Category: Fresh Education News Stories Page 2 of 3

According to a study conducted by Wayne State University, residents of the oldest industrial cities in the nation tend to have lower education levels compared to urban dwellers in other parts of the country. The study, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 1980, found that the highest percentages of high school and college graduates are found in the newer Western cities.

When examining the education levels in the population of the 35 largest cities and 34 largest metropolitan areas in the country, the researchers discovered that Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, and St. Louis have the lowest percentage of high school graduates. Only about half of their residents aged 23 or older had completed high school by 1980. These cities also have the smallest proportion of college graduates, with less than 10 percent of their residents having completed four years of college.

On the other hand, Minneapolis, Portland, San Diego, San Jose, and Seattle have the highest percentage of residents with high school diplomas, with 75 percent of their population possessing this qualification. In terms of college graduates, Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. have a higher concentration, with at least 25 percent of the population holding a degree in 1980.

Nationally, on average, 66.3 percent of U.S. residents aged 23 or older have obtained a high school diploma, while 16.3 percent have graduated from college.

The study’s findings reflect the job opportunities available in different areas of the country. William Simmons, the assistant director of Wayne State’s Michigan Metropolitan Information Center and director of the study, explained that certain areas, like auto factory towns, do not require a degree for employment. However, cities like San Jose, which focus on new technology occupations, require higher levels of education.

Wayne State’s president, David Adamany, who presented the study’s findings, expressed concern over the educational gap in cities like Detroit that are facing economic challenges. He highlighted that the abundance of high-paying factory jobs in Detroit historically discouraged residents from pursuing college or even high school diplomas. However, with the decline of such job opportunities, residents will be ill-prepared for positions that demand skills in mathematics, science, and analytical reading.

Simmons also suggested that lower education levels in older cities can be attributed to their older and poorer populations. Both demographics tend to have lower education levels compared to the national average.

Your mission is to rewrite the entire text using more refined language, ensuring its uniqueness and natural flow. All of the revised content should be in English.

Original Text:

"Researchers have discovered alarming statistics that reveal the detrimental effects of excessive screen time. Studies have found that extended periods of screen exposure can lead to various health issues such as vision problems, obesity, and sleep disturbances. This discovery has raised concerns among parents and healthcare professionals who urge individuals to limit screen usage. It is crucial to balance screen time with other activities to maintain a healthy lifestyle."

In the coming week, there is a possibility of a strike by hundreds of thousands of delivery drivers and warehouse workers across the country. This strike has the potential to disrupt important shipments for school districts as they prepare for the new school year. The Teamsters union, which represents UPS drivers in all 50 states, has set a deadline for an agreement with UPS regarding increased pay and improved safety measures. If an agreement is not reached by next week, all of these workers will go on strike, as previously authorized by 97 percent of the union’s members.

The impact on school districts is expected to be significant and problematic. As districts gear up for the new school year, the disruption caused by the strike could have ripple effects. Rick Gay, executive director of business services for the Fort Bend school district in Texas, mentioned that the supply chain is still recovering from the effects of COVID. With this strike, the situation is likely to worsen. August is usually the busiest month for purchasing school supplies, and any disruption to the supply chain could lead to delays and increased costs for essential items like paper, textbooks, and cleaning supplies.

Teachers, instructional aides, and bus drivers are no strangers to strikes over pay disputes. However, the UPS strike would be different as it would be the largest strike by a single company’s workers in US history. It would also be the first strike by UPS workers since 1997, before e-commerce became popular. While distributors may switch to other carriers like FedEx or USPS, these alternatives may become overburdened since UPS packages make up a significant portion of deliveries in the country. School districts heavily rely on UPS for their shipments, and if the strike disrupts this, it could cause significant issues for them.

District leaders have limited control over this situation, and it is a cause for concern. Vendors who are unprepared for a strike could slow down the entire delivery process. For example, the Parkrose school district in Oregon receives a significant portion of its shipments from UPS. Although the district tries to stockpile some items in advance, important items like toilet paper and paper towels cannot be stockpiled and could run out early in the school year if there is no regular delivery schedule.

