Latest news with #CHE
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Students raise voices against plight of GBV
HER SPACE, an organisation for female students established in 2024 under the banner of the Department of Student Residence Affairs (DSRA), was the driver of a recent march and picnic against GBV, which aimed to embolden efforts against the plight. The organisation was created in 2024 to provide a safe platform for female students to engage, grow, and support one another. During the event, there were informative discussions about types of GBV, myths and facts about it, the cycle of abuse, the root causes such as patriarchy, power, cultural and societal norms, manipulation and control, and coercion. Kwanele Ndebele, the project leader and Residence Life Officer, was impressed with the turnout, especially noting the presence of male students in support of the march. 'The presence of men today shows strengthened solidarity with our female counterparts. Men are often the perpetrators of violence against women, and today their support echoes the desire for some men to change their behavioural patterns. 'The violence against women is witnessed around us, and this initiative aims to educate our vulnerable sisters about GBV and assure them of the available interventions,' Ndebele said. Also read: The dark reality of GBVF and posting the crimes on social media The Council on Higher Education (CHE) recognises that GBV in South African universities is an institutional challenge. 'The increasing prevalence of GBV on university campuses is a concern to all law-abiding citizens. The solution is not to condemn higher education in the country, but rather to transform it so that it is focused on promoting social justice and human rights. Universities should be at the forefront of national efforts to curb social injustices and human rights violations, de-normalise GBV, and redirect stereotypes and social biases. 'Managements of universities need to review their policies and ensure that there are policies that seek to address GBV directly. Security personnel on campuses need to be conscientised about GBV and be trained to support victims in getting the incidents reported and the perpetrators brought to book,' said CHE. The march was a collaborative effort with stakeholders, namely SAPS, the Department of Social Development and Campus HIV/Aids Support Unit and Life Line Durban. Police reiterated the significance of reporting cases of GBV, highlighting that protection of perpetrators endangers other potential victims. Women Abuse Helpline: 0800 055 555 For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
25-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
A critique of the proposal to close public universities and convert them into colleges
Dawie Roodt, an economist, should keep in mind that, universities are not narrowly designed as he would think; to produce immediate job-ready graduates, but to fulfil a broader mandate that includes critical thinking, foundational knowledge, research and public service. says the writer. Dawie Roodt, an economist at the Efficient Group, has advocated that certain state universities in South Africa be closed and converted into colleges, claiming that they are not creating the "right skills" in comparison to private institutions. This concept stems from a worry about the skills mismatch in the South African employment market. However, the plan to close public institutions indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the varied functions within the post-secondary education and training system, and it risks jeopardising public higher education's long-term developmental, democratic, and intellectual missions. Misunderstanding the Role of Universities Roodt should keep in mind that, Universities are not narrowly designed as he would think; to produce immediate job-ready graduates, but to fulfil a broader mandate that includes critical thinking, foundational knowledge, research and public service (CHE 2016, Badat 2010) and according to Manuel Castells, each with their own specific expectations and internal logic. Castells argued (2001:206) that 'universities perform a major role in the generation of new knowledge'. I assume that Roodt would have known that public universities are grounded in the idea of knowledge production, and innovation contributes to national development in ways that are not reducible to short-term market needs. A university graduate and, by his own admission, of UNISA, our land university, would have known this. His reckless claim that Unisa is underperforming was without facts. At least he should be aware that, in the last few years that UNISA, out of its 151-year history, has emerged as one of South Africa's and the African continent's premier scientific research and innovation institutions. As a dispute to his assumption and weird disinformation about UNISA, the institution has identified ten catalytic niche areas (such as Autotmotive Studies, Energy Studies, Space studies and the Square Kilometre Array, Fourth Industrial Revolution and digitization, etc) that will activate and enhance its academic agenda while remaining focused on the institute's vision of building Africa's Intellectual capacity. My view is that the role of public universities goes beyond 'immediate' skills production; their purpose includes fostering critical thinking. The failure of Roodt's argument was to realise that the skills gap cannot be solved by solely changing from public to private and from a public university to a private university.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Commissioners preview changing higher education landscape
