Latest news with #CarnegieFoundation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Enterprise Vet says saving elderly neighbor from house fire was instinct: ‘I'm not a hero'
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — After receiving a key to the city of Enterprise three years ago, more awards have come in for an Army veteran, who received a Carnegie Medal for saving his neighbor in a burning house in 2022. 'I'd never expected to receive anything remotely close to a national award. I just thought it was the right thing to do, I never expected it to reach this point,' said Marvin Pinckney Pinckney sprang into action to save his elderly neighbor, Mary Griffin, and her caretaker, Angie Byrd. After returning from a motorcycle ride, Pinckney noticed smoke coming from the Griffins' home on Bellwood Road, so he instructed his wife to call 911. While waiting, he decided to go to his neighbor's house to inform them that the house is on fire and that they need to get out. Enterprise vet honored with national award for saving neighbor from burning home 'When I entered the house, they were like What's going on? Where? In the garage, and what made them think it was on fire, the lights went out, and the alarm started blaring, and my only thoughts were to get us out of that situation,' said Pinckney That's when Pinckney was able to lift Griffin, who was strapped into a wheelchair, to push her through a window along with her caretaker with the help of Pinckney's wife and other neighbors before fire and rescue showed up to fight the blaze. While Pinckney did put his own life at risk, he says it was a no-brainer to leap into action, especially after serving in the military for 30 years. 'We are expected to put our lives on the line for our fellow man, and just being a decent person, knowing they were elderly. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing they perished,' said Pinckney. Pinckney says Griffin was beyond thankful for saving her life and always showed her appreciation. He often went to visit her after the fire, took her some oatmeal cookies because that's what she liked, and every time they sat with her, it was a big kiss and a thank you. He says he wants to thank the city of Enterprise and the Carnegie Foundation for this honor. 'I'm not a hero, just someone who wanted to help the fellow man,' said Pinckney. The Carnegie Medal, awarded by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, is given to citizens who demonstrate bravery while saving another. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How College Leaders Can Play Offense On Value
The new the Carnegie Classifications now include a more central focus on value and economic ... More mobility, turning them into a highly impactful tool in college leaders' arsenal. There is as much variety among the nearly 4,000 degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States as in the nation itself. From tiny liberal arts colleges to massive universities with student populations as large as a major city—and everything in between—it's important to understand the differences among them. This is especially true as questions about the value of higher education continue to grow louder. Fortunately, one of the primary systems for differentiating colleges just got a major overhaul. A few weeks ago, the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching unveiled a long-awaited update to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education—colloquially known as the Carnegie Classifications—which are the main way that American colleges and universities are categorized and compared. Initially developed in 1973 to support research and policy analysis, the classification system has been updated every few years to reflect the changing higher education landscape. This year's changes, which marked the 10th update overall, were significant. Most notably, the Carnegie Classifications now include a more central focus on value and economic mobility, reflecting the growing shift of the higher education field in this direction. In addition to reimagining the basic classification types, the system now includes a new category to capture the institutions that improve student access and earnings. This means that the system now explicitly identifies the extent to which institutions provide access to underrepresented students and the degree to which students go on to earn competitive wages. This evolution is a noteworthy move for a system that has substantial influence over colleges' behavior and the options students and families consider to ensure the best possible outcome from investing in higher education. Historically, certain Carnegie categories have served as somewhat of a status symbol for colleges and universities. The 'R1' designation, for instance, came with a high degree of prestige and was often sought after by institutions looking to grow their national prominence. But those designations were primarily driven by the amount of funding spent on research and the highest-level degree types that different colleges awarded rather than factoring in student outcomes. While research is an important function of higher education, earning an R1 designation didn't indicate much about how well a particular institution actually served its students. Redefining the drivers of these classifications can help rewrite the markers of prestige for American colleges. And in a challenging postsecondary landscape and unpredictable political environment, this new system can help college