Author Archives: E Wayne Ross

File Sharing Shut Down

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Comments Off on File Sharing Shut Down

Inside Higher Ed: File Sharing Shut Down

Ohio University announced Tuesday that unauthorized file sharing on its network has “virtually stopped” after two weeks of monitoring for unauthorized file sharing. Notices from the Recording Industry Association of America about illegal file sharing dropped from nearly 10 to 50 per day down to almost zero, the university’s chief information officer said. Ohio’s original plan to block all peer-to-peer file sharing other than for students and faculty members who requested exemptions was controversial for potentially limiting valid uses of the technology. But since then, Ohio has upgraded its system to filter out illegal file sharing while leaving most legal file sharing untouched.

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Posted in Open access

Vancouver University Worldwide ordered to stop granting degrees

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Comments Off on Vancouver University Worldwide ordered to stop granting degrees

McLeans: Vancouver University Worldwide ordered to stop granting degrees

Raises questions about monitoring online universities

Last week’s B.C. Supreme Court ruling that ordered Vancouver University Worldwide to stop granting degrees in B.C. brings up an interesting question: where exactly is your university located? With the rise of distance education made possible by the Internet, you can take an array of classes from just about anywhere, from Nunavut to the Queen Charlotte Islands. While correspondence courses can be very convenient, the lack of physical campuses of some institutions is making it difficult to pin down just what jurisdiction a university is located in, and what laws apply.

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Posted in Academics, Government

Leading Advocate of Intelligent Design Is Denied Tenure at Iowa State U.

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Comments Off on Leading Advocate of Intelligent Design Is Denied Tenure at Iowa State U.

The Chronicle News Blog: Leading Advocate of Intelligent Design Is Denied Tenure at Iowa State U.

Iowa State University has denied tenure to Guillermo Gonzalez, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy who has been a prominent supporter of the idea of intelligent design. Mr. Gonzalez is appealing the university’s decision, according to an unusual news release issued by the university to explain its action. The release states that every level of review, from the departmental committee to the provost, determined that Mr. Gonzalez should not be awarded tenure.

In August 2005, 120 faculty members at Iowa State issued a statement denouncing intelligent design, in part as a reaction to Mr. Gonzalez’s work in the area. Intelligent-design advocates believe that some biological systems are so complex that they could have arisen only through the action of an intelligent force and not simply through Darwinian evolution, the theory of life that has overwhelming support from scientists.

The Discovery Institute, a leading backer of the intelligent-design movement, issued a news release on Monday that denounced the decision, saying that Mr. Gonzalez had written 68 peer-reviewed publications, far more than his department requires for tenure. But some comments on science blogs have questioned the worth of many of those publications and of Mr. Gonzalez’s scholarship in general. —Richard Monastersky

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Posted in Academics, Tenure & Promotion

Iran holding American-Iranian academic for “security” crimes

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Comments Off on Iran holding American-Iranian academic for “security” crimes

International Herald Tribune: Iran holding American-Iranian academic for “security” crimes

As Iran’s judiciary acknowledged that the country’s intelligence is investigating an American-Iranian academic for security crimes, U.S. Secretary of State blasted the detention and called on Tehran on Tuesday to immediately release Haleh Esfandiari.

Detained by Iranian authorities during a visit to see her 93-year-old mother in Iran, Esfandiari is under investigation for “security” crimes, the Iranian judiciary said Tuesday.

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Posted in Government, International

AAUP Report Retains Criticism of Post-Katrina Layoffs at 5 New Orleans Universities

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Comments Off on AAUP Report Retains Criticism of Post-Katrina Layoffs at 5 New Orleans Universities

The Chronicle: AAUP Report Retains Criticism of Post-Katrina Layoffs at 5 New Orleans Universities

A special committee of the American Association of University Professors has not tempered its criticism of personnel and program cuts made by five New Orleans universities after Hurricane Katrina, despite the objections of some state and university officials. Those objections, however, are included in the committee’s final report, released on Tuesday.

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Posted in Unions

Texas: Professor Sees Parallels Between Things, Other Things

Posted on May 16, 2007 | Comments Off on Texas: Professor Sees Parallels Between Things, Other Things

The Onion: Professor Sees Parallels Between Things, Other Things

AUSTIN, TX—University of Texas professor Thom Windham once again furthered the cause of human inquiry in a class lecture Monday, as he continued his longtime practice of finding connections between things and other things, pointing out these parallels, and then elaborating on them in detail, campus sources reported.

