Posts in category News

Business schools are discovering that cutting programs may actually lead to a better learning experience for students and make more economic sense for the university.

After years of adding programs to attract more students in a competitive market, business schools have discovered that the result has been students confused by the number of programs offered and administrators burdened with trying to manage it all, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Applications to build new homes reached a five-year high in October, another sign that the economy is improving as 2014 approaches.

Numbers from the United States Department of Commerce indicated that permit applications increased by 6.2% in October. There were no figures for housing starts as U.S. government data has been delayed due to the government shutdown that lasted for about half of October.

Unemployment claims dropped last week, another sign that the economy and the overall job picture may be improving as the country heads into the holiday season.

According to the federal Department of Labor, jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 316,000. Most experts had projected about 330,000 jobless claims, according to an article from Reuters.

The automobile industry continued its rebound this week from the depths of the recession, with the federal government announcing it will sell its stock in General Motors and advisors with once-broke Chrysler projecting a $10 valuation for the company.

The United States Treasury Department announced this week that it is selling the final 31.1 million shares it holds in GM. This will end taxpayers’ investment in the giant auto maker, which faced bankruptcy in 2008 before being bailed out by then-President George Bush and, later, President Barack Obama.

A new book takes a detailed look at the state of Massive Open Online Classrooms (MOOCs), finding they are neither a passing fad nor the savior of higher education.

However, the book finds, they could change how professors teach at the most basic level.

In “Beyond the MOOC Hype,” Jeffrey R. Young – a technology editor at the Chronicle of Higher Education – delves into the ongoing debate about how MOOCs will fit into the future of education.

Government shut down? What government shutdown?

Retail sales numbers released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department showed that American consumers increased their spending in October. This came despite a federal government shutdown that lasted 16 days and brought many government services to a halt.

The four people honored as the 2013 U.S. Professors of the Year recently shared a common experience: how they learned from failure.

Their tales, told to the Chronicle of Higher Education, provide good lessons for students just preparing to start out in their careers.

The four winners were Ann Williams at the Metropolitan State University in Denver, Robert A. Chaney at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, Gintaras K. Duda at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and Steven J. Pollock at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Homebuilders’ confidence in the economy held steady in November, despite the aftermath of a government shutdown and the prospect of more fiscal battles in Washington looming on the horizon.

The National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index was at a 54 in November, according to a report released this week. That’s the same number as for October, which was revised downward from a 55 to a 54.

A better economy – and the appearance of 2014 models on dealership lots – have led to the lowest used car prices in four years.

Drivers who went through the recession and kept their old cars running have now reached a point where they need to purchase new vehicles, according to an article on USA Today. The newspaper reported that lower unemployment rates, an overall better economy, low loan rates and the willingness of banks to lend have also made this an attractive used car buying season.

according to new data from the Institute of International Education (IIE).

The IIE’s annual Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange found that the number of international students in the United States increased to 819,644.

The flow of students out of the United States also hit record levels, according to the study, with 283,000 students from the United States studying aboard.