Recapping the news this week:
Student loan reform bill still has not passed, however the Pell Grant funding will need to be addressed very soon. For great updates on the bill status visit HigherEd Watch

Inside Higher Ed reported on Tuesday that Chase, the 2009′s fifth largest student lender, announced they were pulling out of the federal student loan program.

New Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act was enacted into law on Thursday. Still guess on how it might effect schools

From The Chronicle Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology was released this month by the Department of Education. This is a draft of the National Educational Technology Plan 2010 and it calls for an increased role for online learning in kindergarten through 12th grade and says colleges of education must include online learning in their curricula as well. Other proposals to expand digital learning are in the first national broadband plan, released by the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday. In its news release previewing the document, the FCC said it wants to give “anchor institutions” such as schools and hospitals affordable access to ultra-high-speed broadband.

Reported from the StarTribune.com: Professors are assigning students take a break from technology. Students were not allowed to use any media or gadgets that was invented after 1984.

Can a wikis slay the meeting monster? Inside Higher Ed.com asked the question on March 15, 2010.

Arne Duncan, U.S. secretary of education, has called on the National Collegiate Athletic Association to ban teams with graduation rates below 40 percent from future tournaments.

MIT has their version of March Madness

Can’t get enough of March Madness? Sprint announced the ability to watch the games on SprintTV In addition you can also download the CBS Sports NCAA March Madness on Demand and watch live video of 63 NCAA games on the iPhone or iPod touch for $9.99; there is a lite version that only shows the brackets & scoresfor free.

Upcoming HE Conferences:
The Datatel Users Group happening at the end of this month March 28-31. Joe, Jay, Brian & Nicole will be there and will be recording an episode of Higher Ed Review live.

Site of the Week:Zoho.com

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Follow Nicole at http://twitter.com/NicoleDatatel

Follow Joe at http://twitter.com/joefishr

And finally follow Jay at jayleach2!