Ivy Jungle . . . Campus Ministry Update

As I have said before, one of the few online Newsletters that I look forward to getting each month is the Ivy Jungle Network's: Campus Ministry Update. It is always interesting, informative, and relevant to those of us that work with this age-group. The latest edition just came out; below I have highlighted the items that were of most interest to me, and you can read the latest version at their website >>

Faith and Majors: Conventional wisdom says that Christians have good reason to fear what happens to students' faith when they embark on higher education. A study by scholars at the University of Michigan found some interesting connections between faith and studies. First, the odds of going to college increase for those who attend religious services. Business and education majors tend to increase their religious involvement. However, the social sciences and humanities have a negative effect on both student religious attendance and their view of the importance of their faith. Majoring in biological and physical sciences did not affect religious attendance, although the physical sciences did negatively affect the reported importance of religion among students. Among students who switch majors, those with strong religious involvement are more likely to switch into fields of education, humanities and biology. The researchers posit the postmodern thinking prevalent in the humanities has a more negative effect than science on faith. (Inside Higher Ed July 28, 2009)

National Religious Disbursement: While 54% of the US population self-identifies as non-Catholic Christians, that population is heavily concentrated in the South and nearby states. By contrast, Catholics are heavily concentrated in the East and Wisconsin and Illinois. Those with no religious identity find themselves predominantly in the Northeast and Northwest. Jews are prominent in the Mid-Atlantic states. (UPI August 9, 2009)

Feeling the Economy: Seminaries are among the schools feeling a severe pinch in the current economy. For the average seminary, more than 35% of income comes directly from tuition, with some schools much higher. Most of the balance has come from endowments – which have been hit hard in the economic downturn. On average, most also have small student bodies that are unable to maximize economies of scale, meaning that many are facing tough financial times, especially if enrollments decline. Some seminaries have begun to form partnerships and mergers to offset costs. Most are looking into online and distance based models to supplement enrollment. (Inside Higher Ed August 10, 2009)

And finally this one, I hope the students at the institution where I teach don't see this . . .

Don't Get a Job? Sue Your Alma Mater: A recent graduate of Monroe College in New York has filed a $72,000 lawsuit against her alma mater. The suit is for the cost of four years of tuition and compensation for stress during her three month job search. Trina Thompson graduated in May with a 2.7 grade point average. After three months, she has yet to secure a job with her degree in business administration in information technology. She asserts that the Office of Career Advancement did not help her enough with securing a full time job. (cnn.com August 7, 2009)

The rest of the articles include:

Beloit Mindset List
Top Party School and More
West Point Tops Forbes Rankings
Waiting for Sex and Marriage
Majors Getting Greener
Christian Colleges Going Greener
Gender, Majors and Earning
National Religious Disbursement
Parents Paying for College
Renting Text Books
Measuring Learning in College
Global Internet Use
Community College on TV
Harvard Clothes Line

Blessing
3 John 8
Bill H.