Digital Plagiarists, Comebacks, and Energy-Savers [Higher-Ed Snapshot 8/6]

Photo via gadgetdude, under Creative Commons

UPDATED 4:10 p.m. 

Don't keep up on what's going on at colleges and universities in the area and across the country? No worries-- Connect2Mason's new Senior News Editor for Off-Campus & Community Jordan J. Frasier has you covered. Here's a round up of higher education headlines from down the street and around the country.

Consider them five things you should know. 

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Interviews Make a Comeback, Play Larger Role in Admissions Process
Some colleges and universities are rethinking the benefit to using admission interviews to distinguish between thousands of similar applicants. With more students sporting similar GPAs and resumes, more school officials are utilizing interviews to better assess students and to get a glimpse into what makes potential students tick.  Read the Washington Post story here.

College? Why Waste Time and Money on a Ponzi Scheme?  
Many students assume the traditional education path to include a college degree, but those like financial columnist James Altucher argue why four (or, as he says, likely more) years working toward a college diploma could be better spent and more productive on your own. Read the full Daily Finance story here.

Digital Age Plagiarism: Students Struggle with Core Concepts
Today's students - sometimes called "digital natives" - don’t seem to grasp the basics of plagiarism. According to writing tutors and university officials, many students don’t understand what it means to cite sources and respect other’s work posted online, and it may pose a future threat to intellectual property, copyright and originality. Read the full New York Times story here.

Butte College Set to Go Grid Positive, Rank Top of the Energy-Saving Class
Come spring 2011, Butte College in Northern California will top a ranked list of campus sustainability. The school will generate all of its energy from on-campus sources, making it the first school to do so. Read the full Butte News story here.

Some Transitional Summer Reading for Incoming Freshmen
Many colleges and universities have summer reading lists for incoming freshmen, but the established lists might not be the best choices for the transition from high school to college. Slate.com created it’s own list of summer reading suggestions Read the full list from Slate here.

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Did Jordan miss something? Shoot him a tweet at @jordanjfrasier to tell him what you think should have been included, and feel free to give him a heads up a during the week.