U-M may have unintentionally written off top pool of minorities - 05/30/04

What plunged, though, were African-American student admissions ? as students balked at writing and accepted competing offers from other schools in higher numbers than other groups.

Because the pool of top minority students is smaller, the decline in applications affected admissions more steeply. With 25 percent fewer applicants, the university has accepted 22 percent fewer African-Americans.

And the drop-off in paid deposits ? 13 percent, which amounts to 60 students ? is substantial.

?The application was so lengthy and took up so much time that I didn?t do it,? said Ashley Kennon, a dance student at the Detroit High School for the Fine/Performing Arts who will attend Michigan State University next year. ?It was too long.?

Star Telegram | 05/30/2004 | Turning struggles into scholarships: "More than 80 percent of students from families earning more than $88,675 annually go to college, compared with less than 60 percent of those whose families earn less than $35,066, according to the College Board."

Anchorage Daily News | Rural education has endured long saga: "The practice of tearing high schoolers away from their villages had begun a century earlier, when white settlers arrived in Alaska searching for wealth in gold and salmon. As new settlements grew and matured, so did the need for schools.

Thus began two systems of education: one for white students and those of 'mixed blood' who were deemed civilized, and another for Natives. Federal laws in the early 1900s legitimized the dual system, which became the standard for tens of thousands of children living in places so remote there were no roads."

News and Information | News - Jon Stewart's Commencement Address: "Love what you do. Get good at it. Competence is a rare commodity in this day and age. And let the chips fall where they may. "

[ Thanks Bruce ]

U-M minority applications down 21 percent: "Minority applications are down 21 percent, including a 25 percent drop among African Americans and a 13 percent drop among Hispanic applicants. Native American applications dropped 8 percent.
The decline may be due in part to a misunderstanding among some minorities about the U.S. Supreme Court decision last year, according to U-M admissions director Ted Spencer.
Although the court struck down the undergraduate point system, which awarded extra points to minorities, it upheld the use of race in admissions to further campus diversity."

Job Announcement
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Vacancy Announcement Number:WTEJ04001082OC
Changes to the Job Announcement:N/A



Duties:Serves as an Electronics Engineer involved in the design and development, use, validation and modification of full-scale, functional hardware simulations of foreign threat systems. Develops theoretical methods, techniques and analytical processes to measure, calculate and estimate the characteristics and capabilities of a foreign threat systems and functional hardware simulations of threat systems. Defines detailed specifications for hardware simulators, initiate procurement actions, and exercise responsibility for technical performance of contracts to develop and modify hardware simulators and measure hardware simulators for validation purposes. Communicates, establishes and manages relations with major government agencies and contractors involved in production and use of intelligence and threat system simulations. Exercises decision authority for design, development, modification and validation parameter measurement of hardware simulators.

Who May Apply:

· ALL US CITIZENS

Qualifications:

· Applicants claiming Veterans Preference must submit required paperwork at the time of selection. May be required to submit official college transcripts at time of selection. Specialized experience is engineering work related to threat systems, S&T intelligence research, analysis, collections and/or operations. At the GG-11 level and above it should include engineering work related to analysis and/or production, collection and/or operations, couterintelligence or threat support directly related to the position. Experience should demonstrate knowledge of engineering processes, systems, procedures and methods of analyzing, compiling, reporting and disseminating data, principles and techniques associated with measurement of capabilities and characteristics of foreign threat systems and hardware simulations of foreign threat systems. Understanding of the material acquisitions process to manage contracts and knowledge of the intelligence database of foreign threat systems.

· GS-05: 4 year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree directly related to this occupation.

· GS-07: Bachelor's degree directly related to this occupation and 1 year of experience directly related to this occupation equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, or 1 year of graduate level education, or superior academic achievement.

· GS-09: Bachelor's degree directly related to this occupation and 1 year of experience directly related to this occupation equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, or 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

· GS-11: Bachelor's degree directly related to this occupation and 1 year of experience directly related to this occupation equivalent to the next lower grade level, or 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

· GS-12 and above: Bachelor's degree directly related to this occupation and 1 year of experience directly related to this occupation equivalent to the next lower grade level.

· Selectee may be required to pass a polygraph examination.

· Temporary positions for DCIPS may be extended up to a maximum of four years.

· The experience described in your resume will be evaluated as related to the qualifications, knowledge, skills and abilities required for this job.

Other Information:

· Multiple positions will be filled from this announcement.

· Positions listed with multiple grades may be filled at any grade level and may or may not have promotion potential.

· Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.

· May require overtime work, shift work and/or work on rotating shifts to provide coverage on evenings, weekends, holidays and in other situations.

· Permanent Change of Station/Relocation expenses may or may not be authorized.

· Temporary Duty (TDY) travel may be required.

Other Requirements:

· Top Secret security clearance may be required.

· Secret security clearance may be required.

· Personnel security investigation may be required.

· May be required to file annual financial statement.

· Position may be designated as Emergency Essential.

· A medical examination may be required.

