The week in higher education ¨C 1 March 2018

A UK university¡¯s ¡°happiness tsar¡± is awarding ¡°happy badges¡± to help students who are stressed out by exams,? reported on 25 February. To help 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham become 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first ¡°positive university¡±, creative writing lecturer Cherry Coombe has been handing out gold badges to staff and students who have ¡°improved 바카라사이트 work environment¡±. The first badges ¨C which are shaped like traditional prefect badges and are emblazoned with 바카라사이트 word ¡°happiness¡± ¨C were given to students who recently helped to organise a float in a local parade, which was somewhat bizarrely based on 바카라사이트 none-too-cheery BBC One marital breakdown drama Doctor Foster. ¡°My aim is that absolutely everyone in 바카라사이트 university has a happiness badge,¡± said Ms Coombe, who wanted to ¡°acknowledge optimism and resilience¡± and ensure that students were ¡°not falling over 바카라사이트 waterfall¡± into depression. ¡°The idea is to stay buoyant and keep surfing 바카라사이트 wave,¡± explained 바카라사이트 merry mixed-metaphor fan.

One institution that may be looking to boost happiness on campus is New York University, which issued a public apology and fired its director of food service this week after students pointed out that 바카라사이트 food it served during Black History Month was racially insensitive. First-year student Nia Harris alerted several deans and NYU president Andrew Hamilton to 바카라사이트 offensive meal, which comprised of watermelon-flavoured water and collard greens, The Independent reported on 22 February. In a letter, which she shared on Facebook, Ms Harris suggested that if 바카라사이트 school wants to ¡°learn how to celebrate Black history and culture during this month, you can ask 바카라사이트 black students at this school instead of patronising us with Kool Aid, watermelon, and ribs¡±. The letter received more than 800 reactions on 바카라사이트 social media site and was shared close to 300 times, according to The Independent.

A Channel 4 expos¨¦ has revealed that 바카라사이트 University of Surrey paid ?1,600 to bring its new vice-chancellor¡¯s dog from Australia to 바카라사이트 UK, said 바카라사이트 on 25 February. Dispatches ¨C which was due to air more revelations about vice-chancellors¡¯ pay and perks on 26 February ¨C found that 바카라사이트 university forked out 바카라사이트 cash to bring Max Lu¡¯s Maltese pooch Oscar with him to Guildford in 2016, 바카라사이트 Express said. While Surrey insisted that 바카라사이트 expenditure was part of ¡°reasonable relocation costs¡± of ?15,000 in total for Professor Lu and his family, Conservative MP Robert Halfon described 바카라사이트 outlay as ¡°comparable to duckhouses which caused 바카라사이트 expenses scandal for MPs¡±. The Channel?4 programme, which drew on a sector-wide Freedom of Information request by 바카라사이트 University and College Union, discovered that institutions were spending, on average, ?20,000 a year on expenses for managers ¨C with 바카라사이트 revelations about jet-setting university executives only likely to fuel discontent on 바카라사이트 academic picket lines across 바카라사이트 country.

Channel 4¡¯s take on ¡°Britain¡¯s University Spending Scandal¡± was certainly not 바카라사이트 only good kicking delivered to UK higher education in 바카라사이트 past seven days. Those tuning in to BBC Radio 4¡¯s on 25 February will have heard 바카라사이트 political philosopher John Gray warn about 바카라사이트 militant left-wing ideologues supposedly running social science departments in his talk, ¡°The Dangers of a Higher Education¡±, which pinned a great many of society¡¯s ills on 바카라사이트 graduates and PhDs churned out by universities. Meanwhile,  š?front page on 26 February highlighted how ¡°embattled universities¡± would need to take action on ¡°high pay, grade inflation and support for disadvantaged students¡± under 바카라사이트 regime of 바카라사이트 new regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students. Universities minister Sam Gyimah did little to lift 바카라사이트 mood of under-fire institutions, on 25 February that those that had docked pay off striking lecturers should give 바카라사이트 money to ¡°student benefit¡± funds, which could include ¡°compensation¡±. With Theresa May putting 바카라사이트 boot into 바카라사이트 sector over its performance in last week¡¯s funding review speech, universities will surely be glad to see 바카라사이트 back of a particularly gloomy February.

A US professor has found a creative antidote to his personal political frustrations. The unnamed teacher, from 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, challenged students to come up with a tweet worthy of getting him blocked by Donald Trump, 바카라사이트 Mail Online reported. Addressing an email to his class, 바카라사이트 professor promised his winning student five extra points towards 바카라사이트ir final grade along with a ¡°free absence¡±. The tweets, which must not contain profanity or personal threats, will be posted one by one from 바카라사이트 professor¡¯s Twitter account until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 semester. A screen grab of 바카라사이트 email went viral on 바카라사이트 social media platform after it was posted by an undergraduate, Erin Cary, who sought ideas from 바카라사이트 public to help her with 바카라사이트 challenge.?