Mix-up denies H.S. students Ivy status
Welcoming letters went out to 1,700 high school seniors who had applied to Cornell University. The only problem was 550 of those students were not actually admitted, according to an article in The New York Times.
University officials said they were late in getting the acceptance e-mails out to the 1,128 students who had been accepted to the university. Cornell realized the error when it saw more e-mails had gone out than there were accepted applicants. Apology e-mails explaining the situation were immediately sent out.
Cornell officials said it is not uncommon for mistakes to occur in the admissions process, and every year about four to five people are sent a letter of acceptance when they actually were not accepted.
University cuts may help balance budget
Mitt Romney, the governor of Massachusetts, proposed massive and controversial plans for restructuring higher education to spare cuts in the state budget, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. The plan would eliminate the president’s office at the University of Massachusetts system, turn the UM Amherst campus into an independent institution, privatize three public schools and merge several other universities.
Romney plans to save $150 million if the idea can be instituted. The UM’s president’s office employs 68 people alone.
Legislators and officials at the colleges and universities were not included in the decision-making process, and were shocked to hear the news. Thus far, legislators are not in favor of the proposal.
The office of the president would be replaced with a new Executive Office of Education that would oversee the entire higher education institute for the state of Massachusetts.
The budget for the state of Massachusetts has a $3 billion deficit, and Gov. Romney promised he would not raise taxes.
EPA fines Kent State for air pollution
Kent State University is settling fines with the Environmental Protection Agency after being cited with 10 violations from the now-closed Terrace Drive power plant, according to The Daily Kent State.
The EPA found that the power plant produced too many emissions and that smoke was too thick. Fines have totaled $293,755, but university officials hope to bring that number down by conducting supplemental projects for the environment.
The university has been in negotiations with the EPA since the penalties were given in September, and they are expecting a settlement in 30 to 45 days. Only one of the fines is in connection with a newly built power plant, and that violation was for late paperwork during the construction.
The university may donate land to a conservation project in lieu of paying the fines.
Tution hike to force increase in the fall
The University of Akron’s Board of Trustees have approved a 9.9 percent increase in tuition and the general fee in response to Governor Taft cutting additional higher education funding from the state’s budget.
The fee will be effective the first summer term of classes.
– compiled by Amanda Wurst
