Never underestimate the power of corporate media, especially when it comes to college athletics. ESPN, which is tied to ABC with both owned by Disney, pours tens of millions of dollars into college programming each month. ESPN’s greatest influence is in football and in men’s basketball.

Lunardi’s Bracketology

For better or for worse, men’s basketball (and woman’s basketball too) is what it is today because of ESPN. This media channel is at the forefront of the hype surrounding college basketball and has taken Joe Lunardi’s “bracketology” methodology of determining the teams and seedings for the NCAA men’s tournament.

ESPN also has had a major influence on scheduling, coming up with a “BracketBusters” weekend that is now in its tenth season. Officially known as “Sears BracketBusters,” this year’s event will be held from Feb. 17-19, and pulls in 142 teams from 16 conferences to play 71 games. Of those games, 13 will be nationally televised, bringing an unprecedented number of games to your home.

Premier Contest

Sears BracketBusters does not include teams from the power conferences. The Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 12, SEC and ACC do not participate. Nor does the Atlantic 10. Instead, these games pit teams from midlevel and lower-tier conferences, in a bid to help shake out the field. Teams that play at home may have an important advantage, but the other part of that agreement has the home team returning the favor by visiting its opponent in the 2013-2104 season.

This year there will be one game or premier contest that will pit a pair of Top 25 teams. As of this writing, Murray State is 21-0 and ranked #10 in the nation. St. Mary’s is 21-2 and ranked #16 and is fresh off of a 80-66 win against BYU in Utah. Murray State has largely been unchallenged this year, while the Gaels are unbeaten in the West Coast Conference including a win over then #23 Gonzaga. The Gaels will have a rematch against Gonzaga on Feb. 9 on the road before traveling to Kentucky to play Murray State.

Winners & Losers

February’s showdowns will help some teams make a mark for themselves, while quite possibly ruining the post-season bids of other teams. All conferences except for the Ivy League have championship games, with the winner of each awarded an automatic bid to the Field of 68. About half of that field will be for teams that will gain at-large bids with perhaps just 4 to 8 teams from these non power conferences receiving an invite. Expect that the selection committee will be reviewing the Sears Bracketbuster weekend to take into account how potential teams fare on that weekend of February basketball madness.

Fiscal year 2011 will go down as the year colleges and universities enjoyed the best returns on their endowments of this young century. Last year, the average college endowment increased by 19.2 percent, up from the 11.9 percent increase of 2010. These increases followed on two very tough years as endowments fell by 3.0 and 18.7 percent in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Those drops have been largely attributed to the financial collapse that began in September 2008 and impacted all industries for much of the following year.

Endowment Importance

Endowments are important for all private colleges and universities as well as most state-supported institutions. These funds, largely brought in by donations and invested heavily, allow schools to attract and retain top faculty, to pay for programs, cover the upkeep and expansion of campus facilities, and help fund student education. Ivy League schools such as Harvard University are usually the best-funded institutions, with the Massachusetts school claiming a $32 billion endowment at the end of its last fiscal year.

An annual survey of endowment returns by the National Association of College and University Business Officers and the Commonfund Institute shows that endowments have risen, although many schools report that overall funding remains below pre-recession highs. According to the survey, The average annual 3-year return for participating institutions was 3.1 percent, reflecting an increase from the FY2010 three-year return of -4.2 percent. The corresponding 5-year return figure was 4.7 percent, up from 3.0 percent in FY2010, while the average annual return over 10 years rose to 5.6 percent from 3.4 percent a year ago.

Positive Returns

Survey respondents reported positive returns across all asset categories including private equity real estate representing non-campus properties. That category was the only one to register a decline in 2010.

Leading the way in 2010 and again in 2011 was domestic equities which saw an increase of 30.1 percent compared with 15.6 percent in 2010. International equities yielded a gain of 27.2 percent; alternative strategies came in at 14.1 percent and fixed in comes at 6.5 percent. Not surprisingly, short-term securities and cash yielded a gain of just 0.5 percent, reflecting the historically low yields paid on these investments.

“Fiscal 2011 was marked by favorable financial markets that benefited higher education endowments. With average returns close to 20 percent and all six size cohorts reporting strong returns, the fiscal year was highly positive for educational endowments participating in the Study,” NACUBO President and Chief Executive Officer John D. Walda and Commonfund Institute Executive Director John S. Griswold said in a joint statement. They added, “However, we should note that fiscal 2011 closed before equity markets encountered headwinds and high volatility beginning in July 2011 caused by concerns about the debt crisis in Europe, the stubbornly high U.S. unemployment rate, and much slower growth in the U.S. economy. Endowments very certainly were stressed by these factors during the latter part of calendar year 2011.”

