Oberlin Transcends Traditional Studies

Crain's Cleveland Business: "Oberlin announced that in fall 2020, it will introduce five new programs of study 'that transcend traditional institutional boundaries and establish a new level of collaboration' between its College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music. The new programs are available to all Oberlin students and are designed to 'help them build successful, 21st century careers in a host of fields including music, visual arts, media, science and business,' the college said in a news release."

"Students will be able to minor in Music and Cognition, Music and Popular Culture, Interdisciplinary Performance, and Arts and Creative Technologies. A fifth program, in Arts Administration and Leadership, will add co-curricular programming in an integrative concentration, the college said."

Separately, Oberlin announced that it's launching an integrative concentration in journalism, also in fall 2020. Oberlin said its journalism program 'will differ from the programs found at traditional journalism schools. The concentration's design will allow students to combine it with any of Oberlin's more than 50 majors— whether in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, arts, or music — and merge coursework with co-curricular and extracurricular work, including internships and other forms of applied learning'."

Instagram To Feature Freshman Videos

Axios: "Former First Lady Michelle Obama is partnering with the digital media company ATTN: to launch a video series on IGTV, Instagram's video platform ... 'A Year of Firsts' shows inspiring stories about students navigating their first year through college ... ATTN: is working with the students directly to document their first year as they explore issues like the academic stress of college, making new friends, college affordability, and physical and mental health while in college."

"The hope for Reach Higher is that the series will inspire other first-year college students who may find common ground and community among the first-year students being elevated in the series." Obama comments: "By sharing their stories, they’re helping others see that the ups and downs of the first year of college are something everyone goes through — and they’re creating a supportive community for others facing similar challenges.”

Big Changes in Early Admissions

The New York Times: "In a proposed agreement announced this month to answer Justice Department antitrust accusations, the National Association for College Admission Counseling said it would allow its member college and university counselors to recruit students even after they have committed to another school and would permit members to encourage students to transfer after they have already enrolled ... Now, colleges will be free to offer perks, like special scholarships or priority in course selection, to early-decision applicants, students who are less likely to need tuition assistance and use the process to secure a spot at their first-choice schools ... Institutions will also be able to continue recruiting students beyond a widely applied May 1 deadline that is typically imposed for students."

"The changes stand to shake up the admissions process in the next year, affecting some colleges’ ability to predict the size of their freshman classes while allowing some students to benefit from competitive financial aid packages, or even bargain for assistance right up until they walk onto a campus ...In a statement, Makan Delrahim, the assistant attorney general who leads the antitrust division, called the settlement 'a victory for all college applicants and students across the United States who will benefit from vigorous competition among colleges for their enrollment'.”

"Higher education experts anticipate that the changes will be mostly felt by smaller or less-selective institutions, many of which are already forecasting enrollment losses because of a looming 'demographic cliff' from falling birthrates and diminishing interest from foreign students. Institutions may also have a harder time predicting their fall enrollment, and that uncertainty could affect their ability to pull from waiting lists or project how many students they lose over the summer."