· This position may be required to comply with the Lautenberg Amendment/Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment to the Gun Control Act of 1968.

· This position may be required to comply with the Drug Abuse Testing Program.

· You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.

· Male applicants born afterDecember 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.

· Direct Deposit of Pay is Required.

· DCIPS Excepted Position.

How to Apply:

· Resumes may be submitted at any time. Referral lists will be issued as job opportunities occur.

· Self-nomination must be submitted by the closing date.

· Resume must be on file in our centralized database.

[Provided by Brian Lewis...Thanks - Barry]

McGraw-Hill Higher Education Offers 900 e-Textbooks at Discount Prices: "College costs have risen across the country due to many factors, including state budget cuts in education. McGraw-Hill e-content is one solution addressing that issue. McGraw-Hill estimates that its e-textbooks, offered through its Primis Online service, can result in savings up to 50 percent off traditional print textbooks. Students have the option to purchase a downloadable file or access their e-textbook through an Internet connection."

HoustonChronicle.com - Boomers contributing to grandkids' education: "Once the shock of becoming a grandparent subsides, boomers often are inspired to set aside some money for their pride and joys' future -- especially for college, which is skyrocketing in cost at a rate well beyond inflation. "

Opinion: Parents must be partners in education An interesting collection of letters to the editor on an article on Race and Education - "Reading Writing, And Race" - Barry

.: Corvallis Gazette-Times - News - OSU President Recommits To Equality: "'How have we done since then?' Ray asked. 'Where have historical forces brought us today?'

He said evidence shows the record of integration is very mixed. At its highest point, 46 percent of African-American students attended integrated high schools. That was in 1974. Since then, Ray said, federal statistics show a backslide. Today, less than a third of African-American students attend racially integrated schools, the lowest level since 1968."

: "The Maine program received more than $4 million in federal money in 2001 and has served nearly 9,500 migrant children in the year ending last May.

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Harvard Gazette: College's new financial aid initiative keeps yield near 80%: "Harvard's new financial aid initiative aimed at students from low and moderate economic backgrounds helped support close to an 80 percent yield on students admitted to the College Class of 2008 entering in September. Announced in February by President Lawrence H. Summers in an address to the American Council on Education, the new financial aid initiative requires no contribution from parents with incomes below $40,000 and reduces expectations from families with incomes between $40,000 and $60,000. The yield on students from families with incomes below $60,000 is just under 84 percent.
Yield, the percentage of admitted students who decide to accept an offer of admission, is considered a measure of a college's competitiveness. Harvard's yield remains, by a substantial margin, the highest of the nation's selective colleges - particularly striking because students admitted under Harvard's Early Action program are free to enroll at other colleges. "

East Texas Weekly Community Newspaper - Economics of education, knowledge is transferable power

Application Deadline Fast Approaching for Sallie Mae Fund Scholarship: "Time is running out for students interested in applying for $1 million in college scholarships made available through The Sallie Mae Fund's Unmet Need Scholarship Program. The application deadline for students and their families is May 31. The scholarships are one component of Project Access -- The Sallie Mae Fund's program designed to target under-served, lower-income and minority populations, and increase their access to higher education.

To be eligible for the Unmet Need Scholarship Program, students must be accepted and enrolled at a Title IV eligible, accredited postsecondary two- or four-year college, university, vocational, or technical school in the United States or Puerto Rico, and meet program-specific eligibility requirements. Scholarship program eligibility criteria and applications for the 2005-2006 academic year are available at The Sallie Mae Fund's Web site, www.thesalliemaefund.org."

al.com: News - Entering freshman and current college students who devote a portion of their summers to serving their communities can earn scholarships through the United Negro College Fund.: "The Community Service Scholarship Program is the first of its kind for the UNCF and could serve as a national model. The scholarships are up to $2,500. The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and other donors have committed enough money to pay for 20 to 25 scholarships for 2004-05.
'We are proud to support a program that provides the opportunity for students to learn about the needs in their community and create viable solutions to address those needs,' said Sandy Killion, a vice president of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. "

deseretnews.com | Coloring with 'Brown': "Not only are dropout rates among ethnic minority students higher compared to their white counterparts, but minorities also have lower standardized test scores, lower grades and lower rates of participation in rigorous courses such as advanced placement.
It's a national disparity that has been dubbed the 'achievement gap.' And on the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that outlawed segregation in America's public schools, some people argue that the gap is proof that not enough has changed."

Untitled Document: "Updated National Profile of Private Colleges Released

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WOODTV.com & WOOD TV8 - Grand Rapids news and weather - GVSU and Spectrum Health team up for scholarships for minorities: "(Grand Rapids, May 13, 2004, 3:42 p.m.) Spectrum Health officials have created a scholarship to attract more minorities into health care fields.

Leaders from Grand Valley State University and Spectrum Health signed the official paperwork for the scholarship on Thursday.

The first scholarships will be awarded this fall to undergraduates or graduates who are accepted into GVSU's Nursing School or another health care program.

