Online Journalism Activities 5.1

Tommy Collins
Journalism II
Heath
10/22/09


Current story idea:

• How the economy influenced application rates and graduate donations/the endowment at St. Edward’s and similar universities? If so, how has the university reacted, i.e. where have they made budget cuts to compensate? Basically find out what the priorities of the university are based on where the money is going and where it is getting cut in tough economic times.


Information I am looking for online:

• Incoming freshman applications over the past five years at St. Edward’s and comparable universities.
• Graduate donation rates over the past five years at St. Edward’s and similar universities.
• Find the breakdown of the budget, and how it has changed over the past five years. Where have there been cuts to compensate for less money coming in, if that’s found to be the case?

Sources:

• http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2009/10/20/2009-10-20_college_tuition_costs_rise_again_this_fall_at_public_and_private_universities_na.html - This is an article from the New York Daily News that I took as credible because it is from the Associated Press.

• http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search§ion=Government_Relations&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=3545 - This is a document of testimony on behalf of the American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities and similar organizations presented to the Senate Committee on Finance, explaining endowments and their importance to higher education.

• http://www.allbusiness.com/education-training/education-systems-institutions/12961746-1.html - This is an article out of the Waco Tribune-Herald, discussing how Baylor and other private universities are weathering the economic downturn. I find it credible because it comes from a newspaper and has a recent publication date.

• http://www.stedwards.edu/giving/endowment - This is the information regarding the endowment provided on the St. Edward’s Web site.