Admission Policies Research Articles

Two-Time Scale Tracking Control of Flexible Robots With Primal-Dual Inverse Reinforcement Learning.

Flexible robots (FRs) are generally designed to be lightweight to achieve rapid motion. However, accompanying vibrations and modeling errors influence tracking control, especially in situations involving reference signal loss. This article develops a two-time scale primal-dual inverse reinforcement learning (PD-IRL) framework for FRs to perform tracking tasks with incomplete reference signals. First, consider the admissible policy as a nonconvex input constraint to guarantee the stable operation of the equipment. Then, FRs imitate the demonstration behaviors of an expert, including both rigid and flexible motions, to achieve a balance in tracking speed and vibration suppression. During the imitation process, nonconvex optimization problems of FRs are transformed into corresponding dual problems to obtain the global optimal policy. Moreover, employing multiple linearly independent paths to explore the state space simultaneously can improve convergence speed. Convergence and stability are studied rigorously. Finally, simulations and comparisons show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.

AÇÕES AFIRMATIVAS NO ACESSO À EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA: UM OLHAR SOBRE O COLÉGIO PEDRO II

ABSTRACT: The intention of this article is to analyze the Quota Law (Law 12.711/12) and other affirmative actions implemented by Colégio Pedro II (CPII) and their contributions to the expansion of educational opportunities. We seek to answer two main questions: what affirmative actions were adopted in their admission selection processes over time? And, what changes are perceived in the sociodemographic profile of entrants, especially since the Quota Law? The study is exploratory and documentary, with descriptive analyses based on secondary data obtained from the CPII website and microdata from the School Census. We used as reference three cohorts of entrants in the 6th grade of Elementary School and the 1st grade of regular and integrated High School, in the years 2012, 2014, and 2016. The main results show that since 2005, CPII has adopted an affirmative action policy for student admission with a reservation of 50% of the spots for public school graduates. Starting in 2013, the Quota Law was implemented in both the integrated and regular High School, adding to the existing public school criteria, income criteria, race/color, and disability criteria. The analysis of the students' socio-demographic profile reinforces the contribution of CPII's affirmative action policies and the Quota Law in expanding access opportunities, especially for Black/Brown students.

Study on the Current Situation and Countermeasures of Young College Students’ Participation in the Construction of Rural Culture in Ethnic Areas--Taking Yulin Normal College as an Example

Abstract In recent years, with the full implementation and steady advancement of the rural revitalization strategy, the topic of young college students and the construction of rural civilization has become a popular research direction. In this paper, we summarize the information collected in the previous period, design a questionnaire for young college students to participate in the construction of rural culture in ethnic areas, and test the reliability of the questionnaire by combining the KMO value and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The questionnaire was designed to be distributed to Yulin Normal College to collect relevant data, and the survey data was statistically analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. The survey results showed that only about half of the college students surveyed participated in the construction of rural culture in ethnic areas. The number of young college students who expressed general concern for the construction of rural culture was 264, which indicates that their participation level was not high. The survey and analysis of the influencing factors found that the employment mentality of the personal factors and the extra points or priority admission policy of the institutional factors have a greater influence on the participation of young college students in the construction of rural culture in ethnic areas. The paper establishes a basis for improving the participation of college students in rural culture construction, and the countermeasure program proposed for the survey results serves as a reference for relevant government departments.

Race Preferences, Diversity, and Students for Fair Admissions: A New Day, a New Clarity