Looking Ahead

As positive as the news is for 2011, there are some problems on the horizon. Specifically, Walda and Griswold noted that the longer-term gains still fall short of what schools need to pay for annual spending, inflation and investment managing. Reporting schools spent an average of 4.6 percent per year last year and with inflation running at approximately 3 to 4 percent, annual gains of 8 to 9 percent are needed to stay even. Thus the 10-year average gains of 5.6 percent are not keeping pace with what schools will need going forward.

Obama, who is seeking a second term, proposed building a sustainable economy one that is “…built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.” To get America to that place, the president said that rising college costs need to be contained, calling higher education a “prerequisite for all” and not simply a privilege for those that can afford it. Specifically, Obama laid out a plan to raise the number of college graduates by 2020, an effort that would enable America to once again lead the world by having the greatest share of people who have a college degree.

The president’ s emphasis on reining in college costs while still providing education that is of value is not a new one. That it came up during the state of the union address should be no surprise either as the federal government funds student loans through Stafford loans and offers grants through its Pell grant program.

Obama proposed five points to help make higher education more affordable for today’s families.

1. Reform student aid. The president proposed tying campus-based aid programs to holding tuition costs down. Those colleges that serve needy students well and keep tuition affordable while still offering a good value would receive more aid from the federal government. Obama proposed investing $10 billion for this program.

2. Race to the top. States that improve their public colleges and universities and hold down costs would be part of a “race to the top” program that would be backed by $1 billion in federal funding.

3. First in the World competition. Obama proposed a $55 million investment to help the U.S. regain the position as the country with the highest percentage of adults with at least an associate degree. In 2010, the New York Times noted that Canada had the highest percentage of grads, with 56 percent of its adult population possessing at least an associate degree. The U.S., which had led for years, is now in 12th place with just over 40 percent of its adults with at least a 2-year degree.

4. Improved college choice data. A College Scorecard for every degree-granting institution would help families make better choices when it comes to higher education. Obama argued that this scorecard would include data based on college costs, graduation rates and potential earnings once a student graduates and finds work.

5. Tackling college costs with federal assistance. Obama has called upon the U.S. Congress to keep interest rates low on student loans and to make the American Opportunity Tax Credit permanent. Tax credits of up to $2,500 have been in place since the 2010 tax year and are set to expire after the 2012 tax year.

Obama’s proposals come as the nation wrestles with a national debt that is approaching $16 trillion. The president believes, however, that his proposals will help the U.S. become more competitive and create new jobs. Those jobs would lead to more people paying taxes, thereby reducing our national debt.

Cities, counties and towns employ urban planners to help lead development or renewal of these communities. Urban planners are tasked with developing exhaustive plans and programs that encompass land and buildings with an eye toward bettering thesecommunities. Such professionals go by many different names including city planner, zoning director, community development manager and airport planner. Planners typically have at least a bachelor’s degree with most having at least a master’s degree according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Average Salaries

According to the BLS, the average salary of an urban planner was $66,020 as of May 2010. This figure is the equivalent of $31.74 per hour.

Pay, however, ranged from $40,410 for those in the 10th percentile to $96,420 for those in the 90th percentile. The BLS records 38,830 people engaged in urban planning as of 2010 and predicts much faster than average growth for the 10-year period ending in 2018. That growth rate has been forecast at 19 percent.

Job Duties

Your work as an urban planner can vary widely from position to position. About two-thirds of these positions are with local governments, therefore you will interact with the mayor, the town council and citizens as you do your job.

Your tasks can include urban renewal, zoning enforcement, wetland preservation, public housing, school development and rehabiliation, pollution control and much more. You will conduct surveys and write reports, gathering data and offering that information to government officials to help set policy. These reports will be detailed, providing a plan of action and what it will cost to complete each project. Important skills you will need to have or develop include public speaking, supervising staff and liaising with government officials.

Education

Pursusing a master’s degree in urban planning will give you the best chance of finding work as an urban planner. You’ll be employed by government on the local, state or federal level and will most likely be required to have an advanced degree even for an entry-level position.

While in college, expect to major in urban or regional planning, taking courses in geography, urban design and environmental planning. Courses in law, earth sciences, management, economics and finance can be beneficial to your career. Concentrations in transportation planning, urban design, economic planning, land use and natural resources planning can give you an advantage when seeking employment.

Considerations

Since the BLS first gathered its information, the national economy has changed. States, counties and local governments have felt the pinch and budgets have been cut. However, planning continues with some governments working toward expanding public transportation, preserving open spaces and restoring blighted communities. More than 20 percent of urban planners work in California with high concentrations of these professionals found in Washington, Vermont, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii. Being open to relocation can help further your career.