“By drawing parallels between things and other, entirely different things, I not only further my own studies, but also encourage young minds to develop this comparative methodology in their own work,” said Windham, holding his left hand up to represent one thing, then holding his right hand up to represent a separate thing, then bringing his hands together in simulation of a hypothetical synthesis of the two things. “It’s not just similarities that are important, though—the differences between things are also worth exploring at length.”

Fifteen years ago, Windham was awarded tenure for doing this.

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Posted in Just kidding

Washington: An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Washington: An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse

Inside Higher Ed: An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse

A professor who was sued for sexual harassment has agreed to resign from Washington State University in return for indemnification and a settlement amount. In a somewhat surprising move, the university will assume the legal burden of the professor, Bernardo Gallegos, even though it declined to provide counsel for him when he first requested it in 2005 and encouraged the deal under which he is leaving.

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Posted in Faculty

California: Governor proposes selling state student-loan agency for $1-billion

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on California: Governor proposes selling state student-loan agency for $1-billion

Los Angeles Times: Governor asks for cuts as state deficit looms

Facing a spring revenue slump for the first time in his tenure, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday proposed filling the gap by selling major state assets and renewing calls for large cuts in programs for the poor, the elderly and public transit.

The governor, who presented a $145.8-billion revised budget to lawmakers, said the moves were necessary to tame a projected deficit that had grown by $1.6 billion since January.

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Posted in Government

Ohio: Richmond Heights teachers strike continues

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Ohio: Richmond Heights teachers strike continues

Plain Dealer: Richmond Heights teachers strike continues

The strike of unionized school employees continues today, after a scheduled negotiation session Monday failed to produce any results.

Kurt Landefeld, a spokesperson for the Richmond Heights School District, said the two sides met Monday, but failed to reach an agreement.

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Posted in Strikes & Labor Disputes

Israel: Seventh to twelfth grade teachers to strike in north on Sunday

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Israel: Seventh to twelfth grade teachers to strike in north on Sunday

Haaretz.com: Seventh to twelfth grade teachers to strike in north on Sunday

The Secondary Schools Teachers Union announced on Friday that 7th to 12th grades in the Haifa district will be closed on Sunday due to a teachers strike.

The Haifa district encompasses Hadera from the south and Kiryat Yam to the north. Classes will stop at 11 a.m. and the teachers will head to a protest rally in the north.

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Posted in International, Strikes & Labor Disputes

Lebanon: Teachers picket at A-C

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Lebanon: Teachers picket at A-C

Lebanon Daily News: Teachers picket at A-C

The teachers of the Annville-Cleona School District took to the sidewalks of South White Oak Street this morning in Lebanon County’s first teachers’ strike in more than 15 years.

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Posted in Protests, Strikes & Labor Disputes

South Africa: Go-slow start of strike build-up

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on South Africa: Go-slow start of strike build-up

Independent Online: Go-slow start of strike build-up

Monday sees the beginning of a nationwide public servants go-slow action which is a build-up to the national strike action set to start in two weeks’ time. The go-slow will last until May 22.

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Posted in International, Strikes & Labor Disputes

Nepal: Teachers’ Union Threatens Indefinite Strike

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Nepal: Teachers’ Union Threatens Indefinite Strike

The Himalayan Times: Teachers’ Union Threatens Indefinite Strike

The Institutional School Teachers’ Union (ISTU) on Sunday staged a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) for four hours from 10.30 am demanding the government meet their various demands that include salary and facilities on a par with government schools’ teachers.

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Posted in International, Strikes & Labor Disputes

Guatemalan Teachers End Long Strike

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Guatemalan Teachers End Long Strike

Prensa Latina: Guatemalan Teachers End Long Strike

Guatemala, May 14 (Prensa Latina) Guatemalan educators ended their three-week strike and roadblocks on Monday, and resumed classes after the government pledged to meet their demands.

The government estimated 40 percent of public schools were involved in the strike, but the National Teachers’ Assembly says 95 percent supported demands for snacks and education material for the nation s 17,400 schools.

