Marketing Update

Funding fights continue, but a ray of hope from out West: Academically qualified but financially challenged students in Utah bemoan tuition hikes of 4.5 percent at all state colleges and universities for next fall. That's right -- 4.5 percent, a fraction of the jumps seen in many states. The hand-wringing over 4.5 percent illustrates our need to better explain the value of our institutions and the merit of a tuition hike of less than 5 percent. This is good news, not bad, but perhaps positioned poorly. Note that last year's tuition hike was nearly three times as high.

• Salt Lake Tribune

Baltimore Sun lashes out at the University of Maryland: The newspaper of record takes a shot at U. Md's top-heavy administrative costs. What impact do stories such as this have on our images and reputations?

• Baltimore Sun

And now, rising presidential salaries: Targets are painted on the backs of some institutions as the the annual Chronicle of Higher Education presidents' salary story is out. And it could be trouble for some that top the list -- or pull up the rear.

• Wichita Eagle (AP)
• Chronicle of Higher Education

Campus Crises in the News

Percolating University of Georgia crisis boils over: The controversy surrounding University of Georgia President Michael Adams, despite aid from former President Jimmy Carter, now imperils a $500 million fund-raising campaign, among other negative aspects of this sordid story.

• Atlanta Journal Constitution
• University of Georgia. Red and Black (student newspaper)

Not to be outdone: Rutgers President Richard McCormick also in hot water: The media is up in arms over his admitted extramarital affair with an employee, a high salary, "retention" bonus and probing questions into the merits of the search firm Rutgers used.

• Press of Atlantic City
• Seattle Times

Research funding at Harvard under attack by Congress: The House Energy and Commerce Committee, probing government funding of research, questions whether Richard D. Klausner steered a $40 million contract to Harvard University -- during the time he was under consideration to become the school's president.

• BioMedCentral

It is getting worse at the University of Washington: The on-going problems facing our friends in the Pacific Northwest widens as the slate of controversies ripple from athletics through the administration.

• Tacoma News Tribune

And so much for the first amendment: Hampton University yanks student papers, loses journalism program. After a dispute with the student newspaper, leaders of Hampton University confiscated -- they say "delayed" -- the student newspaper. In turn, a prestigious journalism organization has cancelled a $55,000 grant for training -- what else -- high school journalism teachers slated to be at HU.

• Today's Technician (NC State student newspaper)

Binge drinking remains in the news. Tulane's binge drinking problems are 10 percent higher than the national average. See the in-depth coverage of the problem in New Orleans and nationally.

• Tulane Hullabaloo (Tulane newspaper)

Cops under fire: Police and administrators are under sharp questioning in the wake of a student rape at Columbus State University.

• Biloxi (MS) Sun Herald

Toilet controversy flushed out in Canada: "It was the decision to add a third, 'gender-neutral' toilet, catering to folks suffering from a gender identity crisis, that got tongues wagging..." The toilet is in Star Trek's Capt. Kirk's building, by the way. You have to read this one to believe it.

• Montreal Gazette