California State University has unveiled a new program for online learning, called Cal State Online, according to Inside Higher Ed. The program will serve students at each of the university's 23 campuses and was announced in a letter posted publicly on Friday by Cal State Online Executive Director Ruth Claire Black, Inside Higher Ed reported. The initiative comes in response to system-wide budget cuts, and the university hopes that it will be able to accept a greater number of qualified students into the program, according to Inside Higher Ed. Similar systems have been implemented at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Massachusetts. The system will continue to use professor-designed courses rather than hiring for-profit universities to do so, but Cal State professors have still had negative reactions to the Internet-based learning program, Inside Higher Ed, reported.
Georgetown University President John DeGioia issued an apology to third-year Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, who was called a "slut" by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, according to Inside Higher Ed. Fluke unsuccessfully attempted to testify before Congress in favor of President Barack Obama's controversial health care proposal that would force employers to cover the costs of contraception. Obama called Fluke after Limbaugh insulted her, and six advertisers have since withdrawn from Limbaugh's show, according to NPR. DeGioia quoted St. Augustine in calling for tranquil discourse and added that "this is our moment to stand for the values of civility in our engagement with one another." Limbaugh issued a brief apology for his statement on Saturday, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Graduate student research assistants at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor are calling for unionization and collective bargaining rights, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. To receive these rights, the Michigan legislature would have to pass a bill classifying the 2,000 students in these jobs as public employees, The Chronicle reported. Students in favor of unionization say it is necessary in order to ensure fair labor and hiring practices, while opponents believe unionization would interfere with their relationships with faculty mentors and would lead to expensive dues, according to The Chronicle. The Michigan Employment Resources Commission will decide whether the students qualify as public employees with the right to unionize on March 13.
