th President of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, according to The New York Times. R. Dary Stone, head of the board of regents at the Baptist-affiliate research university, cited Starr's dedication to Christian ideals and his experience in public service as reasons for Starr's selection in a press release. Starr has served as dean of the Pepperdine University law school in Malibu, Calif. since 2004 and will assume his post at Baylor in June, The Times reported.
Middlebury College president Ronald D. Liebowitz has developed a plan to limit the possible increase in the total amount the college can charge students for tuition, room and board, Inside Higher Ed reported. The increase in tuition and fees will be restricted to an upper limit of 1 percentage point above the rate of inflation each year, Inside Higher Ed reported. In the past 10 years, Middlebury tuition increases usually were between 2 and 4 percentage points above the Consumer Price Index for that year, according to Inside Higher Ed. The plan, which will stabilize tuition costs for families of Middlebury students, is likely to be approved by Middlebury's Board of Trustees, Inside Higher Ed reported.
Officials from several "property-wealthy" towns in New Hampshire including Hanover and New London are requesting exemption from a new education funding formula in the state, the Valley News reported Tuesday. State law currently allows towns with high property wealth per student to keep extra tax revenue if the money is directed to local schools. Under the new proposal, "property-wealthy" towns or towns that generate substantial tax revenue from property tax will pay more in state education property taxes than they will receive back from the state for their school districts, according to the Valley News. The leftover funds will be distributed to school districts in other towns, the Valley News reported. Officials described the prospect of having funds diverted to other school districts as "painful," the Valley News reported. If the towns are successful in the requests, they will be exempt from the new education funding formula until July 2011, according to the Valley News. House Finance Committee Democrats voted against extending the two-year moratorium last month, according to the Valley News.
