Call it a paradox of higher education. College administrators care greatly about where their schools rank on major magazines’ lists, but they also insist that such concerns don’t affect how they run their institutions. A high rank, whether among national universities or regional colleges, can work wonders to attract top students, athletes, faculty, and donations from alumni, but no school administrator wants to appear to be more concerned with rankings than with educating students. Because of that, few dare discuss the steps they take to win the important rankings game.
A performance by superstar Vince Gill at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville represents the epitome of country music. It also epitomized one of the highlight events at Middle Tennessee State University’s third annual Alumni Summer College. Universities have long seen the value of staying connected with alumni through events such as summer colleges, said Ralph Amos, president of the Council of Alumni Association Executives (CAAE).
Ever since social networking emerged from the primordial sludge of the Internet, there has been an intrinsic bond between the phenomenon and higher education. At its core is a need to connect that immediately captured the attention of students and faculty. It is therefore no surprise that higher education institutions are exploring the benefits of private social networks and how they can foster academic success and achieve institutional goals.
