COVID-19 - Tuesday 12/29/2020

"Unseen crisis emerges as patients delay medical care during the pandemic" PBS NewsHour 12/29/2020

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SUMMARY:  For much of the year, millions of Americans have been hunkering down and avoiding crowds to try to stay safe from COVID-19.  But with that, many have also been delaying important medical care, sometimes with devastating consequences.  John Yang reports.

 

 

"How the pandemic is shaking up college admissions and testing" PBS NewsHour 12/29/2020

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SUMMARY:  With many college admissions testing sites closing down during the pandemic, as many as 50 percent of early applications arrived without any test scores this year.  That's resulted in some top-ranked schools seeing a surge in applications, but elsewhere, application numbers are flat or even down.  William Brangham spoke with Jeffrey Selingo, author of "Who Gets In and Why," to learn more.

PANDEMIC - Latest Consequences and Response

"‘No question’ slow federal pandemic response cost lives, Gov. Hogan says" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

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SUMMARY:  American governors are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 -- and the economic collapse it prompted.  Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, is chairman of the National Governors Association, and he has spoken out recently about failures in the federal pandemic response.  Hogan joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the crisis, his forthcoming book, “Still Standing” and his political career.

"Can Italian tourism industry survive the pandemic?" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

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SUMMARY:  Italy is emerging from its COVID-19 nightmare into what is usually its busiest season for tourism.  The industry normally brings in 13 percent of the country’s $2 trillion GDP.  But there is no normal this year, and most tourists are not coming -- sparking fears that the pandemic will cause lasting economic damage.  Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports from Rimini, on Italy’s Adriatic Coast.

"Why the U.S. still doesn’t have control of COVID-19, 6 months after pandemic began" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

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SUMMARY:  It was just about six months ago that the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the U.S. Since then, the pandemic has exacted an enormous toll in terms of both human lives and economic harm -- with no end in sight.  Amna Nawaz marks the moment with two people focused on solving the pandemic: Dr. Rajiv Shah of the Rockefeller Foundation and John Barry of Tulane University School of Public Health.

"How the pandemic is making a global food crisis worse" PBS NewsHour 7/21/2020

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SUMMARY:  As the coronavirus pandemic tears across the globe, the toll exacted in lives lost and ruined grows by the day.  But for those already in need, especially the hungry and the starving, COVID-19 is accelerating their nightmares.  David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the pandemic supply chain and how to keep 270 million people fed in a year of crisis.

"Colleges and universities grapple with decision to return to campus" PBS NewsHour 7/21/2020

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SUMMARY:  U.S. colleges and universities are scrambling to finalize their fall plans as coronavirus infections continue to rise in much of the country.  While some students, faculty and staff are looking forward to returning to campus, others are raising serious health and safety concerns.  Hari Sreenivasan reports on how schools are approaching the decision, as part of our Rethinking College series.

"U.S. must collect this data in order to contain pandemic, former CDC director says" PBS NewsHour 7/22/2020

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SUMMARY:  More than 1,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 were reported Tuesday.  As many states struggle with outbreaks, Dr. Tom Frieden, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the country desperately needs improved data collection to understand how the virus is spreading -- and to contain it.  He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss critical metrics and how to obtain and learn from them.

"What we know about the search for a COVID-19 vaccine — and what we don’t" PBS NewsHour 7/22/2020

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SUMMARY:  The question of when a COVID-19 vaccine might be available is perhaps the most pressing in the world.  There have been a number of recent headlines on this front, including early but encouraging results from trials.  And on Wednesday, the Trump administration awarded a contract to Pfizer and a German biotech firm to potentially deliver doses this year.  Miles O’Brien joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

"Can MLB play ball and still avoid an outbreak?" PBS NewsHour 7/23/2020

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SUMMARY:  Months after the start of spring training, the first pitch of the 2020 Major League Baseball season will be thrown Thursday night.  Opening Day gets underway with the Washington Nationals hosting the New York Yankees.  But the season will be very unusual, with no fans present at stadiums, and many questions about it remain unanswered.  Amna Nawaz reports and talks to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

"In Alabama, racial disparities in health outcomes predate the pandemic" PBS NewsHour 7/24/2020

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SUMMARY:  In Alabama, doctors and nurses are seeing record numbers of hospitalizations associated with COVID-19.  The state has reported more than 1,300 deaths since the pandemic began.  But certain regions and populations within the state are faring far worse than others -- and huge health disparities among Black residents are causing even more dire results.  Stephanie Sy reports on a tragic legacy.

"Honoring 5 more victims of the coronavirus pandemic" PBS NewsHour 7/20/2020

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SUMMARY:  As we have every Friday for the past several months, we take a moment to remember some of the lives lost to the novel coronavirus pandemic, including a high school English teacher and a 39-year-old mother of six.

