Glitches and other malfunctions have plagued the newest version of the online Common Application, which is used by more than 500 colleges and universities, The New York Times reported. Prospective applicants have encountered several issues with the application's new software, ranging from distorted formatting to problems with payment. These issues have concerned students and admissions officers as early admission deadlines approach. Several colleges have notified students about potential problems with the Common Application and have hired extra staff on a temporary basis due to the glitches. Admissions officers said that they still expect to send out decisions to students by mid-December.
The state of California recently enacted a law that will allow up to six over-enrolled community colleges to charge more for in-demand courses, Inside Higher Ed reported. Opponents of the legislation say the new law is not consistent with the state's commitment to maintaining open access and low tuition rates at its community colleges and may give wealthier students an advantage. Gov. Jerry Brown, D-Calif., said the law is a "reasonable experiment" that allows eligible institutions to expand their course offerings. The legislation permits schools to charge additional tuition based on the rates that non-resident students pay, which is normally three times the rate that California residents pay.
Several college and university libraries have begun to seek more effective ways to streamline their collections due to space restrictions, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. Although libraries are increasingly investing in electronic content, they must continue to buy print copies of monographs and other books that are not available online. Harvard University and Wellesley College are among the institutions taking part in shared-print projects that use analytical tools to develop viable solutions for libraries that are running out of space to house their physical collections. Potential solutions include weeding out books that are available at nearby institutions and can be delivered by a reliable system or limiting duplicate or low circulating offerings.