leaders play offense—not defense—when it comes to proving their value. Those leaders who embrace the access and earnings information and use it to drive improvements will be directly responding to the questions and concerns that many are raising about value. Colleges and universities that can show that their graduates have strong career outcomes—especially those who admit a broader range of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds—will be distinguishing themselves in ways that are truly worthy of praise. In addition, the classifications' new consideration of regional economic context in measuring graduate earnings is a significant step. It recognizes that earning $40,000 per year in a small, rural community means something very different than earning $40,000 per year in a major city. The consideration of labor market and demographic differences as part of the overall evaluation of how well colleges are serving their students allows for a more nuanced understanding of an institution's value proposition within its specific community, economy and state. Regional context also incentivizes institutions to better serve their local economies. Allowing institutions with similar demographics and economic conditions to compare themselves to one another enables those who are excelling to inspire and inform other 'like' institutions. And if how well graduates do in the labor market is now a key driver of excellence, that should translate into greater economic mobility for students and a more prepared talent supply to fill key jobs in local economies. The new system also has the potential to be useful to consumers. Previous versions of the classification structure had limited meaning to students or families; the majority of students weren't concerned with going to a school that had achieved a particular Carnegie classification. Instead, they were (and are) interested in attending accessible colleges that are known to help their graduates achieve their goals and find success. A system that incorporates measures that matter to students and families and contextualizes colleges within their local communities has the potential to be a useful tool for helping people to understand their options and make informed choices. And in addition to the importance of delivering value to students, greater confidence among potential consumers is likely to help address the enrollment challenges that many institutions across the country currently face. The shift to a central focus on value in higher education requires leadership on multiple fronts. It requires demand from consumers, which has undeniably come to the fore in recent years. It requires states to set the right policies and incentives to drive their colleges and universities in the right direction. And, critically, it requires college leaders themselves to make changes in what they prioritize at their institutions. Given their traditional significance among higher education leaders, the evolution of the Carnegie Classifications marks an important change for one of the essential groups who can influence postsecondary value. The fact that demand for new classifications came from institutions themselves is a positive indicator of the field's willingness to make the tough changes necessary to deliver on higher education's promise. When paired with a shared vision and a smart state strategy, these new classifications can be a highly impactful tool in college leaders' arsenal. The great reorienting of higher education around value continues to move forward; and it's time for college leaders to play offense.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Concord, Baugo present work-based learning apprenticeship programs to state leader
ELKHART — Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner visited Concord schools on Tuesday to learn more about the district's preparations toward Indiana's new graduation requirements and celebrate accomplishments recently made in the district. 'Really it comes down to some key things of how do we help every student to know their value, know the possibilities for their life's path and really help them discover their purpose and set them on that best path for success,' Jenner said. 'It's keeping kids number one every single day, all the time, and connecting them to their dream job.' Superintendent Dan Funston told her about the district's invitation to be a part of the Carnegie Foundation's Future High School Network among just 24 nationwide and brought students and staff alongside him to discuss how the district is redesigning the high school experience with help from the Indiana Department of Education. One of those students was Concord alumni Bianca Jimenez-Ortiz, who spoke about her time at Concord in the apprenticeship program. Jimenez-Ortiz graduated from Grace College on Saturday and was the nation's first paralegal apprentice graduate, through the Horizon Education Alliance. 'Even being at college, I was able to test out of some criminal, business law and baseline classes because of the experiences that I had at the prosecutor's office,' she said. 'I was the first paralegal apprentice in the United States, which is really exciting.' Jimenez-Ortiz said she's been seeing doors open for her continually. 