A report released by the Council for Aid to Education found that universities experienced an increase in charitable donations during the 2012 fiscal year, The Chronicle for Higher Education reported. The year's contributions totaled $31 billion, a 2.3 percent increase from 2011. While the gains made in 2012 did not compare to those seen in 2011, university endowments remained relatively constant, and 53 percent of institutions surveyed reported similar or slightly better fundraising results between the fiscal years. Industry analysts, however, noted that alumni donations declined for 2012. Older generations of alumni are passing away and colleges are refocusing efforts on younger alumni, who tend to be less willing to donate, The Chronicle reported.
High school senior Adam Greene designed an iPhone app to supplement his college application to Stanford University, The Stanford Daily reported. Since Greene could not directly submit the app, in which Greene explains his interests and makes his case for admission, with his application, he uploaded it to several websites such as Reddit and College Confidential to draw notice from Stanford's admissions office. A YouTube video demonstrating the app received thousands of views, and the app was picked up by The Huffington Post. Despite positive feedback from university faculty in the computer science department, however, Stanford's Office of Undergraduate Admissions declined to confirm that it had viewed the app.
Dean of Harvard College Evelynn Hammonds is expected to review three student petitions submitted through the "We the Crimson" forum by the end of the current semester, The Harvard Crimson reported. Created by the Undergraduate Council last November, "We the Crimson" is an online venue for students to formally petition the university and to vote on previously submitted proposals, with the three most popular proposals submitted to the administration for review each month. Current proposals under consideration include creating a "nap space" in Harvard Yard and expanding late night dining options. Using data from a student survey, supporters for the "nap space" proposal claim that sleep deprivation is widespread at Harvard and that naps offer distinct health benefits. The petitions regarding late night dining focus on either keeping some dining facilities open until midnight or extending a late-night snack bar, known as "Brain Break," through the weekends. Students expressed concerns about the feasibility of the proposals and the likelihood that the administration would implement them.
Compiled by Alex Ganninger
