The practical goal of graduate education is placement of graduates. But what does "placement" mean? Academics use the word without thinking much about it. "Placement" is a great keyword for the graduate-school enterprise. For one thing, its meaning certainly gives a purpose to graduate education. Furthermore, the word is a portal into the way of…

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is no stranger to criticism. This article reports that during a meeting of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, some higher-education officials questioned the NCAA's handling of a CBS fantasy football league, announced over the summer, that would use college athletes' names. Many…

This Index tracks the performance of eight publicly traded higher-education companies. The index was developed for The Chronicle by the Center for Research in Security Prices at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.

When Marvin Meyer was asked by the National Geographic Society to translate the most-sought after religious texts in recent history, the Gospel of Judas, he discovered a startling portrait of Judas Iscariot. Judas was not the reviled traitor who betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Judas was the trusted disciple, the close confidant, the friend. When his…

For five decades, the University of Louisville men's basketball team has played its home games at the state's fairgrounds, in a modest arena originally built for horse shows. And for just as many seasons, the team's toughest competition for scheduling has come from the livestock--and the flea markets and tractor pulls that also vie for the space.…

This article talks about a software designed by the University of Phoenix for its business, information-technology, education, and health-care courses. Through the university's "virtual organizations"--online teaching tools designed to simulate the experience of working at a typical corporation, school, or government agency, Phoenix students can…

This article reports on a conflict between the inventor of a medicine for dry eyes and the university where she worked, which highlights the pitfalls in commercialization of academic discoveries. Renee L. Kaswan, the former professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Georgia has been prodding the institution to be more aggressive in…

The trend toward corporate political support of higher education appears to be spreading. After years of corporate and business financial support to higher education, now groups in Kentucky, Washington, Utah, West Virginia and other states are making political contributions to higher education as well. (MLW)

States are starting to use cut-rate tuition to lure entrepreneurs and businesses that are planning to relocate. To provide the tuition bargain, states waive residency requirements for employees, spouses, and children who move to a state. (MLW)

Revisions of federal tax law governing the business operations of nonprofit institutions would no longer define a business activity as "related" to the organization's primary mission, and thus tax exempt, solely because it is operated for the convenience of members or students. (MSE)

For-profit colleges, unlike the rest of higher education, are enjoying a financial boon that is likely to improve in the next couple of years. Enrollments this fall at nine major publicly traded college companies grew at a pace faster than the average annual rate of growth for the past three years, while profit margins for this year are projected…

Dozens of colleges have hired leasing companies to run their bookstores in recent years in the hope of stemming losses, increasing store profits, improving service, and reducing administrative burdens. Leasing is expected to continue with universities facing new legislative restrictions on their commercial activities. (MLW)

Sports management is emerging as a new academic discipline. Colleges and universities have developed the programs to take advantage of the growing professionalization of the sports industry. Accreditation standards, who should teach courses, and which schools should house the sports management program--physical education or business--are…

In recent years, studying abroad has grown in both prestige and popularity. Business and political leaders increasingly see it as one of the most effective ways to produce globally literate citizens. College administrators agree and are looking for ways to reduce the barriers--both financial and academic--that prevent most undergraduates from…

The annual survey conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at the University of California at Los Angeles, found that freshmen continue to be preoccupied by material wealth and career success. Liberal stances on policy issues, new interest in teaching careers, and heightened fears of AIDS were also noted. (MLW)