This Article traces the legal path to the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and the University of North Carolina (2023), from the famous Bakke case in 1978 to the Grutter decision twenty-five years later. It reviews the shifting fortunes of the “diversity” rationale for racial preferences in higher education and assesses the widening—rather than narrowing—gulf between the Court’s majority and the dissenting Justices on the issue of racial preferences. After half a century of closely contested Supreme Court decisions, some of them seeming to point in opposing directions, others relying on fragmented pluralities among the Justices, the Court, by a 6–3 majority, has now set out a clear resolution. The Court struck down the Harvard and UNC admissions policies, which like those at many selective colleges and universities, applied different standards—often dramatically different standards—depending on the race or ethnicity of the applicant. Racial preferences by government or government-funded bodies are now under a strong presumption of illegality, notwithstanding claims that they are benign. Such preferences in higher education—and implicitly in other areas—will be very difficult or impossible to defend from here on in light of the Court’s decision. However sharp the disagreement between the majority and dissenting Justices, perhaps all sides in the country at large have reason to be grateful for the clarity of the Supreme Court’s decision. It is to be hoped that the decision will lead to better policies in higher education and elsewhere, and to less division on the basis of race and identity in American life.

Affirmative Action and Equality of Opportunity in College Admissions

This essay critically examines the efficacy of race-based affirmative action in U.S. college admissions, arguing that it fails to adequately address the root causes of racial inequality and often does not benefit the most marginalized individuals within minority groups. By exploring affirmative action through the lens of political philosophy, particularly John Rawls' conception of social justice, the essay contends that a focus on socioeconomic status rather than race would more effectively promote equality of opportunity and align with Rawlsian principles. The analysis draws on various studies and theoretical perspectives to highlight the limitations of race-based affirmative action, including its tendency to benefit economically advantaged members of minority groups and its inadequacy in addressing the diverse and complex backgrounds of individuals within these groups. The essay proposes socioeconomic affirmative action as a more equitable alternative, supported by empirical evidence suggesting that such an approach could increase both socioeconomic and racial diversity in higher education institutions. The conclusion underscores the need for systemic reforms beyond admissions policies to truly achieve a just and equitable society.

Roberts Rules of (Dis)Order: Doctrinal Doublespeak on Affirmative Action and Stare Decisis

In this Article, I argue that Chief Justice John Roberts engaged in doublespeak in his SFFA v. Harvard/UNC majority opinion. He essentially overruled Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) but did not admit doing so, and even structured the SFFA opinion as if he was following Grutter’s precedent. My Article considers why Chief Justice Roberts engaged in this “stealth overruling” of Grutter and exposes his doctrinal sleight of hand in doing so. I first consider how Chief Justice Roberts may have been concerned about the Court’s legitimacy in the wake of its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)—where it explicitly overruled Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992)—and how that might have influenced his approach to SFFA. Subsequently, I show how throughout the SFFA majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts either misrepresented Grutter or exploited ambiguities and inconsistencies in Grutter’s doctrine to serve his agenda. I examine the SFFA majority’s treatment of various issues related to the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies. These include the compelling interest in diversity, deference to universities on defining their educational missions, the incidental burden of race-conscious policies on certain groups, the use of racial categories, “logical” and arbitrary endpoints for race-conscious admissions, the so-called essay loophole, and the possible military exception. The conclusion considers the consequences of SFFA’s stealth overruling of Grutter: the controversies it could lead to, and its potential impact on the Court’s legitimacy—another matter laden with ironic twists.

Shifting Tides: The Evolution of Racial Inequality in Higher Education from the 1980s through the 2010s.

Amid the proliferation of state-level bans on race-based affirmative action in higher education, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on June 29, 2023, dismantled race-conscious college admission policies, intensifying concerns about the persistence and potential increase of racial inequality in higher education. The authors analyze four restricted-use national survey datasets to investigate racial disparities in college attendance outcomes from the 1980s through the 2010s. Although college entrance rates increased for all racial groups, Black and Hispanic youth became increasingly less likely than their White peers to attend four-year selective colleges. In the 2010s cohort, Black and Hispanic youth were 8 and 7 percentage points, respectively, less likely than their White counterparts to secure admission to four-year selective colleges, even after controlling for parents' income, education, and other family background variables. The findings underscore the urgent need for proactive policy interventions to address the widening racial inequality in attending selective postsecondary institutions.