It is unclear how exactly the strike will impact schools until it actually happens. The sudden disruption of shipments will undoubtedly create confusion and uncertainty in the process of procuring necessary materials for school buildings.

Your assignment is to rephrase the entire text using better vocabulary and optimizing natural language. The output should be in English. The text is as follows:

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Instructed to paraphrase the complete content by capitalizing on enhanced terminology and refining the usage of English language. The resulting text must maintain a natural flow and expression.

Massachusetts is moving forward with a plan to remove the mandatory time allocation for physical education classes, despite strong opposition from teachers. Currently, the state requires students in grades 1-10 to have 60 hours of physical education per year, and kindergartners to have 30 hours. The proposal to repeal these regulations was given preliminary approval by the state school board at a recent meeting. The board has allowed for a 60-day comment period before reaching a final decision.

During the meeting, Mimi Murray, a physical education professor at Springfield College, expressed her vehement objections to the proposal, stating that it would be detrimental to the children of the state. She emphasized the importance of physical education for children’s well-being. While most states mandate schools to offer physical education, the required amount of time varies. If the regulations are repealed, Massachusetts would rely on a state law that simply mandates an unspecified amount of physical education for all grades.

Education Commissioner Robert V. Antonucci, in defense of the proposal, argued that physical education is the only subject where the board dictates a specific number of instructional hours. He believes that these rules unnecessarily interfere with the autonomy of school districts. Antonucci clarified that he recognizes the significance of physical education and believes it should be taught in schools, but that it should be left to the discretion of local schools.

Various leaders of teachers’ unions and physical education advocates in the state predict that the removal of the regulations would lead many districts to reduce or eliminate physical education programs to save money, mirroring the cuts that have been made to art and music programs. Andrew Hescheles, advocacy chairman for the Massachusetts Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, expressed concerns that fitness programs would disappear, exacerbating childhood obesity and related health risks. Hescheles and others argued that reducing physical education to allocate more time for academics would be counterproductive.

Judith C. Young, executive director of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, noted that Massachusetts’ time requirements for physical education fall significantly short of the 30 minutes per day recommended by the organization. However, she suggested that repealing the requirements could create an opportunity for parents and teachers to advocate for the importance of a healthy lifestyle on a community level.

When the General Accounting Office attempted to verify the statistics provided by the Department of Labor regarding the effectiveness of its Job Corps program, it came across some careless work. For instance, a participant who had received clerical training and was allegedly working as a sales correspondent turned out to be sorting good and bad tomatoes on a conveyor belt. Similarly, an individual who was supposed to be operating a welding machine was actually just shuttling vehicles between airports. These exaggerated claims were just a few examples of questionable cases that the congressional investigative agency uncovered while examining job-placement statistics at five Job Corps centers.

In a report titled "Links With Labor Market Improved but Vocational Training Performance Overstated," which was delivered to Congress on November 4th, the GAO concludes, "Our work raises serious doubts about Labor’s assertions regarding the accomplishments of the Job Corps program." The Job Corps program provides vocational skills and basic education to around 60,000 underprivileged individuals aged 16 to 24 each year, while they reside at training centers. The program falls under the administration of the Labor Department as part of the Job Training Partnership Act and will have a budget of $1.4 billion in fiscal year 1999. For more information, the GAO report "Links With Labor Market Improved but Vocational Training Performance Overstated" is available from the General Accounting Office, with the first copy being free. Contact (202) 512-6000 and cite report number HEHS-99-15.

Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., the chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight’s human resources subcommittee, requested the GAO audit. It revealed that the Labor Department had exaggerated the percentage of Job Corps participants who successfully completed vocational-training programs. The department reported the figure to be 48 percent, while the GAO determined it to be 14 percent. This discrepancy arose because the department used the term "completer" to describe both participants who completed certain parts of their vocational training and those who completed all of it, according to the GAO.