'It's truly the greatest testimony of what this program does and how investing in it is something that we should be doing,' she said. Jimenez Ortiz was joined by younger cohort students: Taylynn Calhoun, a first-grade and paraprofessional educator-apprentice at Ox Bow; Karen Villanueva, a third-grade and paraprofessional educator-apprentice at West Side; Will Delio, work-based learning student at Elkhart Environmental Center and the Aquatic Biology Lab at Elkhart Public Works; Lucas Prough, work-based learning at Notre Dame Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics Facility; and Ty Zartman of Jimtown, a second-year apprentice at Hoosier Crane. 'It's important to have these work-based learning experiences to create connections in your life,' Prough said. 'Having these connections in high school is going to impact my future largely.' Todd Cook of Hoosier Crane joined Zartman at Concord to talk about the business' partnership with HEA and the schools. Hoosier Crane has one of the longest running apprenticeship programs the schools offer. 'We've done internships at Hoosier Crane over the years; we've probably had 30-40 interns over the years in my 18 years there,' he said. 'The youth apprenticeship program came to us about six years ago. The concept, the idea, honestly, I embraced it wholeheartedly as a leader in the organization because it self-served.' Cook said the internship program would simply introduce students to business and then they'd move on. With the apprenticeship program, they're training students to do what they do and today about 10% of the workforce nationwide is youth apprentices. Cook said interestingly, the team members also perform better when apprenticeships are around. 'They don't want to take shortcuts, they want to show you how it's done,' he said. 'This is how you do it the right way … So it's risen our existing talent in our own employee base throughout the company and really.' Jenner said that businesses across Indiana are shifting, like Hoosier Crane from interns to apprenticeships, because it creates a better return on investment. Becca Roberts, Concord High School College and Career Readiness adviser, said 145 students interested in apprenticeships were vetted by guidance counselors and then 20 were interviewed. 'I'm here to say to businesses, we need you. The kids are eager to learn in an actual work-place setting,' Roberts said. Baugo Community Schools Superintendent Byron Sanders also stopped by with some of his district's students and employees the districts partner with. 'All of this work Concord does in Elkhart County, we're duplicating a lot of work, so it's important for us to work together and Baugo's been a major partner in everything we're trying to do,' Funston said. Funston said Concord has 22 apprentices and Baugo has 14, and said he believes it might be the most in the state. 'We have a system that doesn't create redundancies,' Sanders added. 'It's been a problem for schools. Everybody's tasked with the same responsibility to try to get exposure for students and then we seem to bombard our business partners in the community with district after district after district trying to do the same things and so we recognize that working together is smarter and not harder.' Funston also announced during the visit that West Side Elementary School was reported as the highest achieving 50%+ EL school in the state of Indiana. With an IREAD percentage up over 20%, Funston said they anticipate testing later in the year to be over 35%. Jenner also visited West Side to celebrate their success and discuss early literacy.
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Opportunity Colleges: Measuring What Truly Matters
The redesigned Carnegie Classifications aim to shift the focus from inputs to outcomes, from ... More prestige to performance and from exclusivity to opportunity. At my house, we are deep in the college search process. A bewildering array of glossy brochures arrive in our mailbox each week. My son, a high school junior, repeatedly shares rankings of colleges that he's found online or sourced through internet influencers. We receive weekly 'college counseling' updates from our high school layered with deadlines, details about local college fairs, invitations to webinars about saving for college, and articles highlighting trends in college-going. Even this higher education policy wonk and university trustee mom is left asking: 'Which college will actually give my son a good shot at success?' It is a question that swirls around kitchen table conversations across America. As college costs continue to climb and student debt makes headlines, families are right to ask whether their investment will pay off. Will this college open doors for my child? Will my student, upon graduation, find a good job? Will they be welcomed and supported if they come from a family without financial means? These practical questions matter far more to the majority of American families than the prestige factors that have traditionally dominated college rankings. There has been no systematic way to identify institutions that excel at both providing access to diverse student populations and delivering strong economic outcomes for their graduates. Until now. In a significant shift for how we understand and evaluate America's diverse higher education landscape, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Carnegie Foundation) have unveiled a redesigned classification system that promises to better reflect what truly matters in higher education today: student success. This latest announcement represents the culmination of years of work to reimagine the Carnegie Classifications, a process I highlighted in my January 2024 Forbes article, Rethinking Higher Education Classifications