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January 31, 2008
Athabasca University and Xerox Team Up to Fund Research into Technology in Education
As part of Xerox Corporation's global commitment to science and education, Xerox Canada has partnered with Athabasca University to develop a research program focused on advancing mobile learning and e-learning for students living in remote or rural areas of Canada. Xerox has awarded Athabasca $250,000 to develop technologies for distance education programs and to support a research chair in learning technologies. The award aligns with the company's model of open, collaborative innovation that supports the academic community while advancing the frontiers of knowledge. "It's a natural partnership," says Dr. Frits Pannekoek, Athabasca University's president. "Xerox is recognized internationally as a leader in developing innovative business systems and Athabasca University is a recognized world leader in distance education. The strategic alliance will let both organizations grow and learn from each other." The research will focus on ways to use small, portable devices such as MP3 players and PDAs to deliver courses and instructional material. Similar research has led to the development of technologies that allow nursing students living in northern Canada to use technology originally developed for playing music videos to study heart monitor read-outs generated in teaching hospitals in southern Canada. "Athabasca has been a trusted partner and customer for more than 15 years," says Kevin Warren, president and CEO, Xerox Canada. "This project demonstrates how these types of long-term partnerships help build community, as well as the future of our country."
Source: Athabasca University, Alberta

January 28, 2008
National University's Endowment Continues to Rank Among Nation's 200 Largest
National University's endowment continues to rank among the top 200 largest college and university endowments in the nation, according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers' (NACUBO) 2007 survey of the nation's leading 785 college and university endowments. National University is the flagship institution of the National University System. Based upon assets of $341,231 million in Fiscal Year 2006, National University's endowment was listed as the 188th largest in the United States, increasing in value by 20.5 percent from $283,277 million in Fiscal 2006. Since fiscal year 2002, National University's endowment assets have more than doubled, from $162,560 to $341,231 million. National University's endowment ranks 14th among California's private colleges and universities. Among colleges and universities in San Diego, National University's endowment was the second largest. The University of California, San Diego Foundation's endowment was first in the region, ranking 182nd on NACUBO's 2007 survey, with assets of $356,509 million. The University of San Diego's endowment ranked 224th in the nation, with assets of $256,472 million. San Diego State University reported assets of $117,385 million for FY07, ranking 349th nationally. NACUBO's annual findings showed positive performance results among college and university endowments in 2007, with the 785 ranked institutions reporting a one-year average rate of return of 17.2 percent.
Source: National University, California

January 24, 2008
AIU Online and the Better Business Bureau Team Up to Offer the BBBOnline Reliability Seal
American InterContinental University Online (AIU Online) today announced that it has joined the Better Business Bureau's Online Reliability program. Designed to provide consumers with an additional level of protection when engaging in online transactions, the BBB's program mandates that member organizations have a positive track record in online activities and a high level of consumer satisfaction, and that they meet a stringent set of complaint-response requirements as outlined by the Better Business Bureau. Long a member of the Better Business Bureau itself, AIU Online decided to go the extra mile and join the new reliability program. Dr. Alan Drimmer, president of AIU Online, said that "the BBB has a long history in consumer affairs. They are a non-profit organization whose charter is the protection of consumers. Being a voluntary membership organization, those members tend to have great reputations for providing high levels of satisfaction to customers or, in the case of universities and colleges, to students. AIU Online has such a record and we are proud to be in the company of some of the greatest names in consumer satisfaction." Drimmer goes on to say, "a few months ago, AIU Online received top ratings for online student satisfaction from the Noel-Levitz organization, a highly-respected research and consulting firm that works in the higher education arena. That achievement, coupled with AIU's already high rating with the Better Business Bureau is what convinced us that the Online Reliability program, and the ability to use the BBB's Online Reliability Seal would provide our students and potential students with confidence that choosing AIU Online would prove to be a wise decision. According to the Better Business Bureau, use of the BBBOnline Reliability Seal confirms that an organization "is a member of the local Better Business Bureau, has been reviewed to meet truth in advertisement guidelines, and follows good customer service practices." The BBB's web site says that the reliability program was created "to help consumers feel comfortable while engaging in online commerce. We believe that that the rapidly developing world of e-commerce is one of the most significant market place changes the BBB has witnessed in its 90-year history. To feel comfortable while engaging in e-commerce, we believe that consumers should understand how to identify trustworthy businesses on the web and how their personal data is being used."
Source: American InterContinental University, Illinois

January 24, 2008
CTU: Richard Kettner-Polley, Ph.D. Announced as Dean of Management
Colorado Technical University announces the appointment of Richard Kettner-Polley, Ph.D. (Harvard University) as University Dean of Management with responsibility for management programs across all CTU campuses. Having previously served as Chancellor of CTU's Institute for Advanced Studies, Dr. Kettner-Polley now turns his expertise to the demands of undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs in management across the six ground campuses and the online division. He will continue to serve as a Professor of Management in the Institute for Advanced Studies, mentoring doctoral students and teaching classes in the Doctor of Management program. Before coming to CTU Dr. Kettner-Polley was in charge of academic affairs at University College, University of Denver. As Academic Chair at Jones International University, he oversaw the design of the first all-online regionally accredited MBA programs. He has held Professorships at Northeastern University, University of Arizona, and Lewis & Clark College, and has held Senior Research Professorships in Norway, Sweden, and Germany under Fulbright and NSF grants. Since 1985, Dr. Kettner-Polley has served as Editor of Small Group Research, an international journal of research and application. He served as chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the Academy of Management's annual meetings, held in Denver in 2002, and is currently serving on an NSF expert panel on small groups and teams. Dr. Kettner-Polley has published more than 40 scholarly articles and books. He was the first recipient of the William Jerome Arnold Award (Academy of Management). His areas of expertise include: Teams, Leadership, Organizational Development, Statistics, International Management, and Group Support Systems.
Source: Colorado Technical University