Mary H. Silva, the national director for the Job Corps, acknowledged the need for increased oversight in reporting job-placement rates. In an interview, she mentioned, "It’s disheartening to see examples that are troubling, as discovered by the GAO, which we can’t take pride in."

Ms. Silva explained that reporting and monitoring have been problematic due to the complicated coding system for job titles. The Job Corps is currently in the process of implementing a new coding system. However, two experts who oversee youth programs believe that fixing the reporting issues may be more challenging than the Labor Department acknowledges. Andrew B. Hahn, a human services research professor and the associate dean for the Heller graduate school for social policy at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., suggested that the fact that Job Corps statistics are collected by private contractors can lead to distortions. He said, "It’s possible that these vendors are inflating their numbers to secure contracts." Eric C. Rodriguez, the senior policy analyst for the National Council of La Raza, a nonprofit advocacy organization for Hispanics, agreed, stating, "There are numerous external pressures on companies, providers, and states to demonstrate significant results from their programs."

While the GAO report criticizes the Job Corps, it also commends its efforts to enhance the connection between training centers and employers to make vocational training more applicable. The report notes that the Labor Department has agreed to clearly define "completer" in future publications.

Orenstein: One limitation is that the Pfizer vaccine has not yet been tested in young children, so we don’t have data on its effectiveness and safety in that age group. Additionally, the trials with older children have just started, so we don’t have complete information on how well the vaccine works in that population either. This means that even if the vaccine is approved and available, schools may still need to follow strict control measures and mitigation efforts until we have more information on its effectiveness in children.

Rohr-Allegrini: Another limitation is that the Pfizer vaccine is not 100 percent effective. While it has shown to be 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, there is still a possibility that some individuals who receive the vaccine may not be fully protected. Additionally, there may be individuals who are unable to receive the vaccine for medical reasons, leaving them at risk. This means that schools will need to continue implementing mitigation efforts like mask-wearing and physical distancing to reduce the risk of transmission until the majority of the population is vaccinated and community transmission is at a low level.

Orenstein: Furthermore, it’s important to note that the initial supply of the vaccine will be limited. This means that not everyone will have access to the vaccine right away, and there will be prioritization guidelines in place. While it’s possible that teachers and school employees may be given priority for vaccinations, it’s not yet clear where they will fall within the priorities. Frontline healthcare workers and elderly individuals are currently considered top priority. Therefore, schools may still need to operate with limited capacity until a larger supply of the vaccine becomes available and more individuals are vaccinated.

Rohr-Allegrini: Finally, the success of the vaccine in schools will also depend on the level of community transmission. Even if teachers and school employees are vaccinated, if community transmission rates are high, there will still be a risk of COVID-19 spread within schools. Therefore, schools should closely monitor the local transmission rates and make decisions about easing mitigation efforts based on that data. It’s important to remember that the vaccine, while a significant step forward, is not a standalone solution and should be used in conjunction with other control measures to effectively reduce transmission in schools.

How significant is the role of children’s vaccines in K-12 schools? Can the Pfizer vaccine have an impact on K-12 schools if it is only approved for use in adults?

Orenstein: It is crucial that both children and adults get vaccinated. It would be concerning if there was no vaccine available for children. We need to make sure it is accessible as soon as possible.

Rohr-Allegrini: Having a vaccine for adults is extremely important for schools because it provides more reassurance that the adults are protected. Teenagers are just as likely to spread the virus as adults. While the youngest children may not be as infectious or at as high risk, the overall risk is still lower.

What is the estimated timeline for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine for children?

Orenstein: [Laughs] I wish I had a crystal ball to give a definitive answer. My hope would be sometime in the middle or early next year, but it is uncertain. Children have not been included in most of the vaccine studies, but we are starting to gather that data now. It will take more time. It is important to have the data published in a peer-reviewed journal to address any concerns.

