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The article reports that Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard University, has resigned. Summers cited his accomplishments during his five years as president, including making Harvard more accessible to undergraduates from low-income families and extending its reach in science and technology. In January 2005, Summers outraged professors when he publicly posited that perhaps relatively few women worked in science and mathematics because women lack the innate ability to achieve in those fields. The remarks prompted the Faculty of Arts and Sciences to pass an unprecedented no-confidence vote in his leadership. Professors in Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences pass a vote of no confidence in Summers by a vote of 218 to 185, with 18 abstentions.

The article focuses on the condition of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was affected by Hurricane Katrina that forced it to cancel fall semester in the previous year. Nearly 90 percent of its 6,400 undergraduates returned to the university when it reopened in January 2006. There are several obstacles to the full recovery of the university. Despite a record 21,000 applications for this fall's freshman class, the university may end up falling some 200 short of its enrollment goal of 1,400 new students, which was already nearly 300 smaller than previous year's freshman class. Although most faculty members support the restructuring plan, some of those whose jobs are being eliminated are fighting it. Tulane's campus and its surrounding neighborhood are functioning again, but one third of the New Orleans is still deserted. The city is in varying stages of recovery. Changing the perception that the city is largely uninhabitable is especially important for Tulane, which draws about 80 percent of its students from outside Louisiana.

The traditional faculty office, tucked away in a different building, doesn't lend itself to casual conversation after class. But there are spaces that do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author argues that U.S. higher education needs to adapt in order to offer online and hybrid classes that will meet the academic and financial needs of students. It is said that consensus between college administrators and faculty members is needed, along with more research on the effectiveness of online college classes.

Discusses the involvement of college students in the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. Participation of former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in the convention; Designation of former national campaign manager Joe Trippi as a member at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in Massachusetts; Objective of political scientists in attending political conventions. INSET: Colleges on Notice: Helping to Register Voters Is the Law.

Reports on the proposal of U.S. President George W. Bush to put a time limit on the length students may use Pell Grants to support a proposed program that would give low-income students grants to study mathematics or science in college. Effect of restricting the period over which a student can receive a Pell Grant on non-traditional students; Comments regarding the proposal; Additional amount students will receive from the new program.

Reports on a proposal that requires U.S. universities and colleges to charge wealthy students more in tuition, as of September 2003. Highlights of an analysis of the proposal; Concerns raised by universities regarding the policy; Impact on the student-aid system.

Reports on the failure of California to provide enough Cal Grant funds to eligible students. Impact posed to colleges of the decline in the number of recipients; Background on the funds; Details on the publicity efforts undertaken by state officials.

Focuses on the efforts of United States college leaders and lawmakers to urge more students to graduate in four years' time. Reasons for the reluctance of students to graduate on schedule; Concerns of educators over the issue; Discussion on a difference between students from public and private institutions.

Reports on a policy at California State University in Long Beach, California, to require students who need remedial help to complete those courses by the end of their sophomore year or leave the school. What the college is doing to reduce the number of freshmen who need remediation; The suggestion that students who need remediation should attend two-year colleges.

The article offers information on a new tool launched by social networking site, LinkedIn which helps college students to choose colleges and career.

The article discusses the 2008 U.S. presidential debates between senators Barack Obama and John McCain. The article mentions the absence of higher education issues in the debates. The article mentions education quality, the study of mathematics and science, Bob Schieffer, who was a moderator of the debates, and student loan programs. The article also mentions the National Education Writers Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, study abroad programs, the youth vote, and K-12 education issues and policy.

This article reports that a presidential panel proposed a vast overhaul of the U.S. federal tax system. It includes recommendations to eliminate the Hope and Lifetime Learning credits of U.S. President Bill Clinton's era as well as tax-free tuition benefits given by employers. The provisions of interest to colleges are likely to get buried in the political debate over other proposals, in particular a plan to limit the deduction of interest paid on home mortgages. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow called the 272-page report listing the nine-member advisory panel's recommendations a starting place, but he did not indicate what proposals the administration might pursue. Among the recommendations affecting higher-education institutions and college students is a proposal to allow all taxpayers, and not just people who itemize their federal income-tax returns, to write off charitable gifts.

This article reports that Tulane University and Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, have announced reopening plans for the spring. The plans include two semesters between January 2006 and the end of June 2006 for undergraduates at Tulane. Tulane has offered to provide space for two other local institutions damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Tulane's president, Scott S. Cowen said that the biggest challenge to getting the university up and running again is to find enough housing for displaced faculty and staff members, as well as students who live off the campus.

Reports on the identification of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and the Earth Liberation Front as domestic-terrorism threats at universities in the U.S. Impact of vandalism caused by the organizations on college campuses; Tactics of the groups in recruiting members; Damage caused by an ALF-led attack on a research laboratory at the University of Iowa.

Presents information on the Philadelphian Urban Seminar, a two-week seminar being held in inner-city settings in Pennsylvania, and being attended by students pursuing a career in education. Lessons learned by education majors in Willard Elementary; Scenes that surprised college students during their seminar; Goal of the two-week program.

Reports that Pennsylvania's state-university system has decided to scrap the plans to automatically admit the top 15 percent of every highschool graduating class in the state. Admission system to replace the top 15 plan of the university system; Reasons behind the decision of the university system; Universities under the Pennsylvania university system.

Offers a look at some of those who attended the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. College students who volunteered at the convention; Increase in the amount of Republican college students; Use of the convention by academics and politicians as an outlet for discussions on public policy.

Traces the causes of the dwindling funds for New Mexico's lottery-financed scholarship program for college students. Decline in the sales of lottery tickets; Higher-than-expected tuition increases; Proposed changes in the program.

Offers news briefs related to higher education in the United States as of November 19, 1999. Promise from Vermont Governor Howard Dean for a budget increase for public colleges; Request from Dean L. Hubbard, president of Northwest Missouri State University, that school administrators attend a fundraising event for Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan; Protest from John Mark Huckabee, son of Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, against a University of Arkansas policy that limits political activity on campus.

Reports that students rallied to support affirmative-action programs at various universities in 1998. Low turnout for the event titled `National Days of Action to Defend Affirmative Action'; Largest rally held at the University of California at Berkeley; Comments from Bob Jensen, professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Reports that two University of Wyoming employees are immune from a lawsuit over the suicide of a student in 1993. Details of the suit; Identity of the two employees; Excerpt from the ruling.

Focuses on the efforts of victims of campus crime and their families to convince a Senate panel to pass a bill that would require colleges to report on more types of crime on their campuses. Conviction of college officials that the proposed law would do little to reduce crime on campuses; Testimony from crime victims.

Focuses on the removal of two football players from a classroom at the Indiana University. The professor's complaint that they were disruptive and that she feared for her life; Details of the incidents and formal complaint.

Focuses on the investigation of an athlete's eligibility to play football at the University of Pennsylvania. The issue of granting credit for an independent study course that was necessary for the student to remain eligible for competition; Details of the maneuver by the athletics department that some faculty members called sleazy and an academic cover.

Focuses on the results of a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which indicates that college students are engaging in behavior that places them at risk of serious health problems. Alcohol consumption; The smoking of cigarettes and marijuana; Students not using condoms when having sexual intercourse; Students being overweight; Why the results did not surprise some college officials.