The Commission for Higher Education held its regular meeting Thursday, detailing various changes during the 2024 legislative session. (Getty Images) Members of the Commission for Higher Education met in Hammond on Thursday for several hours to detail new laws and review the changing landscape for higher education institutions, notably slimmed-down budgets, more state oversight and shifting criteria for certain scholarships. Like most portions of the two-year budget, state funding for higher education took a 5% hit in the final days, triggered by a grim forecast that predicted $2 billion less in revenues over the next biennium. Two scholarship programs stayed flat, which Brooke Kile described as a 'huge win' for commissioners. Both the 21st Century Scholars program and the Frank O'Bannon Grants aim to make college more accessible for Hoosier students. 'It's a win for higher education; it's a win for Hoosier businesses that need talent,' said Kile, CHE's senior associate commissioner for business solutions. However, unused dollars allocated to the Frank O'Bannon fund can now revert back to the general fund, a change from previous years. CHE will be permitted to transfer that money to other programs. 'What we were spending was … $130 million a year out of a roughly $168 million appropriation. With this new ability that we received starting the next fiscal year, we are allowed to spend up to the full appropriation,' said Chris Lowery, the state's commissioner for higher education. 'That is significant, additional help for low-income students.' In addition to the 5% reduction for some other scholarship programs, CHE's budget line and individual allocations to each public institution were reduced along with restoration and rehabilitation funding. Also tucked into the budget was language abolishing the Governor's Workforce Cabinet, an initiative touted by former Gov. Eric Holcomb. Instead, the higher education body will take up many of those duties and align the state's educational goals with business needs. Though the state's educational institutions will be exempt from new contracting rules advanced as part of an accountability and transparency measure, CHE itself will have to operate under the requirements for documenting bids and federal funding. Under a separate law, CHE will also be required to submit a report examining the utilization of physical facilities at state educational institutions, including an analysis of classroom spaces, laboratories and more. One of the biggest changes to the operation of the state's public institutions will be enhanced tenure reviews tied to 'productivity.' Such scrutiny will include teaching loads, time spent on instruction and graduate student oversight, and the research produced by a faculty member. State law now requires that if these criteria are not met, the faculty member 'shall' be placed on probation and could be dismissed. Additionally, professors must publicly post their syllabi. Schools will no longer be required to have diversity committees under Senate Enrolled Act 289, which also impacts certain scholarships geared toward supporting minority students. In an attempt to still reach those students, the legislation defined 'underserved counties' to include Allen, Lake, Marion, St. Joseph and Vanderburgh. Certain students from those counties may still qualify for the minority scholarships. Another new higher education law will require several state agencies to collaborate and create a public dashboard detailing secondary programs, such as career and technical education and adult high schools. Such reports must include information related to participation, costs, completion and employment outcomes for students. As the author of Senate Enrolled Act 448, Terre Haute Republican Sen. Greg Goode highlighted the measure as one with bipartisan support during the 2025 session before the commission on Thursday. He described it as an effort to help universities focus on training the workforce for high-demand priorities such as life sciences, microelectronics, semiconductors and more. 'This is a way to help encourage and inspire department chairs, from my perspective, to grow our enrollment,' said Goode, who previously worked at Indiana State University. The bill would also study whether the state should have minimum admission requirements for Hoosier students. Under state law, the commission must also publish its recommendations for tuition and fee increases across the schools it oversees within 30 days after the state budget is enacted. While CHE always recommends a 0% floor increase, the maximum hit a high of 4.7% in 2009 during the great recession. Following the recommendation of Gov. Mike Braun, commissioners have opted to direct schools to keep tuition and fees flat for the next fiscal year. 'I know that's a real challenge for our institutions, and I'm very sensitive to that. But I think the most important thing is what we've been striving for through our whole agenda: increasing enrollment and getting more Hoosier students to go to college.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chemed Corporation (CHE): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Chemed Corporation (CHE) on Substack by 310 Value. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on CHE. Chemed Corporation (CHE)'s share was trading at $585.46 as of April 23rd. CHE's trailing and forward P/E were 29.43 and 23.26 respectively, according to Yahoo Finance. Andrey_Popov/ Chemed Corporation exemplifies how durable earnings paired with temporary volatility and disciplined share repurchases can create long-term shareholder value. As a holding company with two acyclical subsidiaries—Roto-Rooter, a leader in plumbing services, and Vitas, a major hospice care provider—Chemed has demonstrated consistent performance, with earnings from both businesses compounding in the low teens over the past 21 years. Despite this stability, both segments are prone to temporary disruptions. Vitas experienced this during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Roto-Rooter is currently facing headwinds due to demand pull-forward effects from the pandemic and pressure on consumer spending from inflation. These short-term challenges can depress Chemed's stock price, creating opportunities for management to repurchase shares at compelling valuations. This capital allocation strategy is not theoretical—Chemed has a long and proven track record of accumulating cash and deploying it strategically through repurchases when shares are undervalued. In 2024, the company repurchased $359 million of stock, with a remarkable 59.3% of that executed in the fourth quarter alone. Even after this aggressive buyback, Chemed ended the year with $178 million in cash and no debt, maintaining significant financial flexibility. Management evaluates the attractiveness of repurchases partly by comparing the company's free cash flow yield to the interest earned on cash holdings. With a projected 2025 free cash flow yield of approximately 5.0%—well above the 4.25% pre-tax yield on its cash—Chemed sees a clear incentive to continue buying back shares. Given its strong balance sheet, shareholder-friendly capital allocation, and resilience of core businesses, Chemed is well-positioned to unlock further value. If the stock remains attractively priced, additional repurchases could significantly boost long-term returns, especially as management continues to buy shares opportunistically without distorting market pricing. This combination of steady earnings, tactical capital deployment, and volatility-driven opportunities presents a compelling investment case. Chemed Corporation (CHE) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 39 hedge fund portfolios held CHE at the end of the fourth quarter which was 27 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of CHE as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CHE but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
