Study on frequent testing. According to a study released in the journal PLoS One, frequent testing improves overall performance in college students and reduces achievement gaps.
University use of patents. The Brookings Institute released a study that explored the ways universities try to capitalize on research and patents. The study looked at schools that licensed their patents and at schools that nurture their own start-ups, finding that neither model has yielded much profit.
Panel to address federal student aid. The Department of Education announced that it will form a panel to negotiate regulations on how colleges disburse federal student aid and rewrite a rule requiring online programs to obtain permission from each state in which they enroll students. The panel will also the address the underwriting standards for PLUS loans, the conversion of clock hours to credit hours when awarding credit, and rules governing when a student can receive federal aid for repeated coursework.
Congressional STEM competition. The House Administration Committee approved by voice vote a committee resolution to establish rules for an annual nationwide competition for young students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The first competition would challenge students to develop “apps” for mobile, tablet or computer devices.
We publish the DC Shuttle each week featuring higher ed news from Washington collected by the New England Council, of which NEBHE is a member. This edition is drawn from the Higher Education Update in the Council’s Weekly Washington Report of Nov. 25, 2013.
Founded in 1925, the New England Council is a nonpartisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The Council’s mission is to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. For more information, please visit: www.newenglandcouncil.com.
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