Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Our sessions at the ACHE Conference


4.3  Leadership Southern Style
This session will focus on leadership lessons learned from the combined 75+ years of continuing education experience found in this panel of former ACHE South Chairs. Moderated by another former ACHE South Chair and current ACHE Board member, the topics for discussion include opinions on the state of continuing higher education nationwide, anticipating changes in the continuing higher education landscape, positioning yourself for advancement (in the field and in higher education), and meeting the challenges of leadership in your units--whether you have the title of leader or not. The panelists will share some successes, some failures, and some things on the horizon. 
Dr. Rick Osborn, East Tennessee State University
Dr. Brian Van Horn, Murray State University
Dr. Susan A. Elkins, University of South Carolina – Palmetto College
Dr. Amy Johnson, East Tennessee State University

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Virginia's is Natural Bridge

Been there. According to Travel + Leisure, the most romantic place in Tennessee is...

Tennessee — Clingman’s Dome 
If love is raising you higher, head to the highest point in all of Tennessee. At 6,643 feet, Clingman’s Dome is one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Great Smoky Mountains. On clear days, it’s possible to see up to 100 miles from a full 360° from the structure.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

And number 12 could be

Just do your damn job. With no drama. From Time.

11 Easy Ways to Become Your Boss' Favorite Employee
Every manager and every workplace is different, but speaking generally, the best way to get your boss to like you is to do great work. 
That said, if you're looking to really bowl them over — and potentially even become their favorite team member — there are a few simple strategies you can use. 
Business Insider looked into scientific research and expert opinion and came up with 11 tricks to help you wow the higher-ups. 
Try to solve problems on your own 
In his 1948 book "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living," Dale Carnegie includes an anecdote about Leon Shimkin, who was then a general manager at publishing house Simon and Schuster. 
Shimkin told Carnegie that he'd devised a way to drastically cut meeting times: He informed his team that they couldn't present any problems unless they'd first tried to think of a solution. 
Impress your boss with your problem-solving skills (and spare everyone from hearing you drone on) and only bring dilemmas to meetings when they've proven absolutely unsolvable.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

The Great Recession's

Staggering hit on higher education. State spending on higher education still much behind 2008 levels. From The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

A Lost Decade in Higher Education Funding State Cuts Have Driven Up Tuition and Reduced Quality
A decade since the Great Recession hit, state spending on public colleges and universities remains well below historic levels, despite recent increases. Overall state funding for public two- and four-year colleges in the 2017 school year (that is, the school year ending in 2017) was nearly $9 billion below its 2008 level, after adjusting for inflation. . . .The funding decline has contributed to higher tuition and reduced quality on campuses as colleges have had to balance budgets by reducing faculty, limiting course offerings, and in some cases closing campuses. At a time when the benefit of a college education has never been greater, state policymakers have made going to college less affordable and less accessible to the students most in need. 
As states have slashed higher education funding, the price of attending public colleges has risen significantly faster than what families can afford. For the average student, increases in federal student aid and the availability of tax credits have not kept up, jeopardizing the ability of many to afford the college education that is key to their long-term financial success. 
With many states facing revenue shortfalls in the current or upcoming fiscal year, state lawmakers must renew their commitment to high-quality, affordable public higher education by increasing the revenue these schools receive. . . .By doing so, they can help build a stronger middle class and develop the entrepreneurs and skilled workers needed for a strong state economy.

Monday, October 16, 2017

The top 20

Community colleges for adult learners, according to the Washington Monthly.

