5/18
Penn in the News
A round-up of Penn mentions in local, national, and international media.
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Penn In the News
US to Grant $10 Million to Non-profits and Colleges to Fight Extremism
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will announce on Wednesday $10 million in grants for non-profit organizations and colleges to develop counseling programs and other services to turn people away from violent extremism, according to a senior DHS official. The official, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity before the planned announcement, said the department recognizes law enforcement is limited in its ability to intervene before someone becomes radicalized like Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed 49 people in Orlando last month.
Penn In the News
Scientists Just Validated Your Instagram Obsession
Researchers of the Wharton School are cited for collaborating on a study that gives insight on why taking pictures may enhance certain experiences.
Penn In the News
The Diversity Students Seek
The 2015-16 academic year was one of numerous student protests demanding increases in the admission of minority students and the hiring of minority faculty members -- not to mention numerous other measures to promote inclusivity on campus. But what exactly do students want?
Penn In the News
Video: The Challenges Facing Low-income Female Students
Being a low-income student in college is difficult, but it’s likely to be even more difficult if you’re also a woman. Barbara Gault, executive director of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, points out that female students are much more likely to be raising children and may even be caring for older relatives as well. Colleges’ schedules and services have long catered to traditional, childless students, she says, but they need to change to accommodate a new student population.
Penn In the News
Why Terrible News Really Might Keep You Up at Night
Philip Gerhman of the Perelman School of Medicine is quoted about cycles of sleeplessness following a difficult or stressful time.
Penn In the News
Government to Forgive $171 Million in Student Loan Debt
Mounting student debt is not a new topic in the United States, but the government footing the bill is — and for former students of the now obsolete Corinthian Colleges Inc., a total of $171 million in student debt will be written off by the government. Corinthian, once one of the largest for-profit college chains, liquidated in bankruptcy in May 2015 one week after suddenly closing its doors. The schools shut down after claims that they were inflating statistics about graduates’ career success. Although Corinthian denied the allegations, its fate was sealed.
Penn In the News
Career Counselors or Headhunters?
Penn In the News
Professors, Politics and New England
The political leanings of professors are much debated. While studies consistently show that faculty members, on average, lean left, there is no consensus on the meaning of these findings. New research on professors and their politics suggests that the imbalance in the political views of professors in much of the nation becomes a more significant imbalance because of one region: New England.
Penn In the News
Put Paterno Statue Back Up, Former PSU Players Urge
More than 200 former Pennsylvania State University football players sent a letter to the board of trustees and President Eric Barron on Tuesday asking that the large bronze statue of their beloved coach, Joe Paterno, be returned to campus. “We have been told during the last four-plus years that the board and administration are waiting for the appropriate time to repair the damage they created,” said Brian Masella, former tight end and punter for the Nittany Lions and a 1975 alumnus. “Now is the appropriate time.
Penn In the News
The Ethics of Big Data in Higher Education
Increasingly, colleges and universities are using predictive analytics to determine future outcomes for students in academic performance and engagement. But some wonder if the practice violates student privacy. A recent meeting at Stanford University sought to develop best practices, ethics around student data mining and how colleges could best use the information for mutual benefit with students. Some predictive analytics programs extend to high school recruitment and develop profiles about student potential based upon test scores, social media use and other factors.