April Fodder for Thought

Check out these three new web exclusives, accompanying the April edition of University Business magazine:

• "Squeeze Play 2010 and Eight Ways to Increase Retention"

In his piece, Neal A. Raisman, a consultant on issues such as retention and enrollment, weighs in on current public opinion of higher education according to results in Public Agenda's latest report, "Squeeze Play 2010: Continues Public Anxiety on Cost, Harsher Judgments on How Colleges Are Run." Raisman argues how college and university leaders should pay strict attention to these notions and how they can correct them: with greater academic customer service.

• "Health Care Reform: Opportunities to Address the Shadow Uninsured Student"

With the recent passing of health care legislation, it remains uncertain to determine what specific affects will follow. So, for example, what does this win mean for college students? Bryan A. Liang, executive director, Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law, writes that this feat can only occur if institutions act to fulfill their fiduciary obligations and avoid suspect school health practices that benefit the school instead of the student. Liang, also co-director of San Diego Center for Patient Safety, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, authors the report, “Crisis on Campus: Student Access to Health Care,” in the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform.

• "Preventing Targeted Violence in Our Academic Institutions"

With the third anniversary of the Virginia Tech tragedy this month, and the recent shooting at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, targeted violence has become a frequent issue of concern on campuses. Arnette Heintze and Matthew Doherty find that academic leaders don't realize there are cost-effective counter-strategies that minimize the risks of such a devastating event. The writers (Heintze, partner and chief executive officer at Hillard Heintze LLC; Doherty, senior vice president) advise on how to carry them out.