"How structural racism is magnifying the public health crisis" PBS NewsHour 7/25/2020

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SUMMARY:  As coronavirus cases disproportionately impact communities of color, several local and state officials have declared racism a public health crisis.  Rhea Boyd, a public health advocate, joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the structural racism in America’s healthcare system and how this ongoing pandemic of racial and economic inequality is compounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

RETHINK COLLEGE - Reliance on Standardized Tests?

"Why colleges are reconsidering their reliance on standardized tests for admission" PBS NewsHour 11/5/2019

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SUMMARY:  A college admissions scandal involving several celebrities has cast an ugly spotlight on how entry into higher education can be gamed.  Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are a key point in the saga, and they now face renewed scrutiny over their value — and their correlation to economic background.  John Yang reports and talks to Jeff Selingo, author of several books on higher education.

MENTAL HEALTH - Tempering Stress

"How mental health checks may help restaurant workers temper destructive stress" PBS NewsHour 5/22/2019

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SUMMARY:  After a series of high-profile suicides last year, one restaurant owner in Sacramento, California, decided to confront a problem plaguing kitchens around the country.  The fast-paced, high-pressure environment and often low wages can take its toll on workers' mental health.  His peer-to-peer counseling and support program, “I Got Your Back,” is now starting to spread.  John Yang reports.

RETHINK COLLEGE - The Morehouse College Grads

"Morehouse grads just got a stunning gift.  What can help more students of color?" PBS NewsHour 5/22/2019

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SUMMARY:  Morehouse College's class of 2019 was stunned on Sunday when their commencement speaker, Robert F. Smith, promised to eliminate all of the graduates' student debt.  But the generous pledge also highlights the distinct wealth gap for recent African American graduates.  Amna Nawaz talks with Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed and Mehrsa Baradaran of the University of Georgia School of Law.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Mending the Divide

"Can the political divide be mended by bringing rural and urban students together?" PBS NewsHour 5/21/2019

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SUMMARY:  In a country fractured by political polarization, an Illinois program is hoping college students can help mend the rift.  The University of Chicago and Eureka College created Bridging the Divide to address the harsh rhetoric that emerged from the 2016 election and inspire a generation of leaders by encouraging urban and rural college students to discuss their differences.  Hari Sreenivasan reports.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Why Need for Remedial Math

In high school I 'majored' in math (including college prep classes), the problem is a failure of today's high school education programs.

"Many college students struggle to pass remedial math.  Do they need to?" PBS NewsHour 5/14/2019

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SUMMARY:  Colleges created remedial education classes to ensure students were sufficiently prepared for more advanced material.  But increasingly, there’s a sense that remedial courses are hurting the prospects of the students they are intended to help.  As a result, some California colleges and high schools are rethinking their approach to teaching math -- with encouraging results.  Hari Sreenivasan reports.

RETHINK COLLEGE - State and City College Funding

'How dare they obstruct the power of DeVos!' (sarcasm off)

"For these states and cities, funding college is money in the bank" PBS NewsHour 5/7/2019

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SUMMARY:  A majority of American college graduates leave school with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.  The issue of paying for college is so concerning that several 2020 presidential candidates have proposed forgiving student debt or making public colleges free.  But as Hari Sreenivasan reports, some states and cities aren't waiting, and are instead developing their own college funding plans.

RACE AND ADMISSIONS - The Harvard Court Case

"Could Harvard discrimination case change college admissions nationwide?" PBS NewsHour 11/2/2018

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SUMMARY:  The Harvard admissions trial in Boston concluded Friday and it could have implications for affirmative action nationwide.  The case alleges that qualified Asian-American applicants were denied admission because Harvard used other, non-academic measures to keep their numbers down.  William Brangham discusses the case with Kirk Carapezza from WGBH as part of our special look at “rethinking college.”

AMERICAN MILITARY - Experience to College Credit

I am retired Navy (22yrs), Vietnam Vet, and in my military experience was a asset.  Looks like that has changed.

"Turning soldiers into scholars by turning military experience into college credit" PBS NewsHour 10/23/2018

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SUMMARY:  Despite years leading troops and managing equipment on the front lines, soldiers returning to school may have to start from the beginning, alongside teenagers who have never held a similar level of responsibility.  Now, a new Colorado law awards college credit for military experience--and requires that the state's schools accept it.  Hari Sreenivasan reports.

Hari Sreenivasan (NewsHour):  This year, Colorado legislators embraced Pikes Peak's model by passing legislation to help all Colorado military and veteran students.

Colorado's new law says any state-funded institution has to be able to evaluate the knowledge or skills that a student might have picked up in the military.  And if that student can earn credit for it, those credits have to be transferable to every state institution.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - New Jersey’s Rutgers University

"At this college, academic excellence requires passion for the social good" PBS NewsHour 10/16/2018

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SUMMARY:  At New Jersey’s Rutgers University, a new honors program for undergraduates is redefining academic excellence.  Students accepted into the highly competitive Honors Living Learning Community (HLLC) study critical social issues and prove their commitment to becoming “change-makers."  While the program is small, its early outcomes have been promising.  Hari Sreenivasan has the story from Newark.