If you would like more information about the scholarships, call GVSU's financial aid office at (616) 331-3234."

Computer Graphics World - New Scholarships Debut for Game Industry Professionals: "The Art Institute of California - San Francisco (http://www.aicasf.aii.edu) today announced a new scholarship program designed for video game industry professionals interested in furthering their education.

The school is now offering special scholarships ranging from
$1000 to $5000 to individuals currently working in the game industry, or who have recently worked in the industry and are looking to expand their skills or finish their degrees. Scholarships must be applied for tuition in the school's Game Art & Design (Bachelor of Science) or Visual & Game Programming (Bachelor of Science) degree programs.

Applicants must complete a scholarship entry form, write a short
essay, and submit two letters of recommendation and a resume showing any educational background and game industry experience. There is no deadline to apply and entries will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. For the complete guidelines and an entry form, please email aisfadm@aii.edu or call 888-493-3261. More information about the school is available at http://www.aicasf.aii.edu."

Excerpts of Brown v. Board of Education decision: "'To separate (children) from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone.'"

FOXNews.com - Top Stories - Judge Orders Kansas Public Schools Closed: "'This action by the court will terminate all spending functions under the unconstitutional funding provisions, effectively putting our school system on 'pause' until the unconstitutional funding defects are remedied by the legislative and executive branches of our government,' Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock wrote in Tuesday's order.
He continued: 'Although this action may delay our children's education slightly (should the other branches fail to respond quickly), it will end the inadequate and inequitable education being provided now and the disparate damage presently being done to the most vulnerable of our children.'
The order was quickly dismissed by Republican legislative leaders, who had already said they planned to pay it little heed, given that the case is already on appeal to the Supreme Court. "

The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Editorials: "What are effects of Brown v. Board of Education? "

MSU to hold camp on architecture June 18-25 - The Clarion-Ledger: "June 9 is the registration deadline for a June 18-25 residential camp at Mississippi State University that provides a hands-on introduction to the study of architecture.

Sponsored by the university's College of Architecture, Design Discovery 2004 'invites high school students 16 years and older, as well as incoming college freshmen, to get an in-depth introduction to the profession,' said professor Michael A. Berk, camp director.

'Through a variety of activities, projects and interaction with faculty and upper-level architecture student counselors, the program answers questions about the study of architecture and the professional practice of architecture,' Berk said."

The Dartmouth Online: "Selective programs of all kinds that had previously been limited to minority applicants are being opened up to students of all races. Additionally, minority applications this year were down nominally at many selective institutions across the country, including Dartmouth -- possibly a short-term consequence of the decisions.

Even in name alone, programs previously designed for minorities are quickly disappearing from colleges across the country. Schools are dropping the word 'minority' from the titles of a wide variety of programs ranging from scholarships to orientation and recruitment programs. While these programs were designed initially to target black, Hispanic and Native American populations, many are being forced to open their application processes to populations that had been excluded, including white and Asian students."

SBC president doubts Christian education resolution will pass : Friday, May 7, 2004: "Graham said he hadn't yet seen a resolution being proposed by a Virginia conservative leader and Houston attorney urging leaders and members of the SBC 'to remove their children from the government schools and see to it that they receive a thoroughly Christian education,' but he was aware of its basic content.
'I doubt the SBC will approve a statement which urges parents to remove their children from public schools,' Graham said.

But one of the resolution's sponsors said whether or not the resolution passes is less important to him than drawing attention to an already-growing movement of home schooling and starting Christian schools."

KansasCity.com - The Kansas City Star - Info line keeps teens in the know

KRT Wire | 05/04/2004 | Bush is leaving education reform behind: "The No Child Left Behind Act imposed strict new standards on America's schools - while promising to provide the resources necessary to meet those standards. But two years later, children are still waiting for the Bush administration and its allies in Congress to keep that promise.

This February marked the third straight year - beginning in 2002, just weeks after the No Child Left Behind Act was signed - that President Bush has sent Congress a budget that underfunds his own education bill. This year, the president's budget would shortchange the act by $9.4 billion.

"

Opinions Regarding the Condition of Public Education Is Split Down Racial Lines: "This month marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. This legal decision declared racially segregated schools unconstitutional. The survey shows that fifty years after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, only a slim majority believe that equal opportunity exists in U.S. public education today. In addition, the groups who are supposed to have most benefited from the ruling -- African Americans and Hispanics -- are the least likely to feel that the playing field is even."

Daily Yomiuri On-Line: Ministry to revise guidelines on sex education at schools [Japan]
[I recognize this has no direct bearing on the subject at hand but I thought it interesting in that it's a reasonable (or at least reasoned) approach to a polarizing issue. - Barry]

Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Programs

FAFSA on the Web - U.S. Department of Education: "FAFSA opens the door to the federal student aid process. Every step you take will get you closer to achieving your educational goals. Find out what you can expect from beginning to end."

The Globe and Mail: "Young women are more motivated to do well in university and college than men because they know there is an immediate economic benefit, Prof. Perna found."