President Barack Obama repealed restrictions enacted by former President George W. Bush that prevented many American colleges from hosting foreign study programs in Cuba on Jan.14, Inside Higher Ed reported. Under the new policy, American colleges will no longer need to obtain licenses from the United States Department of the Treasury to set up affiliated for-credit programs in Cuba. Previously students could attend programs in Cuba only if the program was sponsored by their permanent institution. Under the new enactment, students from colleges other than the sponsoring institution may now enroll in programs in Cuba, and adjunct faculty members may teach in such programs, according to Inside Higher Ed. Republicans opposed to Obama's decision argue that study abroad programs cannot be justified if they profit Cuba. Democrats in support of the change assert that increased interactions with Cuba are healthy because they will promote democratic development, Inside Higher Ed reported.
A January report issued by the Graduate Management Admission Council found that there has been a 90-percent increase in the number of international students applying to European business schools over the past five years, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported Sunday. During the same period, there has only been a 30-percent increase in the number of international applications worldwide, the report found. European schools may be more attractive to international students because they typically last between one and 1.5 years, compared to two-year American business school programs, according to the report. Employment prospects for business school graduates worldwide are also improving, according to research released by the MBA Career Services Council. Over 60 percent of business schools reported an increase in on-campus recruiting, contrasting with data from 2009 that indicated a 79-percent decline in business school recruiting, The Chronicle reported.
Third-term New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will speak at Princeton University's baccalaureate address, The Daily Princetonian reported Jan. 14. Although politicians chosen to speak at universities tend to be controversial, Princeton Class of 2011 president Alex Rosen told The Princetonian that he does not anticipate that Bloomberg's selection will draw heavy criticism. The class government sought individuals who "had a good message" and "who would be good public speakers," according to Rosen. Bloomberg spoke at Dartmouth in July 2010 when he delivered the first lecture in College President Jim Yong Kim's Presidential Lecture series. Bloomberg who currently serves as an independent successfully voided New York's two-term limit to run for a third term as mayor in 2009. Bloomberg is the father of Emma Bloomberg, Princeton '01, The Princetonian reported.
