Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) Extension Bill Remains on Schedule for First Quarter of 2014
The Coalition to Insure Against Terrorism (CIAT) recently shared an update regarding the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) extension currently under review in the House and Senate. The House Financial Services Committee remains on schedule to mark-up a TRIA extension bill in the first quarter of 2014. However, other issues such as flood insurance reform will likely push back the consideration of TRIA back until February or March. In the Senate, Senators Heller (R-NV) and Kirk (IL) sent a letter in December to Banking Committee Chairman Johnson (D-SD) and Ranking Member Crapo (R-ID), urging them to move quickly on TRIA reauthorization legislation when Congress returns from the holiday recess. Last Thursday, Chairman Johnson and Senator Crapo responded with this letter, indicating their intent to soon hold another TRIA hearing and expressing the plan to mark-up TRIA legislation prior to the program's expiration.
President Obama Targets Campus Sexual Assault in Recent Report
A recent Associated Press article discussed a White House report released Wednesday, focusing on the long-term impacts of sexual assault in the United States. The report, "Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to Action," discusses the impacts of sexual assault as a whole, but it also keys in specifically to campus sexual assault as a particular problem. According to statistics, one in five women is sexually assaulted while she is in college. Reporting rates for such assaults, where the assault might take place when the woman is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and is often perpetrated by someone she knows, are also particularly low. President Obama established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. According to the report, the task force will
- Provide educational institutions with best practices for preventing and responding to rape and sexual assault.
- Build on the federal government's enforcement efforts to ensure that educational institutions comply fully with their legal obligations.
- Improve transparency of the government's enforcement activities.
- Increase the public's awareness of an institution's track record in addressing rape and sexual assault.
- Enhance coordination among federal agencies to hold schools accountable if they do not confront sexual violence on their campuses.
Purdue Student Killed by Fellow Student in Campus Attack
Our hearts go out to the Purdue University campus community and the friends and loved ones of senior electrical engineering student Andrew Boldt, 21, who was killed on campus this month. A fellow electrical engineering student, Cody Cousins, 23, surrendered to police following the campus shooting on January 21, 2014, and was being held in the Tippecanoe County Jail without bond on suspicion of homicide. Boldt sustained fatal knife and gunshot wounds in the attack. Purdue University President Mitch Daniels released a statement to the Purdue communityfollowing the death, which recognized those who pulled together in the face of such an attack with "a heartfelt thank you to the first responders, police officers, firefighters and many others from on campus and beyond for their quick response and the professional actions of the day; to Purdue's faculty, staff and students for their cooperation and warm support for each other; and to the many alumni, parents, retirees, and friends who have sent their messages of care and concern to campus."
The 25 Most International Universities: Are You on the List?
Institutions of higher education are increasingly looking beyond their countries' borders to attract the best talent, the brightest students and faculty, and create innovative research and partnerships that span the globe. Times Higher Education recently compiled its list of the top 25 most international universities, using its World University Rankings' "international outlook" indicator. The tool looks at a university's international student numbers, its percentage of international staff, and the proportion of research papers it has published with co-authors from at least one other country. Note that, while not a single North American institution made this list, the 2013-2014 World University Rankings included 19 North American institutions in its top 25 list.