On principle of optimality for safety-constrained Markov Decision Process and p-Safe Reinforcement Learning ⋆

We study optimality for the safety-constrained Markov decision process which is the underlying framework for safe reinforcement learning. Specifically, we consider an undiscounted safety-constrained Markov decision process subject to random stopping times. The decision maker's goal is to reach a goal state while avoiding unsafe states with certain probabilistic guarantees. Therefore the underlying Markov chain for any control policy will be Multichain or non-ergodic since by definition there exists a goal set and an unsafe set. Bellman's principle of optimality does not hold for such a safety-constrained Markov decision process in a Multichain setting as highlighted by a counterexample. We resolve the aforementioned counterexample by considering a zero-sum game setting between the policy and the Lagrange multiplier vector. Under suitable assumptions regarding the existence of admissible policy, we propose an off-policy RL algorithm for learning an optimal policy that satisfies the probabilistic safety guarantees. After that, we present the finite time error bound of the proposed RL algorithm. Lastly, we present simulation results of the aforementioned RL algorithm on a robot in a grid world setting.

The degree of impact of the admission policies of Jordanian public universities in aligning their outputs with the requirements of the labor market from the point of view of the faculty

هدفت الدراسة إلى الكشف عن درجة تأثير سياسات قبول الطلبة في الجامعات الأردنية في تحقيق المواءمة بين مخرجات التعليم ومتطلبات سوق العمل، واعتمدت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي المسحي، وتم استخدام الاستبانة كأداة للدراسة، وتم توزيعها على عينة عشوائية بسيطة بلغت (300) عضواً وعضوة هيئة تدريس في الجامعات (الأردنية، مؤتة، الهاشمية) وبينت نتائج الدراسة أن درجة تأثير سياسات قبول الطلبة في الجامعات الأردنية في تحقيق المواءمة بين مخرجات التعليم ومتطلبات سوق العمل قد حصلت على متوسط كلي (3.42 من5)؛ أي بدرجة متوسطة، ووجود فروق دالة إحصائيًا تعزى لمتغيري؛ الجنس ولصالح الإناث، وللتخصص ولصالح التخصصات العلمية، وعدم وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية تعزى لمتغير الرتبة الأكاديمية. واستنادا للنتائج قدمت الباحثة جملة من التوصيات والمقترحات لتطوير سياسات قبول الطلبة في الجامعات الأردنية ورفع مستوى المواءمة بين مخرجات التعليم ومتطلبات سوق العمل

Predictors of Students’ Performance in Accounting 1 at Romblon State University

In Romblon State University (RSU), the surge of enrolment but low cohort survival rate in the BS Accountancy program calls for an urgent review of its admission policies. This study analyzed whether gender, school type, academic track, senior high school report card grade, Overall College Admission Test (CAT) Score, and its subject components (Science, English, Mathematics and Filipino), and abstract reasoning can significantly predict students’ performance in Accounting 1. Correlation between accounting grade in senior high school and final grade in Accounting 1 in college was also determined. Multiple linear regression was employed in analyzing registration data and test results from 79 students with complete information out of 139 target respondents. Results showed that English CAT Score (β = 0.34 , p = 0.001), academic track (β = 0.32 , p = 0.001) and Abstract Reasoning Test Score (β = 0.31 , p = 0.002) can predict the performance of students in Accounting 1 but there was no significant relationship between accounting grade in senior high school and final grade in Accounting 1 in college (r = 0.21, n = 55, p = 0.12). The significant predictors are reflective of the important intellectual skills and competencies the accounting profession requires such as analytical, problem-solving and strategic critical thinking skills. The University may consider these factors in updating their admission policy to the program.

