The founder of American Military University, Major James P. Etter, was passionate about the need to provide an affordable college education to service members. We matched our tuition to the semester hour rate maximum reimbursed by the Department of Defense (DOD) which is currently $250 per semester hour. We do not charge an application or admissions fee.
Affordability of Higher Education (Part 1)
It’s almost impossible to pick up a newspaper or magazine these days without reading an article about the affordability crisis in higher education. For the past twenty years, tuitions have increased at a rate about twice that of the consumer price index. Many institutions cite the national statistics on the value of a college degree as the justification for charging increasingly higher tuition.
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
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Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired magazine, published The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More in 2006 after writing an article in Wired of a similar title back in 2004. This is another “must read” book that provided me with a number of insights into the scalability of businesses on the internet.
Serving Those Who Serve: Higher Education and America’s Veterans
Economics, Ireland and Similarities to the U.S.
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Lahinch Golf Course – County Clare, Ireland |
Some friends and I recently traveled to Ireland for a week of golf. While the golf courses haven’t changed much in the four years since my previous trip, the economy has. In 2004, Ireland was in the middle of a building boom, fueled by their position in the European Union as a lower wage country.
The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment
When I was contacted about joining the Presidents Climate Commitment, I thought it was a great idea. For a number of years, we have offered a B.S. degree in Environmental Science and an M.S. degree in Environmental Policy and Management. Putting some of the theory that we teach into practice would be an interesting endeavor. I wasn’t sure that an online university would be able to generate the same impact on global warming that a land-based institution could, so I asked our Director of Facilities to review the Commitment document to determine if we would be able to comply with the guidelines.
Charlene Li’s Groundswell
Memorial Day
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Monday, May 26, is Memorial Day. The holiday originates with a day of recognition to honor the dead from the Civil War (or War Between the States) and was first observed on May 30, 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. By 1890, all northern states observed the holiday with the Southern states refusing to observe the holiday until after World War I when it was changed to honor the dead from all wars.
Graduation 2008
Many years ago, we were asked to host a graduation ceremony for a graduate. It’s my understanding that prior to that date, we mailed the diplomas to students. That first ceremony spawned an annual event where we invite all graduates who have earned their degree since the previous year’s graduation to travel to the Washington, DC area where we conduct a traditional graduation albeit for an online university.
Welcome
This day represents a milestone as I write my first official post on this blog. I have weighed the merits and detriments of blogging for months. Our communications staff suggested the idea of having a President’s blog. The first source that I consulted was my class from the Harvard New Presidents seminar. Nearly half of my classmates responded and the majority weighed in against the blog.