The University of Texas System’s Post

Today is the birthday of Norman Borlaug, fellow Iowan, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, The Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His pioneering work in agriculture is said to have saved as many as a billion people from starvation. It is also Test-Optional College Admission Day. Those two things are connected. When Borlaug graduated from Cresco High School in the early 1930's, it's unlikely that parents were pushing their children to apply to the Ivy Leagues. If you read my blog on the history of college attainment in the US, it's unlikely many students were even applying to the University of Iowa, or Grinnell, or even to Luther College, right down the road. And they certainly were not offering prep classes for college admission exams. In fact, it's unlikely that any of the courses were designated "college prep." So, when he applied to the University of Minnesota, he failed the entrance exam. It probably wasn't because of a lack of intelligence, or native ability. It was almost certainly due to a lack of opportunity. And, of course, he found a way around that obstacle. As we so often say, "Talent is everywhere; opportunity is not." As the SAT makes a mild rally in the college admission landscape, and as places like Dartmouth, Brown, Yale, and MIT make a lot of claims about the value of standardized tests (including that they cannot find first-generation, low-income, and/or under-represented minority students with a standardized test), remember Norman Borlaug. Think of the people who are alive today because of him. And think of the thousands of talented students who were held back by an admission exam. Then consider the absurdity of one test to measure something among millions of students from almost 40,000 high schools, with almost that many different curricular approaches, taught by hundreds of thousands of teachers. And join me in wishing Norman Borlaug a happy birthday.

This is the way forward. We have to start focusing on academic excellence at all levels and need a better in-state and out-of-state recruitment plan. Focus on #AAU and #BigTenAcademicAlliance

What Happens When a College Dies? Birmingham-Southern College will soon be closing its doors for the last time, and as that day approaches, the college's alumni, faculty, staff and other stakeholders are grappling with what its demise means for each of them and how they move forward from here. Unfortunately, the constituents of several other colleges and universities are facing the same questions this year--and undoubtedly numerous other institutions will be confronting those questions during the balance of this decade. Since January 2024 alone, at least 16 institutions have announced they are merging with larger universities or ceasing operations, including Pennsylvania's Cabrini College, Salus University and Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences; New York's Wells College, Medaille College, and College of St. Rose; and Goddard College in Vermont. It is clear that the list will continue to grow. #collegeclosures #collegesanduniversities #highereducation #highered #privatecolleges #higheredleadership #higheredfinances #alumni #covidimpacts

The Flagship has to drive this conversation. Anything less won’t work, and Academics has to be prioritized. Bring back the university seal trapped in the system office, drop the N, and lead with research and teaching excellence. Ask the faculty who have been here how to set us on the right path. This starts by focusing on the R1 faculty.

Do you have the right incentives in place to encourage the culture & behaviour your institution needs? Or have you just been getting lucky that people go above and beyond? It is so important that we take the time to celebrate the tireless student success champions among us. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Other campuses should take note: who has provided critical internal leadership but never been appreciated publicly? Take a page from Virginia Commonwealth University leadership (Fotis Sotiropoulos & Michael Rao) and make intentional steps to recognize people going above and beyond so you continue to build the culture your students need.

"The Robert J. Trulaske Sr., College of Business held its spring 2024 commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 12, at Mizzou Arena. Students receiving master’s degrees from the college were recognized during the MU Graduate School ceremony on the same day at Jesse Auditorium. In total, the graduating class included nearly 900 students. This semester’s commencement ceremony also included the presentation of an honorary doctorate degree to longtime University of Missouri supporter Don Walsworth, chief executive officer of Walsworth in Marceline, Missouri, and 1957 graduate of Mizzou." Visit the link below to read further and learn more! #MIZ #Commencement #MizzouMade #Graduation

The University of Denver (DU) with a 4D Focus on Holistic Development This beautiful urban campus with a unique quarter system, attracts students from afar.  Over 70% of University of Denver students come from outside of Colorado state to study at this private university located 15 minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown Denver and only an hour’s drive to the mountains. They have over 200 programs of study but the personalization of a 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 21.  DU is an R1, top-tier research institution which actually has more graduate students than undergrads (approximately 7,500 and 6,000 respectively) providing for many collaborations. I was very interested to learn about their Four-Dimensional Experience program in which they help students focus on asking tough questions, working collaboratively, and taking risks, in order to make a lasting impact on bettering their communities. The four pillars to focus on include, advancing intellectual growth, pursuing careers and lives of purpose, promoting well-being, and exploring character. A fun fact that a professor on campus shared with me: The academic quarter system came about when Denver was chosen to host the 1976 Winter Olympics and some of DU buildings were to be athletes’ housing - so the faculty voted to move to a new academic calendar of quarters which would free up the campus for the Olympics.  Later when Colorado voters rejected funding in a statewide referendum and Denver became the first (and only) city awarded the Winter Games to reject them, the DU professors had already seen the benefits of the new quarterly schedule for students, so they have voted to keep this schedule ever since. For high school students who are looking ahead and learning about college options, now is the time to start getting out on campus tours.  DU has weekday visit opportunities all throughout the spring.  Their admission is competitive, they offer stackable merit scholarships, and recently began offering an additional $5,000 scholarship to all students admitted by Early Decision. There are many colleges and universities available to students, depending on their interests and career goals.  Confident College Planning can help families uncover a variety of new options you may not have heard of and guide you all throughout the application process.  Contact me at nancy@confidentcollegeplanning.com for assistance – I would love to help you on your college planning journey! #collegeadmissions #highereducation #collegeplanning https://lnkd.in/dC6Yb9ws

UC San Diego Named Nation’s 6th Best Public University by U.S. News & World Report UC San Diego has once again been named the sixth best public university in the country, according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released today. Overall, UC San Diego ranked No. 29 on the complete list of over 400 of the nation’s colleges.

❓ The $1,000 question: What is one invention you wish existed today? Your answer to this question could win you a $1,000 scholarship as part of this year's Lisa J. Stubbs Scholarship Contest. Deadline to enter is May 24. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/dji9Wh9 and tag your favorite college student!

When we think about the University of Washington and its impact, we often envision its contributions to our state's economy, healthcare, and workforce. These are undoubtedly vital to our community's prosperity. However, it’s the personal stories that truly highlight the value of higher education. Learn more about inspiring members of the Husky community and how UW transformed their lives as first-generation college students.   https://lnkd.in/gXRfyg7B  #UWHuskies #HigherEd #FirstGenSuccess