Sorbonne Confidential

2-Day-a-Week Job at U. of Oregon Nets $96,000 for Former AAU Chief - Leadership & Governance - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Richard W. Lariviere, who as president of the University of Oregon has railed against diminishing state support, will pay a prominent higher-education leader nearly six figures to serve as his adviser two days a week.

Robert M. Berdahl, who stepped down as president of the Association of American Universities in June, will become Mr. Lariviere's special assistant on October 17. He will be paid $96,000 for his efforts, which will conclude with the academic year, university officials said.

via chronicle.com

Expensive technology bombs in classroom while boosting corporate earnings

The federal review of Carnegie Learning’s flagship software, Cognitive Tutor, said the program had “no discernible effects” on the standardized test scores of high school students. A separate 2009 federal look at 10 major software products for teaching algebra as well as elementary and middle school math and reading found that nine of them, including Cognitive Tutor, “did not have statistically significant effects on test scores.”

via www.nytimes.com

Wauquiez to "correct" Claude Guéant 's text against educated FOREIGN talent

While other countries struggle to attract the world's best intellectual talent Claude Guéant devised new obstacles to keep foreign MA and PhD students from working in France.

The result: the "Circulaire Guéant", a surprisingly stupid, short sighted anti-immigrant concoction designed to protect France from the danger of employing smart, well-educated foreigners.

Under pressure from presidents of universities (who like smart people), grandes écoles (who fear for their own stagiaires abroad) and just about everyone else involved, Laurent Wauquiez, Minister of Higher Education is now intervening to "correct" the Circulaire.  

Immigrant bashing sounds great in speeches. But does France really think that throwing out great talent out is the solution?  see www.lefigaro.fr