Category: General

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

From the wish I had thought of it department:

As reported in The (Philadelphia) Inquirer, “they are becoming a staple of weekends between June and September – taking their place alongside bathing suits, vacations and flip-flops.

“Trunk parties are hot.”

Kristin Holmes reports, “The soirees, named for a piece of luggage once synonymous with packing for college, symbolize the rite of rassage from high school to college.”

The full story may be found at:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120824_Trunk_parties_help_college-bound_students_prepare_for_dorm_life.html

In a nutshell, it’s not unlike a bridal or baby shower “where college-bound students invite friends to them (a party of sorts),  post pictures of them, and register at stores for them.”

How strategic.

As Holmes reports: “The parties are goodbye gatherings to which guests bring gifts — anything from towels, irons, shower caddies, desk lamps, toilet paper, and notebooks to bedding, mini-refrigerators, and laptops — to help students make the transition from home to college.

“The largesse is often placed in a trunk displayed prominently during the parties.

Bed, Bath & Beyond has had an increasing number of teens using its college gift registry for trunk parties, spokeswoman Jessica Joyce said.

“The gatherings can be small affairs to much larger themed-based parties for more than 100 of your closet family and friends.”

The origins of the events are unclear. Sally Rubenstone, senior adviser to the school admissions website College Confidential, said she first heard of a trunk party 40 years ago from a southern classmate while a student at Smith College in Northampton, Mass.

Between then and now, the parties seemed to fall out of favor, but they have reemerged with a vengeance, said Rubenstone, who is also a college counselor. Longtime wedding planner Vikki Leach of Lansdowne, Pa. attributes the surge to the struggling economy combined with the exorbitant cost of a college education.

Family and friends who gather to celebrate and help buy dorm-ready gifts are “a part of the concept that it takes a village,” Leach said. “This is the village wrapping their arms around the student as they go away from home.”

As The Inquirer reports: ” (Shauntae) Doughty, co-owner of Center Stage Party Planning in Philadelphia, sees the trend as an extension of the emphasis on entertaining that has been the focus of TV shows about weddings and “super Sweet 16s.

“But for Rubenstone, the resurgence may be the product of a generation of parents who habitually reward their children for even the smallest accomplishments, so ‘of course, the whole community will mark’ their departure for college.

“Some postings on the College Confidential site describe the practice as a ‘tacky’ way to get gifts for college.

“Rubenstone understands that view among communities or families where going to college — or going to the snazziest colleges – is routine, and if students have had a graduation party.

“But that argument doesn’t apply to students who perhaps are the first in their families to attend college, or for whom college is a big deal in the family and community, Rubenstone said.

“Davondra Turnell, who will study physical therapy at Manor College, broke down and cried at her party last month when each guest stood and offered words of encouragement.”

So, the choice is yours and your family. Not only is it strategic, it also opens an entirely new cottage industry for public relations majors looking at special events.

Hmm. Wish I had thought of it

Feel free to comment. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

As many know, I’ve been saying for weeks that the real “death penalty” for Penn State would be adverse action from its accrediting agency Middle States Commission on Higher Education. I am not advocating an accreditation loss or even probation. However, as a former reporter, I believe too many in the media are missing that story.

Another  story needing scrutiny is whether or not Penn State violated the Clery Act.

That said, The Philadelphia Inquirer and reporters Sue Snyder and Robert Moran and Associated Press reporter Kathy Matheson by-lined stories on Aug. 14 and 15, respectively. From Snyder’s story “Latest warning is unlikely to threaten Penn State’s accreditation”:

Even though Pennsylvania State University got yet another stern warning Monday, it is highly unlikely that the university will lose its accreditation as a result of the child sex-abuse scandal involving a former assistant football coach, national experts said.

“‘Unthinkable. Unimaginable,’ said Molly Corbett Broad, president of the American Council on Education, which represents presidents of colleges and universities and leaders of other higher education-related organizations. ‘It’s a great university. Its academic quality is superb. . . . If I were a mother of a youngster who had been accepted to Penn State, there is nothing in this set of events that would cause me to have second thoughts about the choice of school.’

“The warning by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that Penn State’s accreditation was ‘in jeopardy’ is ‘standard protocol’ for an accreditation agency,’ she said.

“In addition to academic quality, the agency also requires universities to meet standards regarding financial health, adequate board governance, and institutional integrity, and Penn State will have to address such issues in answering the commission’s warning.

“It also must comply with federal laws, such as the Clery Act, which requires that universities provide accurate and timely reports of crime on their campuses. The U.S. Department of Education is trying to determine whether the university violated the Clery Act.”

Matheson wrote:

Higher education experts say an accreditation warning issued to Penn State is serious and appropriate given the issues raised by a recent child sex-abuse scandal, but the school is unlikely to lose its accreditation.

They also expect the university to comply quickly with demands to show its governance, finances and integrity meet standards set by its accreditation agency.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education issued the warning last week based on the school’s handling of molestation allegations against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Judith Eaton, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, said Tuesday that it’s highly unlikely Penn State will end up on probation or lose its accreditation.

Students cannot use federal funds , including Pell grants and government loans , to attend unaccredited schools.

Moran’s lead summarizes Penn State’s reaction, well:

“An accrediting body has warned Pennsylvania State University that its status ‘is in jeopardy’ following recent developments in the Jerry Sandusky scandal and that it needs to take steps to preserve its accreditation.

“University leaders expressed confidence Monday that Penn State would address all the concerns expressed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

“‘This action has nothing to do with the quality of education our students receive. Middle States is focusing on governance, integrity, and financial issues related to information in the Freeh report and other items related to our current situation,’ said Blannie Bowen, vice provost for academic affairs.”

I do not profess to be a higher education accreditation expert. However, from personal experience I know that a college or university can lose its accreditation for something other than academics. The North Central Association of Colleges and Universities literally put Parsons (Iowa) College out of business by revoking its accreditation because Parsons over extended itself financially.

Parsons records are archived at the University of Iowa. The campus is now Maharishi University of Management.

The NCAA sanctions are nothing compared to a Middle States’ action.. I’m sure the media will stay on that and news about possible Clery violations.

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Be strategic in following this advice compliments of Ray Daiutolo Sr., president of the camden County chapter of the New Jersey Baseball Umpires Association.

The Mayo Clinic provides the following safety tips to help keep the body cool while in the summer sun.  I realize that working a game may prevent us from following all of these suggestions but some of these are still practical:

• Wear loose fitting clothing that’s both lightweight and light in color. Choose clothing that draws perspiration away from the skin, such as cotton T-shirts or shorts. Newer perspiration-wicking fabrics also are effective.
• Drink plenty of water, and don’t wait until you are thirsty to take a drink. A humans’ thirst mechanism kicks in only after it is significantly depleted of fluids. If exercising heavily in hot weather, aim for two to four glasses of water – or 16 to 32 ounces – every hour.
• Stay away from liquids that contain alcohol, caffeine or lots of sugar – these actually cause you to lose more fluid. Also, know that a drink that’s too cold might cause stomach cramps.
• Don’t overdo it. Start slowly and increase your pace gradually.
• Wear sunscreen. It’s harder for the body to keep sunburned skin cool. Consider wearing a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off the face and head. Sunscreen helps protect the skin from sunburn and keeps a person cooler too.
• Know the signs of heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps.

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]