Intrauterine Inflammation, Excessive Fetal Growth and Respiratory Morbidities in Moderate-To-Late Preterm Neonates

Introduction: Respiratory morbidities in neonates are often progressive and life-threatening, and its early prediction is crucial. Intrauterine inflammation is one of the key control variables of respiratory morbidities in both very preterm and term neonates; however, little is known about its effects in the remaining group of moderate-to-late preterm neonates born between 32+0 and 36+6 weeks of gestation. This study aimed to confirm whether intrauterine inflammation is associated with respiratory morbidities in moderate-to-late preterm neonates. Methods: A single-center retrospective observational study was conducted in neonates born between 32+0 and 34+6 weeks of gestation between April 2013 and March 2018. The correlation between respiratory morbidities (defined as a requirement for invasive mechanical ventilation longer than the median duration of 3 days) and intrauterine inflammation was assessed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The study population comprised 242 neonates born at 33.7 ± 0.8 weeks of gestation and weighing 1,936 ± 381 g. The multivariable model to predict the outcome comprised respiratory distress syndrome (odds ratio [OR]: 9.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.7–22.5; p < 0.001), lower gestational age (per week; OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3–0.8; p < 0.005), higher birth-weight z-score (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2–2.2; p < 0.005), lower cord blood pH (per 0.10; OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3–0.7; p < 0.005), and chorioamnionitis (OR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.1–7.2; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Together with the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and gestational age, chorioamnionitis and high birth-weight z-scores were associated with an increased incidence of respiratory morbidities in moderate-to-late preterm neonates. The deleterious impact of intrauterine inflammation on the lungs may be common in neonates of virtually all gestational ages. Traditional admission policy of neonatal intensive care units based on a threshold birth-weight, may leave a group of neonates without close observation despite their increased risks for respiratory morbidities.

New medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa –a cross-sectional survey of educational structures, operations, and policies

IntroductionAfrica does not have enough doctors despite having the highest continental burden of disease. Encouragingly, many new medical schools are opening and have begun to graduate doctors. However, the educational structures, operations, and policies of these schools remain poorly understood. This study aimed to better understand these dimensions of new medical schools on the continent.MethodologyWe developed and implemented an online survey covering topics that included admissions policies, curricular design, assessment, accreditation, faculty development, research capacity, postgraduate training, and COVID-19-specific challenges. The survey was sent to 130 schools of which 52 represented individually identifiable email addresses (the remainder being schools’ websites or generic addresses).ResultsResponses represented 10 countries (response rate ~ 56%). Curricula were mostly lecture-based (n = 18, 75%). Electronic platforms and information technologies were used by over 75% (n = 18) of schools. More than half have not implemented postgraduate training programs (n = 13, 57%). Most schools had a formal accreditation process (n = 16, 70%), but the source of accreditation varied. The biggest challenge facing schools was financial (n = 20, 87%) followed by faculty/staff recruitment, training, and retention (each n = 15, 65%).ConclusionNew medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa are a gateway to the next generation of medical doctors in a region where medical professionals are desperately needed. This survey of new schools is an important step in better understanding their status and needs, especially with the onset of the pandemic.

Current Pediatric Tertiary Care Practices Following Adenotonsillectomy: An Update.

Adenotonsillectomy is a common procedure performed in children, and the practice patterns at academic centers have been evolving with the publication of updated societal guidelines. In this study, we assess perioperative practice patterns at tertiary care children's hospitals for children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. A cross-sectional 18-question survey distributed in July of 2022 recruited responses through August 25, 2022. The division chiefs of 70 pediatric otolaryngology groups at tertiary care children's hospitals across the United States and Canada were surveyed. Division chiefs submitted survey responses on behalf of the group practice patterns for children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. The main measure was survey responses from the division chiefs of pediatric otolaryngology reporting group practice. The survey response rate was 46%. Eighty-eight percent of groups reported an official adenotonsillectomy admission policy. Commonly reported admission criteria included age (93%) and obesity (59%). Eighty-eight percent of groups defined severe obstructive sleep apnea as apnea-hypopnea index ≥10. Only 41% of groups required a child to be observed sleeping on room air prior to ambulatory discharge. Ninety-seven percent of groups reported routinely obtaining preoperative polysomnography in a variety of clinical settings. Many children's hospitals report an official admission policy following adenotonsillectomy. Despite a decade passing since the initial publication of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery clinical practice guidelines, there remains great variability in the practice patterns for both preoperative polysomnography and postoperative monitoring and admission. These results highlight an opportunity for an improved unified approach to perioperative pediatric adenotonsillectomy practice. 5 Laryngoscope, 134:2931-2936, 2024.

