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Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

sfchronicle.com

31–40 of 187 posts

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#31
post #25

Having worked at a university at one point I can understand how shitty security is at virtually all universities. But Stanford claims to turn out brilliant technologists (in addition to these overpaid MBAs) yet apparently doesn't hire any.

> shitty security is at virtually all universities. Shitty compared to whom? Who are the examplars of information security universities aren't matching? Academia security doesn't look so bad compared to governmental or corporate security. Security involves trade-offs and some of universities' lower security is a conscious choice to not impair academic freedom or collaboration. > apparently doesn't hire any. If their…

I’ve done some consulting with higher education, but am not an expert in the vertical.

My opinion, based on my observation at a half dozen campuses is that academic computing is ok, but the central services type stuff (payroll, admissions, accounting, HR) is often underfunded and struggling to meet mushrooming compliance requirements.

Compared to a similar sized organization in another sector, they aren’t as good as a bank, .gov revenue department or insurance company. But they are better than a municipal government, k-12, or retail.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#32

There's nothing wrong per se with awarding this aid either needs based or merit based. Awarding it merit based seems to be working for Stanford based on results. Moreover, this is for graduate business school. I'm a crunchy progressive but I see no problem with this private school doing whatever they want (legally) if it works for them which it apparently does. But awarding them merit based and then claiming to be ne…

The article also mentions gender and discrimination based upon nationality which could be suggestive of racial discrimination as well. Women are biased over men, foreign over domestic. This is not uncommon and likely legal (see: Fisher vs University of Texas 2016 [1]) for now, but I also would like to see universities required to acknowledge the discrimination. Calling things equal or need based and then actively engaging in racial and gender biases is quite absurd.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_v._University_of_Texas_...

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#33

My daughter is applying for colleges. When a college says that they only offer need-based aid, what it means is that we can't afford it. Yet I've encouraged her to apply to a few of those colleges anyway, based on the assumption that they don't only offer need based aid.

Find a community college with a 2-2 combo program with a school with a good name. Buy your daughter a nice car.

She’ll get a better education, have a car at graduation and you will save a lot of money.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#34
Stanfurd can favor students born on a blue moon with an extra nipple for all I care. But claiming all scholarships are need based, giving them to rich students, and then telling students to not discuss their aid is disgusting. In my book this is on par with the wage fixing between Apple and the other tech giants.

This is the downside of diversity and inclusion. Companies and schools have gotten so good at paying lip service to it, we can't tell what kind of bullshit happens on the inside.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#35
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but don’t lie about it. If it’s not need-based, don’t insist it’s need-based.

Ok, lies are unacceptable. To play devil's advocate here: the press and the public do not want to hear that tech companies pay 7 digits of monthly salary to attract some talent. Nor do they want to hear that Universities have to offer merit based scholarships to attract top students, otherwise these students will go elsewhere. Companies advertise their diversity efforts but not the salaries of their executives. Stanf…

Our society is culturally configured to promote lying here. Instead of addressing the issue openly like adults, people decide to operate covertly, driven by competition and fear of missing out.

It'll be nice when we start to culturally grow up a bit and begin trusting the world. Collaboration/hybridization is much quicker than competition when it comes to genetic evolution & I suspect the same holds for cultural evolution.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#36

It is somewhat amusing that they give scholarships to people with financial industry background, who are the least in need, and who will receive the highest salaries on exit - and then claim that their scholarships are need based. At least they are teaching their students the ethics they need to succeed in the financial industry.

Depends on whose needs they're talking about.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#37
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok, lies are unacceptable. To play devil's advocate here: the press and the public do not want to hear that tech companies pay 7 digits of monthly salary to attract some talent. Nor do they want to hear that Universities have to offer merit based scholarships to attract top students, otherwise these students will go elsewhere. Companies advertise their diversity efforts but not the salaries of their executives. Stanf…

Our society is culturally configured to promote lying here. Instead of addressing the issue openly like adults, people decide to operate covertly, driven by competition and fear of missing out. It'll be nice when we start to culturally grow up a bit and begin trusting the world. Collaboration/hybridization is much quicker than competition when it comes to genetic evolution & I suspect the same holds for cultural evol…

So, to start with, shut down the rules against discussing salaries or university costs with coworkers and other students, respectively.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#38
post #2

For the sake of an argument, there is some merit to diversity preference: if a disadvantaged candidate made as much progress agains the headwind as a regular candidate, it stands to reason they are more capable. Thoughts?

But they are not disadvantaged. Almost everyone who gets into Stanford and Ivy league colleges, underrepresented minorities included, come from very privileged upbringings.

The only disadvantaged population (overachieving children of poor immigrants, mainly European and Asian) is discriminated against through affirmative action in the admissions process and apparently also for scholarships.

Re: Stanford University data glitch exposes truth about scholarships

#40

Stanfurd can favor students born on a blue moon with an extra nipple for all I care. But claiming all scholarships are need based, giving them to rich students, and then telling students to not discuss their aid is disgusting. In my book this is on par with the wage fixing between Apple and the other tech giants. This is the downside of diversity and inclusion. Companies and schools have gotten so good at paying lip…

How is it a downside of diversity out inclusion? Sends more a downside of lying.
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