Rohr-Allegrini: The Pfizer vaccine has already begun testing in children as young as 12. I believe other vaccine manufacturers will also start their own trials soon. If this vaccine proves to be effective in children, it could be ready in around six months. However, it is unlikely to be ready for this school year due to the time required for production and gradual distribution.

Why is there a delay in developing a COVID-19 vaccine for children?

Rohr-Allegrini: I wouldn’t necessarily call it a delay, as vaccine development typically takes several years. The fact that we have a vaccine in less than a year is impressive and shows great progress. When developing a vaccine, we usually start with the population that is most at risk but relatively healthy because we don’t want to test it on individuals with other health complications. That is why testing begins with adults. Testing on children involves ethical considerations, as parents must give consent on behalf of their child, adding complexity to the process.

What are the most effective strategies for addressing vaccine hesitancy in communities?

Orenstein: We need to be honest, transparent, and demonstrate that we haven’t cut any corners in the development of the vaccine. We must provide the public with confidence that the effectiveness and safety data we present are accurate and reliable. It’s important to remember that vaccines only save lives when they are administered, not when they remain unused in vials.

How should school leaders handle vaccine hesitancy among teachers and staff?

Rohr-Allegrini: The messaging should incorporate enough scientific information to instill confidence in getting the vaccine. It is crucial to address any concerns and ensure that individuals do not feel coerced or fearful of getting vaccinated. School leaders do not need to be experts on vaccines, but they can rely on experts to craft their messaging. We are familiar with the common questions and know how to deliver sensitive and informative responses.

When you are writing an essay, you will often be asked to cite your sources. This means that you will need to include information about the book, article, or website you used to write your essay. Citing your sources correctly is important because it allows your readers to track down the sources you used and read them for themselves.

There are many different ways to cite sources, but the most common method is the MLA format. The MLA format is the standard format used by most schools and academic journals.

To cite an essay in a book using the MLA format, you will need to include the author’s name, the title of the essay, the name of the book, the editor of the book, the publisher of the book, and the year the book was published.

Here is an example of how to cite an essay in a book using the MLA format:

“The American Dream: A Myth” by James Truslow Adams. In The American Dream, edited by William D. Ross, New York: Oxford University Press, 1931.

In this example, the author’s name is James Truslow Adams, the title of the essay is “The American Dream: A Myth,” the name of the book is The American Dream, the editor of the book is William D. Ross, the publisher of the book is Oxford University Press, and the year the book was published is 1931.

Mastering the art of citation, especially details like How To Cite An Essay In A Book MLA, is crucial for academic writing. However, not everyone finds it easy to navigate the intricate guidelines of referencing. For those moments when you feel overwhelmed, or simply desire an expert touch, there’s an essay helper available. This service can guide you through the maze of MLA citations, ensuring your work is polished and academically sound. By leveraging such expert assistance, you can elevate your essays and confidently present your findings with the right citations.

Understanding In-Text Citations and Works Cited

InText Citations

In order to give credit to the sources of information that you use in your essay, you must include in-text citations. InText citations are brief, in-line references that include the author’s last name and the page number on which the information is found.

There are two main types of in-text citations:

1. Quotations: If you quote from a source, you must include the author’s name and the page number in parentheses after the quote.

“In order to give credit to the sources of information that you use in your essay, you must include in-text citations.” (Kerns 3)

2. Paraphrasing: If you paraphrase information from a source, you must include the author’s name and the page number in parentheses after the paraphrase.

Kerns argues that in order to give credit to the sources of information used in an essay, in-text citations are necessary. (3)

Citing a Single Essay Author

When you are citing an essay written by a single author, place the author’s name in parentheses after the essay’s title. Follow the author’s name with the page number on which the essay appears.

For example:

(Smith 123)

Citing Multiple Essay Authors

When you are writing an essay, it is important to properly cite all of the sources that you use. This includes books, articles, interviews, and any other type of source. When you are citing an essay that is included in a book, there are a few things that you need to know.

