Colleges and Universities Lead the Way in Addressing the Challenges of Global Warming

A panel of NAICU member institution presidents discussed ways their campuses are innovating to address global warming.

Panelists included Lorna Edmundson, president of Wilson College; Larry Shinn, president of Berea College; Daniel Sullivan, president of St. Lawrence University; and, David Shi, president of Furman University. All four participate in the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

According to the panel, colleges and universities can play a major role in fighting global warming by serving as a model for their surrounding communities. Said Sullivan, "What we choose to do will bring into being alternatives for others in the region."

Further, green initiatives on campuses often give rise to new businesses in the local community as local entrepreneurs seize the opportunity to provide green services to institutions.

Is it easy for a campus to go green? No, responded Sullivan, "making wise decisions requires a level of analysis that can be paralyzing." Is it worth it? Yes, according to the panel. Large short-term investments often reap substantial long-term rewards.

Preparing Students for Globalization

David Wessel, Economics Editor and “Capital Columnist” for The Wall Street Journal, discussed the nation’s economic health and the global economy and their effects on higher education at a session during NAICU's Annual Meeting.

Wessel argued that the U.S. and higher education will have to find a way to better prepare our children for participation in the global economy. “With our college kids we have to help them find a way to do things that we can do better, whether it be marketing, business, or something more innovative and creative”

Listen to an excerpt from Wessel's session.

A Peek Into Private Higher Education's Future

NAICU Annual Meeting Speaker George Dehne's perspectives on emerging trends in student attitudes, recruitment, market competition, and public opinion were reported on the Chronicle of Higher Education's web site on Wednesday. Dehne, a college recruiting and marketing expert who has worked with countless private colleges, urged college leaders to prepare now for societal trends that will significantly impact private colleges over the next few years.

Click here to watch Dehne's PowerPoint presentation.

Ralph Regula Honored for His Advocacy of Independent Higher Education

Representing the 16th District of Ohio, Ralph Regula has spent his career as an advocate of increased funding for eduction, health research, job training, and assistance for families with special education and health needs. One of his highest priorities has been to ensure that low-income students have access to a college education.

During his 2000-2006 tenure as chariman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, Rep. Regula defied demands from his party's leadership to deeply cut education programs. Instead, he increased the Pell Grant maximum by $750 over a six-year period. His regular meetings with Ohio college presidents and students reaffirmed and reinforced his position, despite the intense pressure to reduce student aid funding.

The 15th Annual NAICU Award for Advocacy of Independent Higher Education honors Ralph Regula for his career-long support of increased student aid. Students at independent colleges in Ohio and across the nation are able to pursue their higher education dreams because Rep. Regula has been their champion.

Click here for an audio excerpt from Representative Regula's remarks.

Click here for local coverage of the award (The Alliance Review).

View images from this session in the Annual Meeting Gallery.

Image Caption: Mount Union College president Richard Giese presents the 2008 NAICU Advocacy Award to Mount Union alumnus Rep. Ralph Regula.

Donna Brazile Calls for Unconventional VP Picks

Speaking at the NAICU Annual Meeting on Tuesday, CNN Political Commentator Donna Brazile urged the eventual Democratic and Republican nominees to look outside their parties for a running mate.

Citing the need for politicians to "bridge the partisan gap," Brazile said that heading into the general election, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton should "go outside the Democratic box, and pick a Republican or Independent to put on the ticket." Failing that, a Democratic governor from a red or purple state would suffice.

Republicans should consider a similar approach--picking a Democrat, Independent, or Republican governor from a blue or purple--to appeal to an electorate that is "sick of the partisan game, partisan bickering."

Brazile managed the Gore-Liberman presidential campaign in 2000. She has worked on several other Democratic presidential campaigns, stemming back to 1976.

Listen to an excerpt from Donna Brazile's address here.

"I Like" Beats "IQ"

Public Opinion Analyst Peter Hart shared his thoughts on the pulse of the American public. Particularly relevant during his Super Tuesday session, Hart reminded conference participants of one of the axiomatic principles of American politics: personality trumps smarts every time.

Hart outlined four things to watch for during the 2008 election:

1. Breaking Barriers - no matter who wins the election, a barrier will be broken, whether age, race, gender, or religion.

2. New Big Four - watch for the emergence of four new "power" states: Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona.

3. Investment vs. protection - voters are deciding between investing in education, environment and other issues versus national security issues, with economy equally important to all.

4. Support for a new independent party - a third party could do particularly well this election, garnering as much as 10% of the national vote.

Hart concluded with three words he uses to illustrate the current public mood: transparency, authenticity and unity.

Demographic and Tuition Trends Pose Student Recruitment Challenges

Marketing expert Robert Sevier's session on the evolving demographic and social characteristics of tomorrow's college students and their educational needs and expectations is covered in this Chronicle of Higher Education story.