National Post
24-04-2025
- Health
- National Post
LEO Pharma Announces Publication of Head-to-Head DELTA FORCE Study Results in The Lancet
Article content DELTA FORCE is the first head-to-head phase 3 trial comparing a systemic and investigational delgocitinib topical treatment for Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE). 1 Article content Article content TORONTO — LEO Pharma A/S, a global leader in medical dermatology, is pleased to share that The Lancet, which is considered one of the most influential peer-reviewed medical journals in the world, has published an article discussing the findings of the DELTA FORCE trial for investigational delgocitinib cream. Article content The publication summarizes the results of DELTA FORCE, a phase 3, two-arm trial (N=513) that compares the efficacy and safety of delgocitinib cream with alitretinoin capsules. 1 Alitretinoin is the only treatment currently approved in Canada to treat severe CHE in patients who do not respond to topical corticosteroids. 2 In Canada and the US, delgocitinib cream is currently under review and has not been approved by Health Canada or the FDA. Article content Article content Delgocitinib cream achieved the primary outcome measure of the DELTA FORCE trial, assessing the Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) scores from baseline to Week 12 compared to alitretinoin capsules. Article content Delgocitinib cream also met all key secondary outcome measures, including Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA)-CHE treatment success, a reduction in HECSI scores from baseline to Week 24, and improvement in health-related quality of life, as measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Article content Furthermore, patients receiving delgocitinib cream had fewer treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) compared to those receiving alitretinoin capsules. Article content 'The discussion of delgocitinib and the presentation of DELTA FORCE data in The Lancet is an exciting moment for the LEO Pharma team,' said Robert Spurr, EVP, LEO Pharma, North America and President, LEO Pharma, US. 'We are proud to contribute to the overall understanding of moderate to severe chronic hand eczema, helping uncover potentially new treatment options for those living with skin conditions like CHE.' Article content 'We know that CHE is an under researched condition,' commented Dr. Charles Lynde, Chief Medical Director, The Lynde Institute for Dermatology & Lynderm Research Inc. and Associate Professor, University of Toronto, Department of Medicine. 'We hope that discussions of the DELTA FORCE program, like that published in The Lancet, will continue to raise awareness of the disease, inspire new research, and ultimately help improve the quality of life of those living with CHE.' Article content DELTA FORCE was a 24-week, randomized, assessor-blinded, active-controlled, parallel-group, phase 3, two-arm trial to compare the efficacy and safety of delgocitinib cream twice-daily with alitretinoin capsules once-daily in adult participants with severe chronic hand eczema. 1 Article content The primary endpoint of the trial was the change in Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) score from baseline to Week 12. Participants assigned to receive delgocitinib cream applied the drug to the skin twice a day for 16 weeks. Participants assigned to receive alitretinoin capsules took the drug orally once a day for 12 weeks. All participants were permitted to continue for up to 24 weeks if the doctor considered that they were benefiting from the treatment. 1 Article content Article content About Chronic Hand Eczema Article content Chronic Hand Eczema (CHE) is defined as hand eczema (HE) that lasts for more than three months or relapses twice or more within a year. 5,6 HE is the most common skin disorder of the hands 7 with a prevalence rate of approximately 4.7%. 8 In a substantial number of patients, HE can develop into a chronic condition. 7 CHE is a fluctuating disorder characterized by itch and pain, and patients may experience signs such as erythema, scaling, lichenification, hyperkeratosis, vesicles, edema, and fissures on hands and wrists. 2 Article content CHE has been shown to cause psychological and functional burdens that impact patient quality of life, 9 with approximately 70% of individuals who live with severe CHE admitting to problems in performing everyday activities, and suffering disruption in their daily life due to the condition. 10 Furthermore, careers and earning potential have also been shown to be impacted by the burden of living with CHE. 11 Article content Delgocitinib cream is a topical pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe CHE. It inhibits the activation of JAK-STAT signaling, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of CHE. 12 The pathophysiology is characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, inflammation of the skin, and alterations of the skin microbiome. 13 Article content In 2014, LEO Pharma A/S and Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) entered into a license agreement in which LEO Pharma gained exclusive rights to develop and commercialize delgocitinib cream for topical use in dermatological indications worldwide, excluding Japan, where JT retains rights. Article content Delgocitinib cream is currently approved and marketed under the trade name Anzupgo® in the European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) in adults for whom topical corticosteroids are inadequate or inappropriate. Delgocitinib is under investigation in Canada and the United States.
