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Travel2020: Annoying hotel fees are finally getting their day in court

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

If you have been to a hotel or a resort lately, you likely saw some unexpected hotel fees tacked on to the bottom of your bill. Hotel and resort fees are nothing new. We have been seeing "fee creep" for years and find ourselves either accepting these unwanted pests as part of the price of traveling or finding ways to delete them during front desk dealings upon checkout. Until this month. July was an interesting month for Marriott and Hilton, as both are under siege by angry hotel room consumers who are questioning just what those fees are for and whether they are legal.

Why Wisconsin’s recent survey of mussels is important

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

The state of Wisconsin recently did something for the first time in four decades: Conducted a massive statewide survey of native mussels in an attempt to show the benefits of the water-cleaning clams on the state's waterways. Why does this survey matter? Several reasons. Mussels are considered one of the world’s most imperiled animals. 70% of the world’s mussel species are in decline. Mussels are considered "ecosystem engineers" because they modify the aquatic habitat, making it more suitable for themselves and other organisms. A single freshwater mussel can filter gallons of water a day, removing pollutants like mercury and other contaminants.

Can financial literacy in school curricula help address college debt?

Bambi Majumdar Education

A crippling national college debt situation is bad news for the economy. Now, states are looking to tackle college indebtedness. They, along with colleges, are trying out new ways to help students manage debt. Chief among them are approaches like financial literacy counseling so that students know how to make informed decisions and read the fine print on loans and payments. Several states think that financial literacy should be a part of the K-12 curricula. The Education Commission of the States reported that Oklahoma, Nevada, and Virginia are already addressing the issue.

Moving beyond standardized tests

Brian Stack Education

Earlier this summer, Education Week published a thought-provoking blog by Maryland elementary principal Margaret Pastor, where she explored the question, "Why Standardized Tests Aren't Working for Teachers or Students?" Pastor talked about how her view of the role of standardized testing changed when a colleague told her that she should match her lowest performing kindergarten teacher with her highest performing teacher, based on recent standardized testing. From there, she began to formulate her opinion that many educators have "deep misgivings" about the role standardized tests should play.

Secrets of 3 Texas state parks

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

Texas has some wonderful state parks. The maps of hiking trails and online resources are great, but they don’t include everything. Here are some secrets at three of Texas' state parks — McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Choke Canyon State Park in Three Rivers, and Caprock Canyons State Park in Briscoe County.

Why cultural-fit hiring is the enemy of diversity

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

A study by Cubix International of 55 organizations, including Ikea, found that 9 out of 10 recruiters passed over applicants that were not a "cultural fit." Hiring for "cultural fit" has become somewhat of a trend and buzzword. It usually applies to values, visions, norms and the way a company does business. Some people have told me that hiring for "cultural fit," as opposed to just skills, is a way of ensuring that the new hire gets along with everyone and be a "team player." I’ve also been told that it is a way of increasing diversity since you’re not just hiring based on degrees and grades. But what if this is part-fallacy?

When clinicians become politicians

Keith Carlson Medical & Allied Healthcare

It’s often been said that if you don’t have a seat at the table, you'll end up on the menu, and this could not be more accurate when speaking of nurses, doctors, and other clinicians vis-á-vis local, state, or federal government. So, what happens when healthcare workers run for public office, and who benefits in the end?

Watch what happens when you align your team

Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk Management

On a crisp late September morning, as I stood on the eastern bank of the Schuylkill River just outside downtown Philadelphia, I witnessed a tremendous lesson on alignment. An eight-person rowing team was practicing for an upcoming race and one of the oarsmen was having difficulty staying in sync with the other seven rowers. Principles of alignment are true in business and almost every other human activity. Failure to properly align means missed goals, wasted time and resources, and a less-than-optimal working environment. Results range from poor to good, but never great.

Are manufacturing wages stagnating?

Michelle R. Matisons Manufacturing

While some argue that a $15 per hour minimum wage still does not provide a living wage, it’s an improvement for all workers regardless of pay disparities among various sectors. At first glance, manufacturing would be one sector least affected by a minimum wage hike. But let's compare recent increases in manufacturing wages. In July 2018, the average manufacturing wage was $21.43. One year later, in June 2019, average wages topped off at $22.03, slightly down from May’s $22.04. This suggests incremental wage growth has now halted: is there wage stagnation in the manufacturing sector?

The importance of autism training for police officers

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Dealing with autistic and differently abled people has been a challenge for law enforcement, primarily due to a lack of training. A deadly shooting on June 14 at a Costco in Corona, California, outside Los Angeles, brought this issue to the forefront again. Following the incident, a panel convened to increase awareness of autism, train officers, and prevent further such horrors. The panel, hosted by Autism Society Inland Empire, urged families to join the awareness discussion, share information, and help train law enforcement officers.

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