There's an interesting spat going on in Ohio, where the Republican governor John Kasich wants universities to grant degrees in just three years instead of four, in exchange for maintaining university funding. Cleveland.com reports that Kasich also wants staff to do more teaching.
The site quotes Jeff Karem, associate professor of English at Cleveland State University and president of its chapter of the American Association of University Professors, as saying:
"It's like an academic Jiffy Lube. I'm not sure what the point of this is other than to speed up delivery time. It is hard to imagine that happening without quality being sacrificed."
Jiffy Lube, Cribsheet hastens to reassure sensitive readers, is a chain of oil change and repair shops.
The Guardian's US blogger Michael Tomasky reckons its a pretty good idea, especially from a Republican:
"First of all, it can save students money and get them into the workforce faster. Second, I've long taken the view that the academic balance between research and teaching is out of whack and professors should do more teaching. That's probably rather Republican of me, but so be it. I am against assaults on tenure. Tenure is vital. But teachers should teach more."
Here in the UK, we're way ahead of the Americans, natch. Here's a reminder of Vince Cable proposing two-year degrees last year and a discussion of how that would jar with Bologna.
More education news from the Guardian
• What we know now, of course, is that all universities intend to charge fees of at least £6,000 a year, according to figures released by Offa. As Jessica Shepherd reports:
"Every one of the 123 universities and university colleges in England intend to charge £6,000 or more to full-time undergraduates from autumn 2012. A further 17 further-education colleges - out of 124 - want to charge fees of more than £6,000.
Offa would not say how many of the institutions want to charge the maximum fee of £9,000. However, research by the Guardian has revealed that almost three-quarters of English universities and university colleges intend to charge this amount for at least some of their courses."
Bucks New University is the latest to announce its tariff - it wants to charge £7,500. Here's the table of declarations.
Zoe Williams has been looking at why the government's fees strategy doesn't add up:
"There seems to have been an expectation of meekness from universities, where the newer ones, with very few students from Eton and with almost no celebrated drinking clubs, would charge less, mindful of their low status. Instead vice-chancellors have put their self-esteem aside and calculated how much they need to charge if they are to thrive.
Beyond these practical considerations there is the obvious problem that market forces work OK when they evolve, and they work lopsidedly - if at all - when they are introduced suddenly, especially to a field whose values are quite hard to monetise."
• The rightwing Adam Smith Institute has called on the government to allow profit-making companies to open and run free schools, arguing that Michael Gove's plans for reform are otherwise doomed to failure. Companies should be able to run free schools without the need for a charitable vehicle or trust framework, as required by existing legislation.
Tom Clougherty, executive director of the institute, says:
"Unless you allow for-profit companies to enter the market, it is very hard to see where all those new school places are going to come from."
There's a response from @allanbeavis on the Local Schools Network:
"The report says there is no evidence to suggest that for-profit management compromises standards – claiming the opposite appears to be true. But there is evidence and it is to be found in Charter schools, so beloved of Gove, in America."
• Nick Gibb, the schools minister, got a hard time from teachers at the usually well-behaved ATL conference yesterday as he tried to justify changes to their pensions. The Nasuwt conference gets underway tomorrow.
• A Sutton Trust survey shows teachers are fiercely opposed to the coalition's education changes, with only 8% saying free schools will raise standards, and 69% believing the expansion of academies will lead to greater social segregation.
Education news from around the web
• A spate of course and school closures has prompted fears for the future of the arts, humanities and social sciences at new universities, with warnings that the subjects are being closed off to poorer students, John Morgan writes in the THE. Post-1992 universities are being more heavily affected by the government's decision to withdraw the teaching grant from all but Stem subjects, he says, and some fear the creation of a new category of purely vocational institutions for disadvantaged students.
• The Independent says the University of Glasgow is proposing to scrap seven modern languages, leaving just French and Spanish.
• Too many teachers don't have proper qualifications in their subject area, says the Telegraph, quoting DfE figures showing more than quarter of maths teachers don't have a relevant degree or postgraduate qualification. It says 31% of physics teachers, 29% of geography teachers and 21% of those teaching English are also not trained to the highest level in their subject.
• The BBC has the results of an ATL bullying survey - teachers are often bullied by other teachers, especially heads and senior staff, it says. About a quarter of teachers have been bullied by another member of staff.
• Voice explains why it doesn't have an annual conference like the other teaching unions, and holds one-day events instead.
On the Teacher Network
Heading for the beach this weekend? If you spot any cuttlefish, save them for your D&T lessons. Here's how to use them.
On the Higher Education Network
The 1994 Group's Rachel Winzer outlines three key areas of student experience that need development in the face of sectoral changes.
An expert panel discusses marketing higher education during times of change.
Professor Ian Marshall explains why Coventry university is charging variable fees - and how these were determined.
Education seminars from Guardian Professional
Getting the best education for children in care
The Guardian's one-day seminar in association with Tact (the UK's largest fostering and adoption charity) will provide an overview of the UK education system and strategies for dealing with the challenges faced by looked-after children and their carers.
26 May, London.
Making the most of media opportunities to enhance your school's profile
Whether it's sharing good news or handling a crisis, headteachers and school management teams need to be able to handle the media in all of its forms. This one-day seminar in association with the NAHT is essential for new and aspiring heads as well as established school leaders who wish to update their knowledge. It includes a session on social media.
13 June, Birmingham and 20 September, London.
Distinctiveness and branding in higher education
Higher education institutions will struggle in the marketplace unless they stand out from competitors and make sense to stakeholders. The Guardian's half-day seminar in partnership with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education will explore what it takes to develop and maintain a distinctive brand that attracts students, staff and funders. Participants will hear from experts, examine case studies and have the opportunity to network with peers.
28 June, London.
Find us on the Guardian website
All today's EducationGuardian stories
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
EducationGuardian resources
The Guardian University Guide 2011
The Guardian Postgraduate Guide 2011
The world's top 100 universities
Updating table of university fee announcements for 2012
From Guardian Professional
The Higher Education Network for university professionals
Free online classroom resources on the Teacher Network
More about Cribsheet
Sign up to get Cribsheet as a daily email
To advertise in the Cribsheet email, contact Sunita Gordon on 0203 353 2447 or email sunita.gordon@guardian.co.uk
Subscribe to get Cribsheet as an RSS feed
Interested in social policy too? Sign up for Society Daily
