University of California, Berkeley. Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE), Steven Brint, and Komi Frey
Abstract
In this essay, we explore the consequences of the University of California's policies to address racial disparities and its support for social justice activism as influences on its commitment to academic freedom and other intellectual values. This is a story of the interaction between two essential public university missions -- one civic, the other intellectual -- and the slow effacement of one by the other. The University's expressed commitments to academic freedom and the culture of rationalism have not been abandoned, but they are too often considered secondary or when confronted by new administrative initiatives and social movement activism related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The experimental use of mandatory DEI statements on a number of the ten UC campuses, within willing academic departments, as initial screening mechanisms in faculty hiring is the most dramatic of the new administrative policies that have been put into place to advance faculty diversity. This policy can be considered the most problematic of a series of efforts that the UC campuses and the UC Office of the President have taken for more than a decade to prioritize representation in academic appointments. Our intent is to encourage a discussion of these policies within UC in light of the University's fundamental commitments to open intellectual inquiry, the discovery and dissemination of a wide range of new knowledge, and a culture of rationalism.
Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research and Cara Candal
Abstract
In 1993, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts dramatically overhauled its K-12 education system and created a new school finance formula, building an educational accountability structure to ensure every child has access to a high-quality education. The Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) established academic standards in core subjects, mandated assessments to measure student outcomes on those standards, and established a system for holding schools accountable when students failed to meet basic expectations. This system has helped Massachusetts' public schools become the highest performing in the country. Student outcomes in all tested subjects and across demographic groups have improved steadily over time, but disparities in achievement and attainment exist between the Commonwealth's most privileged students and their less privileged counterparts, many of whom are black or Hispanic. Without the MERA and its requirement to assess every student and publish aggregate academic outcomes, policymakers may not understand the extent of disparity or how to address it as student outcomes data are integral to understanding where Massachusetts' public schools have been, where they are going, and how they can get there. This paper illustrates the importance of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act and how it has positively impacted students over time. It explains why the current accountability system evolved as it did and why preserving the most important aspects of that system is critical if the state is going to fulfill its constitutional obligation to educate all children to a high common standard.
In this position paper, the authors lay out the imperative for equitable artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting the essential role of access-oriented institutions and calling on technology companies (both large and small), foundations, and local, state, and federal regulators to consult with the newly convened Complete College America Council on Equitable AI in Higher Education. Their belief is that equitable AI spans far beyond the risk of mis-trained data. How schools adopt or reject these tools, the priorities of AI vendors, access to resources that enable the use of these tools, and the systemic integration of historically underrepresented and underserved voices will shape whether technology amplifies privilege or fosters inclusivity. A three-fold framework is presented for understanding Equity in AI, considering not just the quality and unbiased nature of the data used to train generative AI machines but also who has access to conversations around policy and product, as well as which institutions have access to the resources and safety nets that enable innovation and experimentation in the field of AI. A disruptive new advisory council is proposed, the Complete College America Council on Equitable AI in Higher Education, composed of representatives from historically excluded institutions and, by extension, students. The authors urge policymakers, technologists, and funders to proactively consult the Council and disrupt systemic inequities by integrating AI into higher education rather than continue to perpetuate them. [This paper was created in partnership with T3 Advisory.]
National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) at American Institutes for Research (AIR), James Cowan, Dan Goldhaber, and Suvekshya Gautam
Abstract
Correctional education is a prevalent form of rehabilitation programming for prisoners in the United States. There is limited evidence, however, about the labor market returns to credentials received while incarcerated. Using incarceration, educational, and labor market data in Washington State, we study the labor market returns to GEDs and short-term vocational certificates earned in prison. We identify the returns to credentials by a difference-indifferences design that compares changes in earnings and employment for incarcerated persons who earn a credential to those who enroll in a program but fail to complete a GED or certificate. We estimate that GEDs increase post-incarceration earnings by about $450 per quarter and that vocational certificates increase earnings by about $250 per quarter. Degree completers have higher hourly wages, are more likely to be employed, and work more hours following release. For vocational programs, earnings increases are driven by certificates in construction and manufacturing. [The research presented presented in this report uses confidential data from the Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) located within the Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM).]
History of engineering & technology, metal additive manufacturing, analytical model, temperature prediction, FEA, melt pool geometry, sustainability, bimetallic object, cutting force, uncertainty, machining power, precision injection molding, quality control, process monitoring, process fingerprint, product fingerprint, flexible abrasive tools, finishing, rounding edge, superalloys, coordinate metrology, on-machine measurement, ball dome artefact, calibration, machine tool, additive manufacturing, laser powder bed fusion, process optimization, orthogonal cutting, brittle materials, cohesive elements, nickel-based superalloys, high temperature mechanical properties, creep resistance, fatigue, SLM, AlSi10Mg, post treatment, residual stress, surface roughness, discrete element method, seed cracks, meso-micro machining, micro abrasive-waterjet technology, stacking cutting, micro milling, taper compensation, flexure, subtractive machining, additive machining, micrograph
Abstract
Summary: The Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing (JMMP) aims to provide an international forum for the documentation and dissemination of recent, original, and significant research studies in the analysis of processes, equipment, systems, and materials related to material heat treatment, solidification, deformation, addition, removal, welding, and accretion for the industrial fabrication and production of parts, components, and products. The JMMP was established in 2017 and has published more than 300 contributions. It has been listed in the ESCI, Inspec (IET), and Scopus (Elsevier). In celebration of the anniversary of the JMMP, the Editorial Office has put together this Special Issue, which includes several representative papers that reflect the vibrant growth and dynamic trend of research in this field.
Technology: general issues, Chemical engineering, atropisomerism, 4,4'-bipyridine, pyridine N-oxidation, halogenation, halogen bond, cyanation, Finkelstein reaction, Suzuki coupling, Orchis, scent, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, solid-phase microextraction, quantum chemistry, computational chemistry, molecular dynamics, modeling, open-source software, proprietary software, Himantoglossum, solid phase microextraction, iodination, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl carbonyls, elemental iodine, iodides, Zutano variety, avocado oil, Soxhlet extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, volatiles, ripening, over-ripe, HS-SPME-GC-MS, Basilicata, Barlia robertiana, Himantoglossum robertianum, mantel test, Orchidaceae, pollination syndrome, Italy, volatile compounds, solvolysis, aryldiazonium ions, perchlorate anions, silicon carbide (SiC), 3C-SiC powder, 4H-SiC crystal, impurities, photoluminescence, pnictogen bonding, nitrogen as pnictogen bond donor, geometries, crystal structure analysis, ICSD and CSD database analyses, MESP characterizations, sum of the van der Waals radii concept, Dactylorhiza, volatile organic compounds, thiosemicarbazone, metal complexes, DNA interactions, biological activity, thiazolidinedione, microwave synthesis, compound library, rosiglitazone, Knoevangel condensation, biodiesel production, crude glycerin, carbon materials, n/a
Abstract
Summary: This book represents a collection of contributions in the field of the synthesis and characterization of chemical compounds, natural products, chemical reactivity, and computational chemistry. Among its contents, the reader will find high-quality, peer-reviewed research and review articles that were published in the open access journal Compounds by members of the Editorial Board and the authors invited by the Editorial Office and Editor-in-Chief.