MAINE - Attracting Younger Workers

"Aging Maine repays college debts to attract younger workers" PBS NewsHour 10/9/2018

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SUMMARY:  Maine, land of lobsters and lighthouses, is also the nation’s oldest state.  With a median age of 43, roughly a third of its population is in or approaching retirement.  To counter its aging workforce, the state is attempting to attract more recent college graduates by helping to repay their student loans.  Hari Sreenivasan reports as part of our weekly education series, Rethinking College.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Nontraditional Path

"How nontraditional pathways can lead workers to good jobs" PBS NewsHour 6/5/2018

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SUMMARY:  Not everyone takes a traditional route to a college degree that will prepare them for the workforce.  John Yang talks with Nicole Smith of Georgetown University, and Beth Cobert of the Markle Foundation, about alternatives to help young adults and returning students find their ways to the middle class and help close the skilled worker gap.

LEADING EDGE - Who Become an Inventor?

"Who becomes an inventor?  This Arkansas Innovation Hub is trying to spark a new generation" PBS NewsHour 5/30/2018

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SUMMARY:  At MIT, Chris Jones led efforts to double minority enrollment in graduate programs.  Now back home in Arkansas, he's on a mission to reduce barriers for low-income people, women and people of color toward becoming innovators, makers, thinkers and entrepreneurs.  Jeffrey Brown reports.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Post Graduation, Worry What Ex-Students Do?

"Should high schools worry about what students do after graduation?  This city says yes" PBS NewsHour 5/22/2018

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SUMMARY:  Chicago has a new plan to make sure kids pursue a college degree or have another viable career path after high school.  By 2020, in order to get a diploma from Chicago public schools, a student will have to prove that they have a job, will be joining a trade school, will go on to college, or join the military.  Hari Sreenivasan reports as part of our series Rethinking College.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - First-Generation Mentoring

"How faculty mentors can help first-generation students succeed" PBS NewsHour 5/15/2018

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SUMMARY:  A new initiative by the University of California system uses first-generation faculty to guide first-generation students, with the goal of decreasing dropout rates.  As part of our series Rethinking College, Hari Sreenivasan visits UCLA to see how the program is working.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Low-Income Students

"Filling in this perception gap can help low-income students succeed" PBS NewsHour 5/1/2018

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SUMMARY:  For many students at LaGuardia Community College in New York, making it from the first day of school to graduation is a struggle.  And they’re not alone.  Part of this national problem?  We don't have a good idea of who's going to college, and the ways their complex lives and extra costs can trip them up.  Hari Sreenivasan reports as part of our series Rethinking College.

HARI SREENIVASAN (NewsHour):  Gail Mellow points to LaGuardia undergraduates like Diamond Stanback to bring attention to what she says is a misconception of the nation’s college students.

Your average student isn’t what most Americans think of as a college student.  Is there a gap here in our conception of what a college student is and the reality of what you see everyday?

GAIL MELLOW, LaGuardia Community College:  There’s such an enormous gap between who goes to college in the United States and our very old and stereotyped image.  More than half of all American college students, undergraduates, go to community colleges.

More than half of those can’t go full-time.  About a quarter of our students are working more than 30 hours a week to make ends meet.  More than half of them are living at home with parents.  So, the idea of college as being this time away, right after high school, it’s not true.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Personalized Learning

"How ‘personalized learning’ can put college in reach for nontraditional students" PBS NewsHour 9/19/2017

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SUMMARY:  A program in Arizona supports nontraditional students who want to pursue degrees at their own speed.  Much like a Netflix subscription, the new program lets students pay a flat fee for a personalized curriculum that works within their schedules.  Hari Sreenivasan reports on how Northern Arizona University is putting bachelor's degrees within reach for many.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - Coal Miners' Path

"Job training and community college put coal miners on a new path" PBS NewsHour 9/12/2017

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SUMMARY:  Coal miners in the heart of Appalachia face unemployment and uncertainty as the expansion of automation and natural gas threatens the industry that's been an economic bedrock.  But a West Virginia nonprofit matches displaced workers to sustainable jobs in agriculture or carpentry while helping them pursue associate degrees.  Hari Sreenivasan reports as part of our series, Rethinking College.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - OnLine Graduate Programs

"How online graduate programs offer degrees at significant savings" PBS NewsHour 9/5/2017

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SUMMARY:  As technology evolves and more online graduate programs become available at a much lower cost, should we reconsider traditional higher education in a classroom setting?  Hari Sreenivasan reports on how some students earning master's degrees at Georgia Tech are paying little or nothing for online courses from a top program.