Education research areas
Retention - one of the hottest topics among college and university administrators, this issue has become more important in the wake of budget cuts and increased demands for services and for responsible spending.
Freshman year issues - The transition to college can be very difficult for those who have not spent significant time away from home. There are a number of resources available to those who are interested in helping freshmen make the move to college. Among them is helping on move-in day, something I have done for five of the past six years. This allows university officials to answer questions while helping students get moved in and settled in the halls.
"Transitional" classes - There has been debate on whether or not such classes should be offered. After all, opponents state, these courses should have been taken during high school. Those in favor of these classes state that providing these classes allow a wider range of students to participate in college life. The debate is likely to continue, as public colleges and universities struggle to make ends meet with state support dwindling.
College and university comparisons - Use this site to learn about different schools. There are many reports that professionals can use to gauge how their school ranks among peer institutions and/or find model institutions with programs that may be helpful for their institution.
Intramurals - NIRSA, the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, is a professional organization for intramural programs across the country. See if your school is a member.
Greek life - Greek organizations have interested me for some time. Not that I would like to be part of one, but I find the concept interesting. While some campuses continue to have a thriving Greek life program, others have been trying to cut it back or eliminate it altogether. Often, when people think of Greek organizations, they immediately think of "Animal House" or other movies that contain a Hollywood glimpse at Greek life, ignoring the positive contributions such groups make.
Professional Organizations
NASPA - an organization for student affairs professionals.
ACPA - American College Personnel Association, another student affairs association.
Miscellaneous
The Oshkosh Placement Exchange - A wonderful opportunity for students looking to pursue a career in student services, this annual event has been active for over 25 years, many at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh.
Primarily A Cappella Company - This company's web site features a search engine, reviews, audio clips, and much more about groups that feature primarily a cappella music. Their On-line Buyer's Club is a great way to obtain recordings for reduced prices.
FindLaw.com - A great resource for finding court cases for that legal issues class...
Grid.org - This organization helps to research possible cures for such diseases as cancer, smallpox, and anthrax. Check it out!
Mersenne primes - An organization devoted to finding a specific type of prime number used in a variety of areas, including but not limited to encryption, internet security, and more. So far, there are 40-some known Mersenne primes, and the largest known prime is a Mersenne prime.
Astronomy - While I have more than a passing interest in astronomy, I haven't researched it like I would like to. However, there is a project that is related to this topic that I've done some research about: the Gravity Probe B.
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