for Today's Institutions. As I noted then, the effort aimed to create "a more dynamic and contemporary perspective" on how we categorize and understand America's colleges and universities. The timing couldn't be more critical. As Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation, recently characterized it at the ASU+GSV Summit, higher education finds itself in a "Dickensian moment"—the best of times and the worst of times. "Without question, [we have] Yet at the same time, the nation's higher education system faces troubling trends: soaring student debt, insufficient access for low-income students, 60% completion rates, declining public confidence, an overemphasis on inputs not outcomes, enrollment challenges, and shrinking funding. Ted Mitchell, president of ACE, put it bluntly in response to Knowles at the Summit: "It's no secret that higher education is facing an existential crisis," one with profound federal and political implications. For nearly five decades, the Carnegie Classifications—long considered the gold standard for categorizing U.S. colleges and universities—have shaped how we view higher education. But as institutions have evolved to serve increasingly diverse student populations, the traditional classification system struggled to capture this complexity, often reducing institutions to simplistic categories based primarily on the highest degrees they awarded. The 2025 update to the venerable Carnegie Classifications includes both a revision of the historic Basic Classification (now titled the Institutional Classification) and a groundbreaking new Student Access and Earnings Classification (SAEC). The updated Institutional Classification now organizes colleges and universities according to multiple characteristics—including size, types of degrees awarded and fields of study in which students receive their degrees—creating a more nuanced view of institutional identity and mission. But perhaps the most consequential change is the introduction of the SAEC, which focuses squarely on outcomes. This new framework evaluates institutions on two critical metrics: access and earnings. The access metric examines whether peer institutions enroll students who reflect the communities they serve, specifically looking at Pell Grant recipients and underrepresented student groups. The earnings metric measures how much former students earn compared to their peers in the job markets they entered. Importantly, the metric tracks both students who complete their degrees and those who do not, so institutions are accountable for all students, not just those who graduate. These 479 Opportunity Colleges and Universities represent a diverse cross-section of American higher ... More education—public and private, large and small, urban and rural—demonstrating that excellence in providing access and fostering economic mobility is possible across institutional types and settings. This approach directly addresses two of the most pressing concerns in today's higher education debate: is college accessible to all Americans regardless of background? And does a college degree still deliver meaningful economic mobility? At a time when many Americans are questioning whether higher education remains a pathway to the middle class, these metrics provide concrete data to evaluate institutions' performance on these critical dimensions. "The majority of students apply to college with the expectation it is a legitimate path to opportunity, and a job they've dreamt about," says Knowles. "This work is about ensuring that institutions are recognized and incentivized to empower students to reach their goals and succeed." In a notable innovation, the new classification has designated 479 institutions as "Opportunity Colleges and Universities"— schools that meet specific thresholds on both access and earnings metrics and can serve as models for studying how all campuses can foster student success. For baccalaureate-plus institutions to earn this designation, they must achieve at least a score of "1" for access (meaning their student population reflects the demographic makeup of their service area) and a score of "1.50" for earnings (indicating that their graduates earn 50% more than comparison groups eight years after enrollment). Associate degree-granting institutions face a modified threshold, requiring the same access score but a slightly lower earnings score of "1.25," acknowledging the different nature and missions of these largely two-year degree-granting institutions. These 479 Opportunity Colleges and Universities represent a diverse cross-section of American higher education—public and private, large and small, urban and rural—demonstrating that excellence in providing access and fostering economic mobility is possible across institutional types and settings. They serve as proof points that colleges and universities can simultaneously serve all students and prepare them for economic success. The new SAEC has designated 479 institutions as "Opportunity Colleges and Universities"— schools ... More that meet specific thresholds on both access and earnings metrics and can serve as models for studying how all campuses can foster student success. 'We want this to be seen as holding higher education and our institutions accountable,' says Mitchell. 