Watch Robert Sevier's PowerPoint presentation here.

Minimizing Financial Conflicts of Interest on Campus

Earlier today, the heads of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and the National Association of College and University Business Officers outlined steps for minimizing the risk of institutional and individual conflicts of interest in college business dealings. Among the suggestions for developing and implementing guidelines: don't wait for external pressures before reviewing policies; emphasize scenario discussions when educating employees; and leave as little gray area as possible--in particular, in policies covering board directors. Both organizations have posted resource materials, including institutional examples of conflict-of-interest policies, on their web sites.

Check out the Chronicle of Higher Education's web site, for coverage of the session. Inside Higher Ed's story appears here.

Father Theodore M. Hesburgh Receives the 2008 Paley Award

Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, received the 2008 Paley Award.

Since 1985, the Paley Award has recognized an individual who, throughout his or her career, has unfailingly served the students and faculty of independent higher education. The recipient of this award has set an example for all who would seek to advance educational opportunity in the United States. The Paley Award is named for Henry Paley, president of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities of New York from 1975 until 1984.

Click here to see the NAICU press release for the award.

Father Hesburgh was unable to receive the award in person. We are pleased to present his acceptance remarks below.



If you have trouble viewing, click here for a direct link to the video.

View images of this session.

An ‘Impossible Situation’ on Campus Drinking?

Speaking today at the NAICU Annual Meeting, Middlebury College President Emeritus John McCardell argued that the nation’s current drinking age puts campus leaders in an “impossible situation,” as they are increasingly expected to control student drinking behavior that has moved off-campus and become more dangerous in the past 10 years.

McCardell called the federal law that effectively raised the legal drinking age to 21 in 1984, an “abysmal failure.” The law has driven student drinking underground and has led to irresponsible drinking habits, McCardell said.

Statistics presented by McCardell show that binge drinking by 18-20-year olds grew 56 percent between 1993 and 2001. Ninety-percent of all alcohol consumed by underage drinkers is consumed during binge drinking.

McCardell, who is now president of Choose Responsibility, described his organization’s four-part proposal to allow states to waive the 21 drinking age without losing federal highway funding.

An alternative view on the 21 drinking age is available on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving web site.

Watch John McCardell's PowerPoint presentation here.

View C-SPAN's coverage of this session.

Listen to audio from the session.

Susan Hockfield Advises Presidents to Act Now

In her address to the annual meeting, MIT president Susan Hockfield urged private college and university presidents to act now or risk congressional regulation of institutional affairs.

As reported in Inside Higher Ed:

"Specifically, Hockfield called on private college leaders to better articulate to lawmakers exactly how their institutions are providing a public good, and why college officials — not the federal government — should continue to set their own policies on spending and pricing." (click here for the full article)

Click here for audio excerpts from Hockfield's speech.

Click here to read the full transcript (in pdf).

View Images of this session.

Representative Steny Hoyer Addresses NAICU Annual Meeting

Representative Steny H. Hoyer addressed the NAICU annual meeting on Monday afternoon.

Listen to an excerpt from his remarks here.

View images of this session.

Education, Imagination and the Creation of Genius

Walter Isaacson, president of the Aspen Institute, addressed the NAICU Annual Meeting on Monday afternoon, using the example of past genius to explore the connection between creativity, education and their role in society. His conclusion: "compromisers don't make great heros, but they do make great democracy."

Citing the examples of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, Isaacson found that the creation of genius requires far more than education. Also required are leaps of imagination and the quest for new ways of thinking. In the case of Benjamin Franklin, the breakthrough was the idea of education as a device to turn people into useful citizens of the world. In the case of Albert Einstein, it was the concept of visual thought experiments - rather than simply reading, visualize how the concepts interplay in a real setting.

Isaacson concluded that using these past thinkers as an example, it is clear that smart people are a dime a dozen. What sets genius apart is the combination of smart with creativity, imagination, and the questioning of conventional wisdom. The ability to compromise and find common ground allows imagination and creativity to breach the wall of standardized thought, allowing new concepts and ideas to flourish.

Click here for audio excerpts from this presentation.

View images of this session.

The 2008 NAICU PR Academy

The Annual PR Academy brought together campus PR practitioners, government relations officers and presidents from NAICU member institutions.

This year's Academy featured a panel on U-CAN, a presentation on the changing face of higher education marketing by Larry Lauer (click here to view Lauer's presentation), and a session with Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed on the press' view of what's happening in higher education.

The NAICU 2008 Annual Meeting Starts This Weekend

The NAICU staff is ready to welcome members to the 2008 Annual Meeting, starting with the PR Academy on Sunday, February 3!

We will use this space to post updates on the conference and quick takes from the different sessions. In the links you'll find the conference schedule and information on the hotel.

Look in this space also for audio and video from the conference.

We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC!