Introducing “Required Reading”: Your Daily Dose of Higher Education News

by | Oct 9, 2024 | Innovation

We are thrilled to announce the launch of “Required Reading,” a new feature on the Presidents Forum website designed to keep you informed about the latest developments in higher education.

Every weekday, our team will curate a selection of essential news articles covering the most important topics and trends in the higher education landscape. This carefully chosen collection will provide you with valuable insights and updates, all in one convenient location.

Key Features of “Required Reading”:

  • Daily Updates: Fresh content available every weekday, ensuring you stay current with the rapidly evolving higher education sector.
  • Curated Selection: Our team handpick the most relevant and impactful articles, saving you time and effort in finding quality information.
  • Diverse Topics: Coverage spans a wide range of subjects, including policy changes, innovative practices, and more.
  • Easy Access: Conveniently located on the Presidents Forum website, making it simple to incorporate into your daily routine.

“Required Reading” is an invaluable resource for higher education professionals, policymakers, researchers, and anyone passionate about staying informed on the latest developments in the field. By providing a daily digest of crucial news, we aim to facilitate better decision-making, spark discussions, and foster innovation within the higher education community.

Stay Informed, Stay Ahead

We encourage you to make “Required Reading” a part of your daily routine. Visit the Presidents Forum website each weekday to access the latest curated articles and stay at the forefront of higher education news and trends.

CHIPS and Science Act: Major Strides in Reshaping U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing

by | Oct 8, 2024 | Innovation

In recent months, the federal CHIPS and Science Act has made significant strides in reshaping the landscape of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. This landmark legislation, signed into law in August 2022, aims to bolster domestic chip production, enhance technological innovation, and strengthen national security. The Presidents Forum and our institutions are actively engaged in the CHIPS program. Please find important updates on the CHIPS program below:

  • The National Semiconductor Technology Center has officially launched the NSTC Membership Program. The NSTC is a public-private partnership creating an unprecedented infrastructure to accelerate R&D innovation, develop a skilled workforce, and secure the United States’ leadership position in the global semiconductor industry.  NSTC brings together semiconductor companies, academic research institutions, governments, workforce, organizations, and others to collaborate and propel the U.S. semiconductor industry forward. To explore membership opportunities, please visit the NSTC membership page.

  • The Department of Commerce announced that it anticipates up to $100 million in funding to award recipients that develop university-led, industry-informed, collaborations about artificial intelligence-powered autonomous experimentation (AI/AE) relevant to sustainable semiconductor manufacturing. The full text of the NOI can be found here.

  • Registration is now open for the 2024 NSTC Symposium and Microelectronics Commons Meeting.

  • Registration is now open for the first installment of the “Inside the Workforce Center of Excellence” (WCoE) series.  This will provide an overview of the mission of the WCoE, share information about initial programmatic capacities, and discuss the first anticipated awardees under the Workforce Partner Alliance (WFPA) program.

  • The NSTC Workforce Partner Alliance Program announced more than $11 million in anticipated awards to seven institutions supporting efforts to develop the semiconductor workforce ecosystem across more than a dozen U.S. states.

    • American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation

    • Idaho Technology Council

    • Maricopa County Community College District

    • Rochester Institute of Technology

    • Texas A&M University

    • University of California, Los Angeles

    • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  • CHIPS recently launched the Metrology Exchange to Innovate in Semiconductors, or METIS, a data exchange ecosystem that will give stakeholders access to CHIPS Metrology research results and serve to catalyze innovative breakthroughs in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. To learn more and explore the database, please visit https://metis.nist.gov

  • The U.S. National Science Foundation and DOC announced a $30 million funding opportunity for a Network Coordination Hub that will manage the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) and lead its national strategy to address the expected shortage of skilled workers needed by the U.S. semiconductor and microelectronics industry over the next decade. You can find the solicitation linked here.

  • To subscribe to weekly updates from CHIPS, please visit this link.

Presidents Forum outlines higher ed innovations for next POTUS

by | Oct 7, 2024 | Innovation, Outcomes and Accountability, Policy

Presidents Forum outlines higher ed innovations for next POTUS

Why it matters

Higher Education has struggled to adapt to changing student demographics and needs, emerging technologies, and effective distance education options. The new presidential administration and department of education must energetically engage in practices that promote student success in the ever-changing higher education landscape.

Go deeper

Dr. David Andrews, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts and chairman of the Presidents Forum, and Dr. David Schejbal, president of Excelsior University, outlined eight important areas of focus to improve higher education and ensure the U.S. economy has the workforce required to remain a global leader:

  • Accessibility – Accessibility is about more than just affordability. The changing student population requires flexibility in the modality of their educational experiences.
  • Institutional Mergers and Acquisitions – The acquisition and merger process is drawn out and it limits an institution’s ability to provide a better student experience. The Department of Education must provide initial guidance on whether it views a proposed merger as a possibility or not.
  • Value-Added measurement in outcome metrics – Highly selective institutions will naturally see higher graduation and retention rates. The Department of Education must implement a value-added metric system to fairly evaluate open enrollment institutions.
  • Competency and output based adjustments – The regulatory environment was built focusing on inputs rather than outputs. Students should earn aid and credentials based on what they have learned, not how long they spent learning it.
  • Reauthorize the Higher Education Act with new focus points – The Higher Education Act, which was intended to be renewed every 5 years, has not been reauthorized since 2008. The new administration should prioritize a reauthorization that focuses on competency based evaluations and learning outcomes.
  • Data Sharing and Transparency – Promoting greater data sharing between institutions, state governments, and the federal government will allow for stronger analysis on student financial outcome data.
  • State Reciprocity Agreements – The near-unanimous agreement among 49 out of 50 states is a rare occurrence. NC-SARA has proven to be an effective agreement, warranting ongoing support and endorsement.
  • Recalibrate our understanding of a College Student – Adult students, working learners, and mid-career students are the new norm. These students require a different set of tools in order to help them succeed.

Data-Driven Revolution: Beth Akers on Reshaping Higher Education

Data-Driven Revolution: Beth Akers on Reshaping Higher Education

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Innovation, Policy

Data-Driven Revolution: Beth Akers on Reshaping Higher Education

Marty Carpenter: Having Accountability in Higher Education

by KSL Inside Sources

From the Inside Sources Podcast

The big picture

Beth Akers, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, discusses the critical role of data in improving higher education outcomes and decision-making.

Key takeaways

  • Data transparency is crucial: Akers emphasizes the need for comprehensive data on student outcomes to help prospective students make informed decisions about their education.
  • College Transparency Act: This proposed legislation aims to require colleges to collect and report detailed data on enrollment, completion rates, and post-college earnings.
  • Addressing “data blind spots”: Current limitations in higher education data make it difficult to assess if institutions are serving all students equitably.
  • Return on investment: Better data can help students evaluate the potential value of their college education and choose programs more likely to lead to successful outcomes.
  • Balancing privacy and transparency: Akers acknowledges the need to protect student privacy while advocating for increased data availability to improve educational outcomes.

What’s next

As debates around student loan forgiveness continue, the push for greater accountability and transparency in higher education is likely to gain momentum. The implementation of data-driven policies could significantly impact how students, families, and policymakers approach higher education decisions in the future.

The Presidents Forum is ramping up its thought leadership initiatives and expanding its reach

by | Oct 4, 2024 | Innovation

The Presidents Forum is ramping up its thought leadership initiatives and expanding its reach

What’s happening 

  • New website launch: (http://presidensforum.org) now serves as a hub for presidential thought leadership, with frequent content updates.
  • Upcoming features: A news aggregation service will offer daily curated higher education articles.
  • Content focus: September highlighted presidential transition advice, while October will feature best practices for supporting underserved communities.

Upcoming events 

  • November: In-person meetings in Tempe, Arizona, focusing on AI, semiconductor industry, presidential transitions, and higher education financing.
  • March 24-25, 2025: Spring meeting in Washington, DC, to engage with the new administration and Congress.

What’s next 

The Forum seeks feedback, recommendations for new institutions, and continued collaboration to advance innovation in higher education.