Best Colleges for Adult Learners - 2 Year Colleges

1. Weber State (Utah)

2. Utah Valley U.

3. Foothill College (Calif.)

4. Central Texas College

5. Raritan Valley Community College (N.J.)

6. Columbia College (Mo.)

7. Howard Community College (Md.)

8. Renton Technical College (Wash.)

9. Montgomery College (Md.)

10. Capital Community College (Conn.)

11. Lakeshore Technical College (Wis.)

12. Inver Hills Community College (Minn.)

13. Gateway Community College (Ariz.)

14. Fox Valley Technical College-Appleton (Wis.)

15. Montgomery County Community College (Pa.)

16. Diablo Valley College (Calif.)

17. Oakton Community College (Ill.)

18. Quincy College (Mass.)

19. City College of San Francisco (Calif.)

20. Mesa Community College (Ariz.)

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Stemming the tide

Of low liberal arts salaries. Just you wait. From CBSnews.com.
To be sure, liberal arts graduates earn less out of the gate. Princeton graduates with degrees in the humanities such as English, philosophy or foreign languages report earning an average $61,500 within five years or graduation, the most of any university. 
Yet after ten years or more of workplace experience, they typically earn an average of $134,100. Graduates of the Ivy League university who major in social sciences such as economics, history or anthropology are paid an average of $68,100 when starting their careers. But a decade after graduation, they typically earn $176,600. 
It's not only Ivy League graduates who end up with healthy paychecks over their careers, PayScale said.
"You might assume that the highest earners in the country come from well-known Ivy League Schools like Harvard or Princeton, but the truth is, the highest median alumni salaries often come from students who attended small colleges with strong engineering programs," PayScale said.  
It added, "The salaries of humanities majors have some of the biggest growth over time, mostly because the early career salaries of most humanities majors are lower than those of people who studied computer science or engineering, or other STEM subjects."

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

First I heard of

Tuition insurance. It appears to mostly cover CBSnews.com.
dropping out because of illness. Maybe grade insurance is on the horizen. From
Paying for college is one of the biggest financial investments you can make. 
According to the College Board, the average undergraduate budget at a private four-year college is a staggering $49,320 for the 2016-2017 school year. Public universities aren't much better; expect to pay $39,890 for out-of-state students or $24,610 for in-state students. 
But just as you would protect your home or car purchase with insurance, you can get tuition insurance to protect your investment in education. Below, we answer all your questions about tuition insurance, from what it covers to whether it's worth getting.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Meanwhile, just over the mountains in North Carolina

Bigfoot. Yes, Bigfoot. Everyone carries a phone now and yet no photos of ufos, Bigfoot, or other creatures ever show up. From WYFF4.com.

Bigfoot hunters spot legendary, hairy creature in WNC, Carolina group says
If you thought Bigfoot never ventured down South, think again. 
Members of a group calling themselves Bigfoot 911 claim they spotted the giant, walking, bear-like, legendary creature in the woods of Western North Carolina Friday night. 
John E. Bruner posted on the Marion group's Facebook page (it's a closed group page) that the expedition in McDowell County "hit pay dirt" just before 11 p.m.
The sighting came after three teams set up glow sticks at various locations, Bruner said. 
He describes how they heard movement in the woods, three steps at a time, and the creature came into view near a glow stick about 30 yards away. 
"The angle of the moon was shining straight down on the road and something big stepped into view," Bruner said. "I turned my headlamp on and I saw a large bi-pedal animal covered in hair. It took one step into the woods, (then) I took off running toward where it went into the woods." 
Bruner said the man-animal was standing 30 yards to his right with its right hand on a tree that had been broken off 9 feet above the ground.

Monday, October 9, 2017

My hometown and its college

My alma mater--is on this list. Not surprising since I know someone who bought a house at auction for $100, albeit a fixer-upper. True story. Not that I would move back, you understand. Charleston, Illinois, is also on the list. As are Fort Valley, Georgia, and Orangeburg, South Carolina. From CBSnews.com.

The 10 most affordable U.S. college towns
7. Macomb, Illinois  
Median home price: $104,500 
Student population: 40.3 percent 
Macomb, Illinois, is down four spots this year from its third-place spot in 2015, with a median home price increase of $3,600. It's home to Western Illinois University, which was established in 1902, and is tied as the No. 9 top public university in the Midwest (with the University of Wisconsin Whitewater), according to the 2017 Best Colleges ranking from U.S. News and World Report. Macomb is about 70 miles west of Peoria, Illinois.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

The most beautiful place in Tennessee?

No surprises here. Nearby in the most beautiful place in North Carolina: the Blue Ridge Parkway. From MSN.com.

The Most Beautiful Place in Every U.S. State
TENNESSEE: GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

I might have thought the best book based in Tennessee

Would be A Death in the Family. Or The Firm. From Travel+Leisure.

The Best Books Based in Every State
Tennessee: The Silence of the Lambs 
Clarice Starling is an FBI trainee on an assignment to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter about a killer named “Buffalo Bill.” While Thomas Harris' novel takes place in several states, including West Virginia and Maryland, it is Tennessee where some of the most engaging scenes with Lecter takes place.

Infographic Friday

[Source: Today I Found Out ]