Change or die, a look at the other side of the truth
All of us are closely following CSCU President Mark Ojakian's proposal for a dramatic reform of the state higher education system. Above and beyond politics, or Ojakian’s (aggressively questioned)...
View ArticleState board should project objectivity in teacher evaluation
Teachers make a huge difference in the learning of students. We know this intuitively as well as empirically. When teachers have helped more students make greater academic progress, they have performed...
View ArticleEarly childhood educators are under-appreciated, underpaid
As a student teacher in the Early Childhood Education program at the University of Connecticut, I am writing to spread awareness on the issue of inadequate teacher compensation for early childhood...
View ArticleFunds for research at UConn pay big dividends
Each year, several publications identify the best public research universities in the United States. The U.S. News & World Report, though not without its limitations, has become the “go to” guide...
View ArticleCollege leaders to President Trump: Please preserve the DACA program
As the leaders of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities, Connecticut’s public higher education system comprised of 17 institutions, we are dedicated to providing students with opportunities...
View ArticleTextbook bad leadership at the Board of Regents
I am alarmed and shocked by the recent “Students First” proposal by the Board of Regents, which proposes to dismantle Connecticut’s community college system. This proposal is likely to go down in...
View ArticleA college education equals a better financial future for women
Within miles of the State Capitol, 60,000 women and girls live in poverty. The way out is a college degree, but for many women the path to success in college is filled with obstacles. The Aurora Women...
View ArticleCost to Connecticut taxpayers of a homeless person for a year: $33,000
What price homelessness? Can you put a price tag on what it means to lose your housing? Apparently, you can. The Commissioner of the Department of Housing recently testified at a public hearing that it...
View Article‘Furious’ about ‘gross inequities’ in education cost sharing plan
To the chairmen of the Connecticut General Assembly's Appropriations Committee: I am furious that your committee would even consider the education funding package that thankfully melted down last...
View ArticleTeacher evaluation in Connecticut: Let’s finally get it right
An editorial in The Hartford Courant (April, 23,2017) entitled “ Back to Squishy Teacher Evals” argued for using the scores of students’ standardized tests to evaluate teachers. It seems so neat and...
View ArticlePrivate colleges, universities, critical to Connecticut’s economic future
As our governor and state legislators continue wrestling with budget shortfalls, declining revenue, corporate exodus and ongoing economic erosion, it is important to pause and catch our breaths. As a...
View ArticlePartnership key to building stronger career pathways for CT residents
Connecticut’s legislature has proposed to create a task force to study the effectiveness, impact and cohesiveness of workforce development programs and initiatives in the state. The commitment to...
View ArticleThe true damage caused by ‘daddy issues’
Today’s pop culture is littered with references and jokes about single parent households from famous rapper Childish Gambino’s lyrics ... “This one kid said somethin' that was really bad He said I...
View ArticleDo education reform right — with an education adequacy cost study
Despite all the fiscal and other challenges paralyzing Connecticut, there is an opportunity in the 2017 legislative session to take the first real step toward comprehensive, rational and constitutional...
View ArticleWillimantic students need college access QVCC provides
The students in Willimantic have none of the privileges I had. The Willimantic Center of Quinebaug Valley Community College is one of their best options for escaping poverty. If the 365 students who...
View ArticleAttempting to succeed in business without really trying
President Ojakian: on issues like this, like crafting a budget, a process you know very well, negotiation must take place. You have excluded the faculty and most administrators who could have provided...
View ArticleConnecticut’s finances: Not a time to mince words
This is no time to mince words about Connecticut’s fiscal crisis. It is deep, serious, and affects everyone and everything: taxpayers, businesses, jobs, social services, infrastructure, K-12 schools,...
View ArticleWe should all be concerned about college student retention
The degree to which college students are capable of successfully moving from matriculation to graduation, described as “retention” or “persistence,” should be a concern for all of us. Employers...
View ArticleTeacher pension changes should be part of budget solution
If you really love teachers, you’ll support teacher pension reform. If you talk to teachers -– retired or current -– you will know that they are worried that the retirement fund they’ve been paying...
View ArticleHartford teacher: I have no choice but to speak up
I look forward to a day when quality and equitable educational opportunities for all students is not just a vision, but a reality. Until that day comes, I know I have an obligation to use my voice as a...
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