The first thing to know is how to format the citation. The citation for an essay that is included in a book should follow the format for a book citation. The second thing to know is which information to include. The following information should be included in the citation:

The name of the author of the essay
The name of the author of the book
The name of the editor of the book
The title of the book
The place of publication
The date of publication

Here is an example of a citation for an essay that is included in a book:

Wendy Brown. “Liberalism’s Unfinished Business.” In The New York Times Book Review, December 7, 2003, pp. 1-2.

In this example, the author of the essay is Wendy Brown and the author of the book is The New York Times Book Review. The editor of the book is not listed. The title of the book is The New York Times Book Review and the place of publication is listed as New York. The date of publication is December 7, 2003.

Citing Essays with Editors or Compilers

When citing an essay in a book that has been edited or compiled, include the name of the editor(s) or compiler(s) in the parentheses after the title of the essay. If the book has more than one editor or compiler, list them in the order they appear in the book.

If the essay is reprinted from another source, include the original publication information in the parentheses after the title of the essay.

Here is an example of how to cite an essay in a book:

“The American Revolution: A Timeline” (compiled by John Smith and Jane Doe)

“The American Revolution: A Timeline” (reprinted from The New York Times, January 1, 1990)

Formatting Page Numbers and Title of the Essay

When you are citing an essay in a book, you include the author’s name, the title of the essay, the name of the book, the editor of the book, the publication date of the book, and the page numbers of the essay.

Here is an example:

In “Living the Writer’s Life” by Anne Lamott, Lamott shares her thoughts on the writing process (15-28).

Notice that the author’s name is included first, followed by the title of the essay. After that, you include the name of the book, the editor of the book, the publication date of the book, and the page numbers of the essay.

Clarifying Parenthetical Citations for Book Essays

When you are writing a paper, you will often need to include the title of a book along with the name of the author. In order to indicate that you are referring to a specific passage in the book, you will need to include a parenthetical citation.

There are different ways to format parenthetical citations for book essays, but the most common is to include the author’s last name and the page number where the quote or reference can be found. For example: (Smith 123)

If you are referring to a specific paragraph or line within a quoted passage, you should include the line number as well. For example: (Smith 123, lines 5-7)

Ensuring Consistency and Accuracy in MLA Citations

When citing an essay in a book, ensure that you are consistent and accurate in your citations by using the MLA format. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In the text of your essay, include the author’s name and the page number where the essay appears.

For example, “According to Smith, ‘the benefits of early childhood education are great’ (15).”

2. In the “Works Cited” section at the end of your essay, include the author’s name, the title of the essay, the name of the book, the editor of the book, the publisher of the book, and the year of publication.

For example:

Smith, John. “The Benefits of Early Childhood Education.” In The Benefits of Early Childhood Education, edited by Jane Doe, 15-30. New York: Pearson, 2015.

Fifteen-year-old Charlie Illsley causes the parents of Woodlands academy to burst into tears, as he explains the impact that the school’s closure after 62 years has had on him. During a recent meeting, parents conveyed their despair to the Education Guardian. The meeting, held close to the Coventry-based academy, was a chance for them to share their sadness.

Charlie has a family connection with the school and says, “It’s the history that is going with this school. I was walking to school and an old man asked me which house I was in at Woodlands, as he went there. As a student going through this, it’s been bloody difficult.”

Arran Pallan was one of the last students to receive their A-level results from the school last week and felt sad the school would no longer exist. “I arrived here in year 7 thinking I would not get five GCSEs. I have 14.”

The closure of Woodlands, which occupies extensive grounds and has a respected reputation for sports, is a reflection of wider changes affecting English schools resulting from policies encouraging free schools and academies. The school’s parents and students believe it was unnecessarily forced into closure because the government believed the closure would cause parents to seek alternative schools, which is good for education, even if it resulted in closure.

