Holistic Admission Policies Has Positive Impact on Class Diversity, Student Success Across Health Disciplines

A new national study finds that health professions schools report an overall positive impact from the use of holistic review – a university admissions process that assesses an applicant’s unique experiences alongside traditional measures of academic achievement such as grades and test scores. The report, Holistic Admissions in the Health Profession, was released today during a panel discussion at the National Press Club.  The report is the first large-scale study to examine the prevalence and effectiveness of holistic review across multiple health disciplines at universities nationwide.

(From L to R) M. Roy Wilson, President, Wayne State University; Marc Nivet, Chief Diversity Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC);  Greer Glazer, Co-Principal Investigator, Associate Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati; Yvonne Maddox, Acting Director, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD); Darrell G. Kirch, President and CEO, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); and Neil D. Theobald, President, Temple University.                

APLU's Jim Woodell Discusses State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) Conference

The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) is an organization serving those involved in technology-based economic development (often called “T-BED”), including universities, state and local economic development organizations, and venture development organizations. The organization’s annual conference was held September 14 – 16 in Chicago, with the theme “Regional Prosperity Through Innovation.” The meeting provided a fantastic opportunity to see old friends and colleagues and to meet new ones.

On September 15, I had the great pleasure of moderating a panel on “New Approaches to Commercialization.” The session featured Rick Huebsch from University of Minnesota, who talked about UMN’s new “Minnesota Create” and “Minnesota Try and Buy” programs which simplify the technology licensing process for industry partners.

We went to Chicago’s 1871 incubator and co-working space for a reception. APLU member University of Illinois has a presence at 1871 and other universities are also engaged, engaging students in startup opportunities.

Also on the panel was Wiley Larsen, who presented ASU’s Furnace Technology Transfer Accelerator, which licenses university technologies to entrepreneurs and helps get their startups going. The UMN and ASU programs are going a long way toward helping to accelerate innovation and simplify what can sometimes be a too-cumbersome process of getting university discoveries to market.

Before leaving Chicago, I had a great lunch at Chicago landmark Harry Caray’s with colleagues from Washington State University, including Assistant Director of Economic Development Alexis Holzer.

AACC, AASCU, AND APLU Announce Post-Collegiate Outcomes Initiative

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in partnership with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), will collectively develop a strategic framework to guide discussion and the creation of measurement tools for reporting student outcomes after college completion. This Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded initiative will create a framework that will enable colleges and universities, policymakers, and the public to better understand and talk about post-collegiate outcomes in areas such as economic well-being, ongoing personal development, and social and civic engagement. The development of a framework is an important first step toward the creation of metrics and data elements institutions may be able to report on in the future. 

“Most post-collegiate outcome studies have focused solely on areas where data are more readily available, such as economic success metrics related to employment and wages. These outcomes are important, but they are just one part of how we should measure success,” APLU President Peter McPherson said. “This comprehensive framework will also tell us how a college education enhances a person’s capacity to continue learning and increases their involvement within community organizations and charities.”

APLU by the Numbers: $41B

 

 

APLU member institutions are leaders of groundbreaking research in key areas such as the sciences, agriculture and humanities. Learn more about the work of our members at our website.