'Are they constructing a campus that reflects the community around them and are they providing those students with the essential tools and skills needed to go out into the world and succeed in a chosen career? It is time for a new social contract between higher education and the American people, and that contract has a 'job one' focusing on student success.' The redesign arrives at a pivotal moment when families face difficult decisions about college affordability, legislators scrutinize public funding for higher education, employers question the job-readiness of graduates and institutions grapple with enrollment challenges and public perception issues. By focusing on tangible outcomes, the new classifications offer a more relevant lens through which to view institutional quality—one that aligns with what students and taxpayers actually want from higher education. The redesigned system aims to shift the focus from inputs to outcomes, from prestige to performance and from exclusivity to opportunity. This new classification also has the potential to drive institutional improvement, facilitate learning from successful models, build upon existing research and equip various stakeholders—from state agencies to accreditors to funders—with better tools for decision-making. Most importantly, for students and families navigating the complex landscape of college choice, the new SAEC provides a valuable lens that aligns with what most are seeking: institutions that will open doors and create pathways to success. 'The institutions that are high access and high earnings—the Opportunity Colleges and Universities—warrant recognition, understanding and investment,' says Knowles. 'For if we create more places like them, and ensure the postsecondary sector is accountable for student success, we create more opportunity for everyone. And that, I think, is something Americans will rally behind.' What makes this approach distinctive is its simplicity and focus. Rather than creating another complex ranking system, the SAEC is designed to be straightforward for institutions to understand what to improve and where to focus their efforts. By including associate degree-granting institutions and incorporating geographic context, the classification provides a more comprehensive and nuanced view of higher education's role in fostering opportunity. The transformation of the Carnegie Classifications didn't happen overnight. When ACE and the Carnegie Foundation announced their partnership to reimagine the classifications in 2022, they embarked on an extensive process of stakeholder engagement, consulting with thousands of institutional leaders, researchers, policymakers and higher education experts. This inclusive approach ensured that the new classifications reflect the diverse perspectives and needs of the sector. Perhaps most significantly, this reimagination moves beyond the theoretical to provide practical tools for institutional improvement in areas that are increasingly central to public policy debates: greater access, economic mobility and workforce development. As state legislatures tie funding to performance metrics, as Congress contemplates reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and as employers seek graduates with demonstrable skills, the new classifications provide a common framework for evaluating how well institutions are meeting these contemporary challenges. 'Higher education is facing numerous and serious challenges, some of our own making that have been building for years, such as too low completion rates, a too high barrier for granting credit and easing the time to degree for transfer students and those with prior learning experiences, and providing a clear picture of exactly what a college degree will cost,' says Mitchell. 'Now we are facing an existential threat from many of the actions being taken by the current administration, including the attempted gutting of our world-leading research. With the new Institutional and Student Access and Earnings Classifications, we are playing offense and demonstrating the evidence of what so many higher education institutions do well and challenging others to do better.' But the collaboration between ACE and the Carnegie Foundation aims higher than just measuring current performance. Knowles envisions the initiative as a catalyst for genuine innovation in higher education, one that might even "crack the Carnegie unit"—the time-based standard that has defined American education for over a century. By shifting focus to actual learning outcomes rather than seat time, the new classifications could spur new models, emerging from incumbent and new institutions that increase access, outcomes, and make postsecondary much more affordable, including options like three-year degrees and stronger pathways from high school to college. As higher education continues to evolve in response to changing student needs, workforce demands and technological disruptions, having classification systems that reflect these realities becomes increasingly important. For those families sitting around kitchen tables, weighing college options and worrying about cost, the Opportunity Colleges designation offers practical insights into college value. Now, students and families can look to these 479 institutions as examples of colleges and universities that have proven their ability to serve students of all backgrounds and prepare them for prosperity. At a time when so many are questioning whether higher education is still 'worth it,' the Opportunity Colleges and Universities stand as a testament that when done right, a college education remains one of the most powerful tools for creating a more equitable society and opening doors to opportunity for all learners.