The parents contend that over three new free schools were opened despite millions of pounds being spent, possibly enabling Woodlands to remain open.

Although Woodlands survived as a single-sex school, it will move its boys to Tile Hill Wood school to be co-educated with girls from September. From September 2017, a new Coventry West academy will emerge, providing education for both boys and girls in the Tile Hill Wood site.

Founded in 1954, Woodlands is one of England’s original twenty comprehensive schools. The late Brian Simon’s book, Education and the Social Order: British Education since 1944, highlights their headmaster’s move away from academic streaming to mixed-ability teaching in 1965. Woodlands had a traditional approach which included prefects and a mentor system. The school was successful in sporting events, notably rugby.

The transition to an academy in 2011 was a source of controversy but in 2013, it fell below the expected level and below government floor targets in 2015- sixth-form provision was never introduced.

Parents flagged their unhappiness with the way they had been informed in March. The announcement of the school’s closure was relayed to them through social media once admission letters had been sent, intensifying their anguish.

Concerns amounted due to the new free schools opening in 2014. Seva, a Sikh-ethos school and Eden, a Muslim secondary school, had overburden Tile Hill Wood. These developments led to Tile Hill Wood to want Woodlands to merge with it.

Coventry’s Woodlands School is set for closure after nearby schools have taken on extra pupils, which has led to reduced numbers at the all-boys academy. This is not an isolated case, as educationalists increasingly recognise. In a recent survey by the Local Government Association, councils reported that 92 local schools could face a similar fate within three years, with more than half closing because of the expansion of competitors. Suzanne Gaut, whose boys attended Woodlands, and other local parents are incensed that their chosen academy has come to a sorry end, with letters in protest to former education secretary Nicky Morgan and free schools minister Lord Nash going unanswered. Ultimately, the closure of any school – and the detrimental impact on the lives of pupils and teachers – highlights the wider debate surrounding the rationalisation of education facilities, and a growing belief that schools are becoming subject to the “marketisation” of education, rather than as core functions of the community.

The concluding statement states that this tour guide is a heartfelt tribute to the numerous students and faculty members who have been a part of this remarkable institution since the year 1954. It is a fitting way to pay homage to the past achievements and to mourn the loss of such prospects for the upcoming generations of Woodlands boys. Unfortunate as it may be, the absence of such opportunities implies that there will be no more memories to cherish in the future.

A potential appointment of a multimillionaire Tory party donor, David Ross, as the Chair of Ofsted has caused concerns about its politicisation. This position had been previously held by Labour peer Sally Morgan. David Ross, who co-founded Carphone Warehouse and supports over 20 academy schools through his charitable foundation, is a serious contender for the Ofsted role. His estimated fortune of £800m at its peak has allowed him to donate hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Conservative Party, and he has continued his support by hosting shooting parties at his country estate where former News International CEO Rebekah Brooks was a guest in 2011. Other contenders for the position include Theodore Agnew, another Tory party donor and academy chain founder.

David Ross is known to have a complex personal history, including brushes with the law over financial dealings and prostitution, which may make his involvement in the government’s education policies politically controversial. Although he resigned as the London Mayor’s representative on the 2012 Olympic Games’ organising committee after being caught using shares from Carphone Warehouse as security for personal loans, his David Ross Education Trust continues to have a long-standing interest in education. The Trust currently sponsors more than 20 academy schools and was even asked by the Department for Education to take over Charnwood College, Loughborough’s largest school after it was placed in special measures by Ofsted.

With the appointment process for the Ofsted job still ongoing, its regulator has faced criticism in the past year for its inspection processes and alleged political agenda. Some on the Conservative right argue that Ofsted has been too critical of newly established free schools with some even suggesting that these schools should have a longer grace period or have separate inspection teams like those that cover private schools. Sir Michael Wilshaw, Ofsted’s chief inspector, has had a tough time due to such criticism, which has highlighted the need for a new Chair who can balance the political interests of the government without undermining the authority and independence of the regulator.