ADP-Based Optimal Control of Linear Singularly Perturbed Systems With Uncertain Dynamics: A Two-Stage Value Iteration Method

We study the problem of adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) based on optimal control of linear singularly perturbed systems (SPSs) subject to completely unknown dynamics. Previous works on ADP-based optimal control of SPSs require that the fast dynamics of the system are either known a priori or unknown but asymptotically stable, and such results are limited to standard cases, i.e., the internal dynamics of their fast subsystems are nonsingular. In this brief, these conditions can be removed through a sequential procedure to design feedback gains of both fast and slow states in the framework of ADP. In this procedure, two optimal control problems are formulated for the prefeedback fast subsystem and the modified slow subsystem. Then, a data-driven two-stage value iteration algorithm is imposed to learn the optimal controller without using any system dynamics. Fundamentally different from existing works, an initial admissible control policy is no longer needed during learning. Finally, the effectiveness of the learning algorithm is proved by a simulation example.

Characteristics of critically ill patients with cancer associated with intensivist's perception of inappropriateness of ICU admission: A retrospective cohort study

PurposeAlthough admitting cancer patients to the ICU is no longer an issue, it may be valuable to identify patients perceived least likely to benefit from admission. Our objective was to investigate factors associated with potentially inappropriate ICU admission. MethodsRetrospective cohort study of patients with cancer with unplanned ICU admission. We classified admissions as appropriate or potentially inappropriate according to Society of Critical Care Medicine guidelines. We used logistic regression model to assess factors associated with inappropriateness for ICU admission. ResultsFrom 3384 patients, 663 (19.6%) were classified as potentially inappropriate. They received more invasive mechanical ventilation (25.3% vs 12.5%, P < 0.001) and vasopressors (34.4% vs 30.1%, P = 0.034), had higher ICU [3 (2,6) vs 2 (1,4), P < 0.001] length-of-stay, higher ICU (32.7% vs 8.4%, P < 0.001), hospital (71.9% vs 21.3%, P < 0.001), and one-year mortality (97.6% vs 54.7%, P < 0.001) compared with those considered appropriate. Performance status impairment, more severe organ dysfunctions at admission, metastatic disease, and source of ICU admission were the characteristics associated with intensivist's perception of inappropriateness of ICU admission. ConclusionsThese findings may help guide ICU admission policies and triage criteria for end-of-life discussions among hospitalized patients with cancer.

The evolution of Chinese high-performance student-athletes’ admission, cultivation and management policies

ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to provide descriptive and critical insights into high-performance student-athletes (HPSA) policies and their implementation in China’s competitive sports and higher education institutions (regular HEIs, excluding vocational colleges). The purpose of this research is to facilitate the sound development of HPSA policies by analysing their strengths and weaknesses. We conducted a documentary analysis of 25 policies related to Chinese HPSA, contributing to the healthy and long-term development of HPSA and Chinese competitive sports. Additionally, we developed practical considerations for future policymaking. Moreover, this paper, represents the first comprehensive attempt to explore HPSA policies within mainland China in English. It encompasses various aspects, including psychological consideration, the social environment, academic development, post-athletic preparation, and the mechanisms of regular HEIs. Giving considerably greater attention to these aspects would benefit policymaking and practice within the Chinese HPSA context.

