NEWS | October 2007

Each month NEWS delivers stories about our colleges and higher education research, trends and policies Read full articles on one page or go to the NEWS archive
	Minnesota's private colleges lead in graduation rates Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) institutions graduate 61 percent of their first-time, full-time students in four years, as compared to 30 percent at the University of Minnesota and 21 percent at MnSCU schools. MPCC schools also lead in graduation rates for students of color in Minnesota. Read full article

	New program aims to help minority students succeed in STEM majors The North Star STEM Alliance aims to double the number of minority science, technology, engineering and math graduates in the next five years. The alliance between 16 public and private colleges and universities in Minnesota, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota High Tech Association will help meet our state's need for graduates in these fields. Read full article

	Health care workforce needs trigger action Minnesota's private colleges and universities are key players in an effort to address the looming shortfall of nurses and other health care providers in our state. Our campuses are working to increase capacity and to help develop new models of heath care delivery. Read full article

	BRIEFS The just-released 2007 College Board tuition and student aid reports show that the national average net tuition that private college students pay after grants and tax benefits is $14,400 — about 40 percent less than the average published price of $23,712. The I Make It Happen Web site that helps Minnesota middle schoolers begin to plan for college has added an online counselor feature. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in his speech on education and economic competitiveness said that "as an investment, education provides excellent returns." The updated College Board report, Education Pays 2007 shows that higher education yields significant rewards to both its recipients and society.