President Oscar Berger will issue a resolution this week to end reprisals against the protesters, including dismissals.

The accords, achieved with mediation of the Archbishopric and the Ombudsman Office, include setting up three working commissions to negotiate the list of demands.

The National Teachers’ Assembly and the Education Ministry will continue to discuss work contracts for regular pay increases and leaves for union activity.

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Posted in International, Strikes & Labor Disputes

Roger Bowen to Consult for Governing-Boards Group After He Leaves AAUP

Posted on May 14, 2007 | Comments Off on Roger Bowen to Consult for Governing-Boards Group After He Leaves AAUP

The Chronicle News Blog: Roger Bowen to Consult for Governing-Boards Group After He Leaves AAUP

Roger W. Bowen — who as general secretary of the American Association of University Professors has represented the interests of faculty members for the last three years — will jump the fence this fall, when he becomes a part-time consultant for the Association of Governing Boards, which represents trustees and campus chief executives.

Mr. Bowen says he’ll visit colleges that are having governance problems with the hope of “making peace.” Will it be hard to bat for the opposite team? “My approach is and always has been rather more communitarian,” he says. “Governing boards, administrators, and faculty have to be able to work together to have effective governance.”

Mr. Bowen is due to step down from his AAUP post on June 30. The consulting post will allow him to live full time at his second home, on the coast of Maine, where he’ll work on writing a book on academic freedom and on a cold-war spy novel. —Robin Wilson
Posted on Monday May 14, 2007 | Permalink

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Posted in Governance

Educating the Education Secretary

Posted on May 14, 2007 | Comments Off on Educating the Education Secretary

The New York Times: Educating the Education Secretary

“It’s not our fault.” That’s what Education Secretary Margaret Spellings seemed to say while testifying before Congress last week about her department’s failure to halt the payoffs, kickbacks and general looting of the public treasury by a lending company that collected nearly $300 million in undeserved subsidies. But that doesn’t track with the federal Higher Education Act, which clearly authorizes the secretary to disqualify from federal programs lenders who employ payoffs, kickbacks and unethical practices like those that have been found to be commonplace in the college lending business.

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Posted in Commentary

American Chemical Society reinstates Iranians

Posted on May 14, 2007 | Comments Off on American Chemical Society reinstates Iranians

Inside Higher Ed:

The American Chemical Society on Friday announced that it was reinstating Iranian members who had been dropped from membership out of fear that having members from Iran would violate U.S. laws limiting contacts with that country. The society — which has faced criticism for removing the Iranian members — said that the change in policy followed a more complete review of legal options. Now, the society will only bar Irananian members from access to certain career services and discounts

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Posted in Legal issues

Colleges Fear Chemical Rules

Posted on May 14, 2007 | Comments Off on Colleges Fear Chemical Rules

Inside Higher Ed:
The American Council on Education and several other college associations are asking the Department of Homeland Security to exempt academic facilities from new anti-terrorism rules until new procedures could be developed that are more “relevant and applicable.” The new rules were designed for chemical facilities, but are written in such a broad way that they could end up requiring colleges to do major reviews of safety procedures in just about any building with a science class or lab — even many buildings that contain relatively few chemicals and that would be unlikely sites for terrorist attacks.

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Posted in Government

A Hunger Strike Epidemic?

Posted on May 11, 2007 | Comments Off on A Hunger Strike Epidemic?

Inside Higher Ed: A Hunger Strike Epidemic?

From a results standpoint, the hunger strike was a success. On the ninth day, as four frazzled, dehydrated and disoriented students continued their public protest of the wages paid to some Stanford University workers, the administration gave in: All contracted employees, even those who work less than 30 hours a week, would be covered by the university’s “living wage” policy, which was established for full-time employees in 2003.

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Posted in Protests

Massachusetts: University panel says student parody “harassed” blacks

Posted on May 11, 2007 | Comments Off on Massachusetts: University panel says student parody “harassed” blacks

The Boston Globe: University panel says student parody “harassed” blacks

A judicial panel at Tufts University on Thursday ruled that a conservative campus journal “harassed” blacks by publishing a Christmas carol parody called “O Come All Ye Black Folk” that many found racist.

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Posted in Students