Student smokers and nonsmokers reportedly organized demonstrations against the ban on at least three campuses. Now there seems to be general compliance. Two state system unions filed unfair practice charges. PASSHE officials were scheduled to meet with union representatives, but Marshall says there is no intent to change it.
The American Lung Association’s “Big Tobacco on Campus: Ending the Addiction” report (www.lungusa.org) finds more than 130 higher ed institutions across the country have smoke-free campus policies. —Michele Herrmann
People Watch
Bloom Picked to Lead Future NYU Abu Dhabi
ALFRED H. BLOOM IS ALREADY AT WORK WITH HIS FUTURE JOB—leading New York University, Abu Dhabi—while carrying out his current post. President at Swarthmore College (Pa.) since 1991, Bloom will start as vice chancellor of NYU’s new campus in the United Arab Emirates no later than August 2009. Presently he is a consultant to the project, while completing his last term at Swarthmore. When finished at Swarthmore, he will oversee academic and operational matters at the Middle Eastern site.
Why Bloom for an NYU campus in the UAE? Reflecting on Swarthmore’s growth under Bloom’s watch, NYU President John Sexton cites an improvement in academic programs, expanded financial aid, better diversity, and impressive building projects at the institution. In a statement, he referred to Bloom as “accomplished, wise, and discerning.”
With its first students arriving in fall 2010, NYU Abu Dhabi is expected with its New York counterpart to form the backbone for a “global network university” that lets faculty and students from either campus spend semesters at one or more of NYU’s study abroad sites on five continents. NYU Abu Dhabi will operate as a liberal arts college, providing graduate programs and acting as a world center for advanced research and scholarship.
Bloom knows to expect some challenges, but he sees the possibilities—advancing education’s part in promoting a shared pursuit of knowledge and global understanding, which eventually will lead to a world built on common ground. In a release, he said, “This is a crucial next step for higher education.” —M.H.
Educating a Special Population
THE HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACT WILL give more young adults with intellectual disabilities the chance to attend college, with better access to work study jobs and federal grants. For their part, higher ed institutions are already offering programs for these special groups. More than 120 programs are offered at two- and four-year IHEs to help these students become productive citizens, according to www.thinkcollege.net.
George Mason University (Va.) made early strides in this area with the Mason LIFE Program, now in its seventh year. Students with intellectual and emotional disabilities who had siblings in college wanted a chance to go, says Heidi Graff, program director. Today the four-year program has 24 students, whose conditions vary from mild autism and Down syndrome to cerebral palsy. Over four years, the program’s curriculum prioritizes fundamentals in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
In January, Clemson University (S.C.) will launch ClemsonLIFE, a two-year program. Three students will participate in the pilot semester, with six more accepted each fall after that. Future students will live in four-bedroom apartments with an RA who will assess and develop their independent living skills. Job training is also key. Students with cognitive disabilities often are stressed in new situations, says program manager Sharon Sanders. Training to make them feel competent helps them relax and perform well on the job.
The University of South Carolina began its program this fall, while Coastal Carolina University, also in South Carolina, will start a program next year. —M.H.
Focus on Women Faculty in Science
“HALF THE PHDS IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ARE WOMEN, but they aren’t going into faculty jobs,” says Joan Herbers, professor of evolution, ecology, and organismal biology at Ohio State University. Ohio State was one of nine institutions to receive a National Science Foundation grant to help make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics more welcoming for female faculty. Efforts such as peer mentoring, entrepreneurship training, and workshops for deans and senior faculty will be put in place in four of Ohio State’s 18 colleges. An HR office liaison will bring research findings to other academic areas. “The goal is to come to grips with the way our shared governance system has created different department cultures,” says Herbers, the principal investigator for the grant. “We have to get departments to understand what their culture is, that they have a culture, and that some of their practices get in the way of faculty success.” —Ann McClure