As an AI language model, my objective is to paraphrase the given text in a more readable and authentic format while maintaining its original context. Here’s my attempt:

My task is to rephrase the entirety of the text using enhanced vocabulary and distinct phraseology to ensure its uniqueness and naturalness in language. The primary purpose of this endeavor is to provide a more comprehensible and genuine version of the given text without compromising its intended meaning and message.

In light of increased tuition fees, budget cuts, and denied unionization rights, graduate workers in the American higher education system are rallying together. The coronavirus pandemic has forced college and university administrations to make difficult decisions, including a decline in staff and faculty positions due to the decrease in student enrollment and public funding.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, enrollment of postsecondary students at institutions fell by 2.5% compared to 2019. Public two-year institutions experienced a significant drop in undergraduate freshman enrollment, contributing to the decrease.

In addition, US universities and colleges saw a decline of more than 188,000 employees between February and November 2020. Graduate workers at the University of New Mexico have been fighting the administration’s attempts to prevent them from organizing unions. The school administration argued that graduate workers are not workers, hence they do not have the right to unionize.

Ramona Malczynski, a graduate worker in geography and environmental studies and a union organizer expressed that they face adverse working conditions such as being overworked without proper compensation, inadequate healthcare benefits with no dental or vision coverage, and no protection against discrimination.

Despite announcing their intent to unionize in October and securing the majority of signed union authorization cards by December, the University of New Mexico declined to acknowledge the union’s existence. A university spokesperson stated that whether graduate students are eligible to unionize is subject to an undecided legal question.

Furthermore, budget cuts have resulted in layoffs of workers in various departments. Marquette University in Wisconsin laid off 39 employees in January, while Ithaca College in New York is cutting 116 non-tenure faculty positions within a year. Faculty, students, and alumni have held protests against the cuts and firings, requesting transparency and a more collaborative approach to finding alternative solutions.

Juan Arroyo, a politics professor at Ithaca College for 20 years, is expected to lose his position when his current contract expires. He expressed concern about his future plans, stating that issues such as social security and Medicare have become a priority.

In response to the cuts, the college administrations stated the need to align academic offerings with student interest and institutional need.

University students and staff members are currently organizing protests against the excessively high tuition fees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several universities, such as Georgetown and Williams College, have already lowered their tuition and fees as most student activities are cancelled, and many classes are conducted online. In response, graduate workers at the University of Chicago have organized a pledge to refuse payment of student fees, which currently amount to $416 per quarter. They have cited the reduced services for students due to the pandemic, as well as the high cost of the fee, as the reasons behind their decision. Over 600 graduate workers and students have already signed the pledge.

Laura Colaneri, a graduate worker in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies, stated that these issues have been ongoing for a long time and the pandemic has only brought them to the forefront. The tuition fees and other associated costs have been increasing continuously.

A University of Chicago spokesperson said that the student services fee provides access to many critical services. However, no comment was made as to how many services have been halted or limited due to the pandemic.

Over 1,000 students at Columbia University are currently withholding their spring semester tuition in protest. They are demanding a 10% cut in tuition fees and a 10% increment in financial aid. According to Becca Roskill, one of the organizers of the strike, this protest aims to counterbalance the idea that administrators should make financial decisions independently. The resources involved are associated with teaching by faculty and tuition fees from students.

Without any financial aid, tuition fees for undergraduate studies at Columbia University top $80,000 every year. The movement demanding a decrease in funding of campus police, divestment of school funds from fossil fuels, improvement of working conditions for both graduate and undergraduate workers, and transparency in university investments. Moreover, participants of the protest claim that the university has already imposed $150 in late fees for unpaid tuition.

Roskill stated that collective strength is the best safeguard against such measures. The strikers are determined to continue protesting, and strikers are also providing aid to anyone struggling to pay late fees. A representative of Columbia University hopes for an active discussion with the protestors on how to strengthen the university.