Forbes
20-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Creating Value For Others Has Become The Key To Business Success
Figure 1: Logos of firms creating value faster. in the U.S. Europe and China Creating value for others has long been a staple of morality, Who has not heard, 'Love your neighbor as yourself"? Today, paradoxically, creating value for others has become the key to business success. The Mirage Of Scientific Management This is quite recent. For more than a century, businesses often lost sight of the importance of creating value for others. Many firms pursued the idea of scientific management, i.e. imposing a system of inert processes, methods, structure, and systems on staff in order to make money. Scientific management took off with Frederick Taylor's book, The Principles of Scientific Management, who predicted: 'In the past the man has been first; in the future the system must be first.' In the 1950s, the Carnegie Foundation insisted on scientific management in its funding of business schools. In the 1970s and beyond, the Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman and his colleagues persuaded businesses to pursue maximizing shareholder value (MSV) as the sole goal of business. In 1997, the Business Round Table endorsed MSV the valid goal for all businesses. As recently as 2023, management guru Gary Hamel defined management as 'simply the tools, the methods, process and structures that we use as human beings to do together what we couldn't do alone.' This concept of management led to great gains in the 20th century, even as staff engagement was steadily lower and business returns gradually declined. Eventually, in 2019, the Business Round Table realized that business based totally on the self-interest of short-term profits was untenable and officially renounced it. The New Goal Of Business Management Emerges Meanwhile, over the last quarter century, firms had already begun implementing the converse of Taylor's dictum. As they found ways to have human concerns modify and drive the processes, practices, and methods, they were able to grow much faster and generate exponentially more value. They began with the customer and worked backwards, while also giving thought to all the stakeholders. In so doing, they began to live a new destiny for business management: creating value for others. Illustrations of firms that are mostly pursuing this goal and the results they have obtained in terms of long term returns and workplace satisfaction are included below in Figure 1. They include firms of all sizes and in all sectors in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In one sense, this is like discovering the wheel. For millennia, the human race has known that when we create value for others, the true spirit of living is alive in us. Whatever our kind of work, whether it is a business, a team, a family, a community, a political movement, or even a religion, when we embody the spirit of creating value for others, we become inventive, searching, daring, and self-expressing. We become interesting to other people. We may disturb and upset, but we do so to enlighten and open the way for better understanding. We have long known that some people are doing the opposite. They are trying to extract value for themselves, or to harm us, or to dominate us, or impose their process or system on us. In so doing, they can become mean, selfish, unpleasant, even inhuman. What led to the change? It wasn't a sudden moral epiphany on the part of business leaders. It was a recognition by businesses that the world itself had changed. This in turn necessitated change. The internet (and now AI) had given first, to firms, new possibilities for innovation, and then to customers, more choices, and finally to firms again, the potential of new business models that built on extraordinary network effects. The old way of managing couldn't keep up. Managers had to try something different. The terminology used by the firms varied. Apple talked of a different 'culture'. Microsoft talked about 'mindset', 'empathy' and 'values.' Amazon talked about 'leadership; principles.' Some firms talked of 'mental models' and 'narratives.' The Agile Manifesto spoke of valuing 'individuals and interactions' more than 'processes and tools.' At LVMH, CEO Bernard Arnault talked of giving designers 'freedom without limits'. Whatever the vocabulary, this new breed of firm used subjective concepts to drive their business processes. Their mental models, goals, mindsets, values, narratives, and purposes were the very things that scientific management had dismissed in principle. The result was an upheaval in every aspect of business practices It might be called a paradigm shift in management, although probably no more than 20% of public firms have yet made the transition. Instead of trying to fix individual issues by adding patches to a framework of scientific management, the fastest growing firms transformed almost every aspect of management. Figure 2: Hierarchy of authority vs Network of competence Each of the firms in the transition is unique. Some concentrate more on one dimension than another, depending on the particular needs of their context. Each of them has flaws, including some that are serious. In effect, none of them is a model that can or should be copied directly. But the principles of management that they have discovered require attention. What we are seeing here is not a fad. This is not something that was cooked up last night and will evaporate in a flash. It's not just a theory. It's based on hard financial and social facts. It's been gathering momentum for several decades. And it has roots in countries around the world. In fact, there's now a lot of solid knowledge about how and why this new kind of management works. What the other 80% of firms have to do is to unlearn most of what they know about management and, in the process, get to know the organization of the future. They can learn from the practices of the leading firms and understand how they achieved their success. They should not set out to copy their practices exactly. Those practices were right for those firms in their settings. In transitioning to the new, firms have to develop principles and practices that are right for their own setting. They also need to learn why change is inevitable. To be master of their fates, they will have to embrace new ways of thinking and communicating and acting. Their organization will need to become, in effect, a new organizational life-form. Almost everything will be different. But it will also exciting. Suddenly, the firm will be in sync with its context. Management will for once have pizzazz. And read also: The Management Paradigm Driving The World's Fastest Growing Firms Understanding Why Networks Of Competence Crush Hierarchies Of Authority FIGURE 1 5-YEAR TOTAL RETURNS OF FAST GROWING FIRMS IN US, EUROPE AND CHINA 250419
