The Louisiana Illuminator takes a weekly look at news from universities and colleges across the state. Have a tip or want to submit a message from the Louisiana Higher Ed? Contact [email protected].
Biden admin to hold risky college leaders personally liable
The US Department of Education has issued guidance on how it will hold principals of risky private colleges accountable for the cost of unpaid debts to the department.
“The Biden-Harris administration is canceling the loans of more than a million borrowers scammed by for-profit colleges. But all too often the owners and executives of these colleges evade liability,” said James Kvaal, Secretary of State for Education, in a press release.
The guidance clarifies when the department can require leaders to assume personal liability to allow their schools to participate in federal grant programs.
The Department will consider a variety of factors in determining whether personal liability should be asserted, which will be on a case-by-case basis, including but not limited to:
civil or criminal claims, settlements, or disciplinary or judicial actions by the Department or other state or federal agencies related to state student assistance or claims of dishonesty, fraud, misrepresentation, consumer harm, or financial wrongdoing; significant compliance issues, such as B. Findings from program reviews or audits, unpaid liabilities resulting from any of these processes, or findings of inadequate administrative capacity; and a director’s fee or bonus structure that could materially affect the financial health of the institution.
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Southern receives endowment money
The Southern University System has received $250,000 from liquor company Diageo North America to set up an endowment fund that will provide financial assistance to deserving students.
The donation is part of Diageo’s commitment to creating endowments at historically black colleges and universities. Southern joins 28 other HBCUs in receiving lasting endowments from the company.
“The scholarship fund donated by Diageo will support our collective commitment to provide valuable resources to our students and to help shape a more just society,” South President Dennis Shields said in a press release.
Funds for Nicholls Incubator
Chevron donated $50,000 to develop the Bayou Region Incubator and Student Entrepreneur and Innovation Center, which will provide an incubation space for student entrepreneurs.
“Our goal is to catapult small businesses into our Bayou region,” said Lisa Kliebert, the business incubator’s executive director. “The incubator is a place where entrepreneurs can work independently but not alone.”
Nicholls has already received $3.5 million in federal money to set up the incubator. The university has bought a facility near the campus and plans to house 25 to 30 startups after the renovation.
Research on smartphone security
An LSU computer science professor was awarded $470,000 by the National Science Foundation to research the security of biometrics used to authenticate a user’s identity.
Chen Weng’s research will focus on two aspects of authentication: reducing the user effort involved in authentication and preventing biometric data from being reused to protect against identity theft attempts.
“Current 3D scanning and printing technologies can fake your fingers, hands and face,” Weng said in a press release. “The required biometric data [for authentication] everything is static and never changes. This means that if the biometrics are leaked, an attacker can reuse them to access your device and online accounts.”
