Leading higher education associations are outlining potential reforms to increase graduation rates, according to The New York Times. The National Commission on Higher Education Attainment, led by Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee, noted that half of all students who enter two- or four-year institutions fail to earn a degree within six years. The commission prioritized helping universities find ways to expedite students' graduation, and accommodate a changing student demographic. The report suggests that institutions should provide flexible services such as midnight classes, easier credit transfers and online classes. In another report released Thursday titled "American Dream 2.0," higher education advocates emphasized that students who fail to earn a degree are still saddled with heavy financial burdens, often making them worse off than before they enrolled in college, The Times reported.
Research presented on Thursday at the Association of American Colleges and Universities' annual meeting examined the benefits of capstone experiences, or large-scale cumulative projects undertaken by students seeking bachelor's degrees, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. While capstone proponents argue that these projects force students to integrate disciplines and demonstrate skills, the research showed that capstones are not necessarily as interdisciplinary as intended. Faculty and students surveyed said that they provided benefits including effective writing, oral presentation and research skills, but also demanded significant time commitment, The Chronicle reported.
A 78-year-old Vermont resident was found dead in his seat on the Dartmouth Coach on Wednesday morning upon arrival at South Station in Boston, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported. The unidentified man boarded the coach in Lebanon, N.H. at 7:55 a.m. and was found unresponsive at 10 a.m., Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley, said in an interview with the Union Leader. The death is being investigated by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority transit police but is not considered suspicious. A similar incident occurred in 2011, when an Arizona man was found dead in the bathroom of a Boston Express bus that arrived at South Station from Londonderry, N.H., according to the Union Leader.
