Penn in the News

Some college lectures aren't just dull, they're ineffective. Discuss, people. You did. Our recent stories on the Nobel Prize winning Stanford physicist who's pushing for big changes in how large universities teach science to undergraduates generated lots of interest, comments, questions, shares and listens — online and on NPR One. Professor Carl Wieman is a huge proponent of ditching the large lecture in favor of evidence-based, active learning techniques.

On Thursday, both the Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill to cut the entire $436,000 state appropriation for an office at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville that promotes diversity at the state's flagship university. Republican legislators in both houses have for months been criticizing the diversity office, which students have been rallying to support. On Tuesday, hundreds of students walked out of class to protest the bill, and many of the students sat on university walkways to block movement.

Massachusetts officials on Thursday announced a new program to encourage students attending community colleges to finish their programs and move on to four-year institutions. "We have to get more students in so they're completing at rates that will assist us in filling gaps in job openings across the commonwealth," said Carlos Santiago, the state's commissioner of higher education.

The Department of Education is calling on accreditation agencies to step up their review of colleges and universities, just as lawmakers are calling on the department to strengthen its review of accreditors. Education Undersecretary Ted Mitchell sent a letter Friday to all accrediting agencies recognized by the department encouraging them to use the full extent of the law to monitor student achievement and troubled institutions.

Eric Orts of the Wharton School pens an op-ed about fighting climate change.

Salamishah Tillet of the School of Arts & Sciences shares her review of the jazz biopic featuring Miles Davis.

Participants at Penn’s third AppitUp Demo Day are highlighted.

Simon Martin of the Penn Museum is featured for collaborating with Iron Maiden on their latest album, The Book of Souls.

Salamishah Tillet of the School of Arts & Sciences is quoted about the resurgence of singer Nina Simone in the media.

Samuel Freeman of the School of Arts & Sciences reviews Roger Scruton’s book Fools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left.