Quick Review

February begins next week. Review this checklist for items that should be completed at this time in your college planning process.

More information available:

• view our complete college planning calendar for January

Today’s college-bound student must adjust to a campus that is wired for the 21st century. Technology and cash are important, but you’ll also need the following:

1. Seasonal clothing — If you’ll be attending college away from home, then you’ll want to have sufficient clothing for all four seasons. Go through your current wardrobe to find out whether the clothes you currently own are sufficient for college. Replace your dated clothes and add in enough seasonal gear as needed. If you’ll be attending college in Dade County, Florida, you won’t need a parka. However, if your school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, then you’ll need adequate winter gear.

2. Room furnishings — Your dorm room will have a bed and a dresser and perhaps a table and a chair. Beyond that, you’ll need to come up with other stuff including bedding, small appliances, kitchen utensils and the like. Find out from your college what dorm rooms come equipped with and plan to bring what you need with you including hangars, a flashlight with batteries, a storage chest and plenty of linens.

3. Personal effects — Don’t leave home without your deodorant! That’s a given, but you’ll also need to bring everything else that you depend upon for your daily needs. Make a list and put on those things you can’t live without including your hair dryer, make up and those very personal items. If you regularly take a prescription, you’ll bring those medicines with you. Identify a pharmacy near campus that can supply you with refills too. You don’t want to have a difficult time trying to find diabetes medication away from home.

4. Cell phone — Your current cell phone contract may be sufficient for your needs at college, but how is the reception where you’ll be going? Your family plan may need to change to reflect your future needs, something that you can check by finding out what other people have to say about their reception.

5. Sufficient cash — Cash isn’t just money in your wallet, but the debit card that gives you access to a checking account. You’ll want to carry a small amount of money on you and, if possible, a credit card to use in the event of an emergency. You may need to have your parents co-sign your credit card or, if you’ve already established credit, apply for and judiciously use your own credit card.

6. Personal computer — Unless your college supplies a personal computer, you’ll need to have your own. Certainly, the school’s media center has quite a few computers available for your use. However, you’ll need to have access to your own computer to work on assignments, keep in contact with your professor and classmates, and to check email. Yes, you’ll keep in touch with your friends back home too with Facebook and Twitter.

Even if you haven’t selected your college yet, you’ll want to begin to plan on meeting your college needs now. You can download a “shopping for college” worksheet on SayStudent.com to help you track what you need.

Three Marist College students died in a house fire on Jan. 21 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., a fire that still remans under investigation. The students were living in a privately-owned home, not one affiliated with the college.

As investigators seek to identify the cause of the Marist fire, college students everywhere can prevent injury or death by keeping in mind the following safety tips:

1. Never leave a stove unattended. If you have a pot or a pan on a stove, stay with it at all times. You may find yourself momentarily distracted and unable to take action if a fire erupts.

2. Keep your work area clear. When cooking, keep flammable items away from the surface of the stove. Paper towels, dish towels, curtains, matches and plastic bags should be at least three feet away according to the Home Safety Council.

3. At the stove. If you are working with a hot flame as opposed to an electric stove top, what you wear could cause injury. Use mitts and roll up your sleeves to prevent burns. Unless you only use the microwave, every kitchen with a stove should have a working fire extinguisher.

4. Watch those candles. Never leave candles unattended. Use on stable candle bases and blow out candles before retiring at night. A candle may simply burn out, but it could just as easily ignite if knocked over by a family pet.

5. Check your smoke detectors. Like fire regulations likely require a smoke detector in the vicinity of the kitchen and one each on every floor especially near sleeping areas. Test each detector periodically. Replace batteries twice annually such as when the time changes.

6. Strategically place portable heaters. Portable heaters should be used wisely. Never place a unit near drapes or other flammable material.

7. Create an escape plan. You and your roommates should have an escape plan in place in the event the unthinkable happens. Never block or lock your escape route from the outside. Have at least two ways of getting out of your home. Front and back entrances or leaving by way of a window are typical exit options.

You can prevent fires by forbidding smoking in your home. In addition, a dryer can cause a home fire if lint is not regularly cleaned out of the lint trap.

If there is a problem with your home such as an electrical issue, notify your landlord. If you don’t receive help immediately call your fire department. Use 9-1-1 to report an emergency.