A Decade-Long Roadmap to Understanding and Accommodating IB Students at a Japanese National University

Okayama University is a Super Global National University in Japan that introduced IB admissions in 2012 and proudly celebrates 11 years this year. As of April 2023, 122 IB students from IB schools in Japan and abroad have enrolled in 10 Faculties and 1 International Program. During the first decade of IB admissions, Okayama University gradually transitioned into one of the most IB-friendly Universities in Japan, not only among prospective IB students but also their family members and IB college counselors. A significant reason for this was due to the efforts put in by Okayama University to continuously obtain feedback from enrolled IB students regarding their needs, their hurdles, and their suggestions on how to improve their academic and campus lives. Student support and student voices merged as powerful resources for Okayama University to improve the overall condition of IB students from entry to graduation and created a robust platform for welcoming prospective IB students, who became Okayama University’s brand ambassadors following admission. Successful IB admissions result from a balance between what Universities have to offer IB students and what IB Students want. This paper will include a detailed description of the changes made by Okayama University regarding modifying IB admission guidelines, strengthening the IB student support system, and establishing the IB Office to better cater to IB student needs. Other highlights will emphasize the importance of understanding IB student backgrounds, IB education, and IB research by University representatives to make admission policies compatible with global higher education standards from the hands-on experience of Faculty members at Okayama University.

How accessibility to schools is not (just) a transport problem: the case of public school choice in the city of Malmö, Sweden

There is currently a lack of studies exploring how transport investments and school admission policies in a city can affect the distribution of accessibility to schools. The aim of this study is to investigate if, for whom, and the ways in which, accessibility to schools can change following (1) a change to the city’s public school admission policy and (2) investments in public transport infrastructure and adjustments to the public transport system. We draw on the case of Malmö, Sweden to examine the potential effects of these changes. This study is focused specifically on those in grades 7–9 (aged approximately 13–15), a group whose independent mobility is starting to take form. A geospatial analysis was carried out in order to compare the change in demographic makeup between school catchment areas (real and hypothetical) before and after the changes were made. The geospatial analysis utilises a cumulative opportunity accessibility model that takes into account typical public transport travel times both before and after these new measures were implemented. Findings indicate that the (hypothetical) school catchment areas have been redistributed to a considerable extent following both interventions, but particularly following the change to the public school admission policy. These redistributions have in turn resulted in changes in the socio-economic characteristics of the hypothetical school catchment areas. While the redistribution of school catchment areas could potentially change the socio-economic composition of schools in Malmö, the effects are not equally distributed throughout the city. While the addition of the new train line was the main focus of this study, it was found that other changes in the public transport system between 2018 and 2019 also played a role in determining which schools students could and could not access. The findings from this study highlight the importance of carefully considering the interaction of different effects when assessing policy alternatives.

Categorical and spatial interlinkages within the European migration policy mix

This article analyses the categorical and spatial linkages within migration policy areas across 31 European countries from 1990 to 2020, examining over 5000 migration policy changes. It reveals distinct patterns of policy diffusion across space and contrasting trends between different migration policy areas. While migrant admission policies have experienced a trend towards liberalisation over the past three decades, border and return policies have become more restrictive. The research identifies spatial policy dependencies primarily in border enforcement, with some presence in admission, integration, and return policies. The findings underscore the structured nature of the European migration policy mix and contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities and interdependencies within migration governance.

Evaluation of Higher Education Policies: Case Study of PhD Programs in South Asia

This paper aims to compare quality of higher education in Pakistan and India. In this regard, data were collected concerning policies regarding admission and completion of PhD degrees in Pakistan and India through websites and notifications of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and University Grant Commission (UGC). The policies for admission and award of PhD degrees in both countries are then compared separately using Qualitative Comparative Analysis. There were four major admission criterions. Out of these four criterions, in three cases, rules set by HEC of Pakistan are relatively strict as compared to the rules set by UGC in India. Similarly, there are eight major criterions for the award of PhD degree after admission in the PhD program. Out of these eight criterions, the rules set by HEC in Pakistan and UGC in India are same for the two criterions, whereas, in the remaining six criterions, the rules set by HEC of Pakistan are strict as compared to the rules set by UGC in India. Hence, it is concluded that procedures for PhD programs in Pakistan are relatively better than that of procedures for PhD programs in India.