The Penn State community is in mourning today following the death this past weekend of long-time head football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno, who began coaching at Penn State 61 years ago and was the Nittany Lions’ head coach for 46 years, was relieved of his position last fall following the child abuse scandal involving one of his former assistant coaches. Paterno was fired after not following up on the abuse allegations. The scandal has shaken Penn State to the core and also led to the firing of university president Graham Spanier.

University-Wide Influence

Paterno’s influence at Penn State extended well beyond football. The coach was a top fund-raiser, helping the school expand its endowment above $2 billion reports the Chronicle. Paterno was also a tenured professor who had a chair in the English department named for him.

Penn State’s emergence as a top-tier football program has come about because of Joe Paterno. Paterno brought two national championships and 24 bowl victories to Happy Valley and it was his presence that helped Penn State gain admittance to the prestigious Big Ten Conference. Because of Paterno, the football program has one of the highest graduation rates of all major universities due to its “Success With Honor” motto that advocates student academic success and involvement in the community through voluntary works.

The university’s ethical status has taken a severe hit as the gravity of the child abuse scandal emerged and became known. A coach who did so much for the university did not do enough to protect young children from a predator. Instead, Paterno put power, prestige and money ahead of ethics, which eventually led to his dismissal. A community is rightfully mourning the man affectionately known as JoePa, but his reputation has been sullied and will likely carry a permanent stain. Although Paterno was not accused of wrongdoing, what he knew and didn’t follow up on has forever changed how we will remember him.

Final Interview

On January 14, the Washington Post published an interview with JoePa, his last interview in fact. Reporter Sally Jenkins met with Paterno, his wife and their four children in Paterno’s kitchen, and discussed his career which came to end following a brief, terse phone call from a college official announcing his termination.

Of the scandal, Paterno said, “I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was. So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn’t work out that way.”

No, it did not work out. Worse, Penn State is now named among other scandals that have been uncovered in recent years, from the child abuse scandal of the Roman Catholic Church to the fall of Enron, Solyndra and Lehman Brothers. How the university remedies its reputation won’t come easily. That is a lesson that needs to be learned by every college and university that puts a high price on athletic success.

Forget March Madness — the post-season “fever” that effects college basketball faithful has already set in as teams wrap up the first half of their league schedules and begin their final 10 games before conference tournament play begins. Each team’s last 10 games including conference tournament games are given extra special weight by the NCAA selection committee. Finish strong and “bubble teams” can find a way into this field of 68. Fall down the stretch and the NIT may not even want you!

If you haven’t marked up your calendars yet, you’ll want to circle the following dates that run from the 68 participants being announced through the Final Four. Let’s take a lookout at what is coming down the pike beginning this March:

Selection Sunday, March 11, 2012 — You’ll want to tune in to the Selection Sunday show that airs 6 p.m. EST on this date. Besides the 30+ automatic bids, all of the remaining teams will be announced. Most of the fun is watching fan and team reaction as some teams make it and others are left out.

First Round, March 13-14, 2012 — Played at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, the eight bottom teams battle for the right to move forward and join the Field of 64.

Second and Third Rounds, March 15 and 17, 2012 — The field gets quickly narrowed to 16 teams following this weekend with games held at the following four locations: the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon; at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M.; at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh; and at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY.

On March 16 and 18, 2012 additional second and third round games will be held at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio; at Qwest Center Omaha in Nebraska; at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.; and at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina.

Regional Championships — Four teams each play in the regional championships with the winner of each round sent on to the Final Four in New Orleans. East and Southwest Regionals will be held on
March 22 and 24, 2012, at two locations: TD Garden in Boston and US Airway Center in Phoenix.

The Midwest and Southeast Regionals will be held March 23 and 25, 2012, with games played at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Final Four — The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans will host this year’s men’s Final Four which is made up of the national semifinals and the championship game. The semifinals will be played on March 31 and the championship game on April 2, 2012.

See Also — College Rankings? Mostly Meaningless Right Now.

Need to Think About Housing

Where are go going to live once you move to college?

For on-campus:
check with your college of choice. Once you get accepted into college, you need to move fast for on-campus housing arrangements to avoid being placed on a waiting list:

Check with your college web site for on-campus living:
use our college directory to link to your school

For off-campus:
link to our "Moving to College" center for housing search:
click here for college housing

Have you started your college planning process?

You need to move fast. Most college admission deadlines are due this month for the upcoming Fall semester. What you need to do:

• selecting the type of career and studies
• finding the right school
• submitting your college application
• analyzing college costs

  open up this quick guide of quick to-do’s: click here

Get the real scoop on college living with these topics such as:

• dorm life
• roommates
• lifestyle
• academics
• health and fitness
• and more

More information available:

• view our complete college planning calendar for January