The Price of Higher Education

In today’s world, employers may not even look at you without a college degree or university diploma. The competition is getting fierce…University of Texas Austin cut back on its “guaranteed acceptance rate” from automatically accepting the top 10% of graduating high school seniors, to automatically admitting the top 8%. Is this a new trend? How do colleges and universities look at their potential student bodies? What advice is there for students wanting to get into the schools of their choosing? Guests: Vickie Alleman, VP of Marketing Communications and Enrollment Management, University of St. Thomas and Dr. Lyle McKinney, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Houston.

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are a group of psychological conditions which can lead to abnormalities in social interactions, communication, and behavior. What are the causes, signs, and most effective treatments? Guests: Pauline Filipek, M.D., Pediatrician, Children’s Learning Institute, The UT Health Science Center at Houston; Krenie Stowe, M.D., J.D., Pediatrician, Author, "A Doctor’s Story: A Personal Journey & A Call For Reform"; and W. Daniel Williamson, M.D., Pediatrician, Children’s Learning Institute, The UT Health Science Center at Houston

The State of Capital Punishment

Texas ranks first in the number of people executed by the state - 4 times as many as Virginia, the state with the second largest number of executions. Recently, a Houston judge questioned the constitutionality of the death penalty... re-opening a debate on this subject. Has the death penalty been an effective deterrent and a just punishment for unspeakable crimes? Or, with DNA tests exonerating inmates across the country, has capital punishment proven to be a grave mistake? Guests: Aaron Streett, Partner, Baker Botts LLP; Robert Talton, Lawyer, Woodfill and Pressler, LLP; and Dr. David Dow, Distinguished Professor, University of Houston Law Center

Diabetes

According to the World Health Organization, 171 million people have some form of diabetes. That number is expected to double by the year 2030. What is causing this increase? Who is most at risk? What can be done to prevent this disease? Guests: Lawerence Chan, MD, DSc, Director, Diabetes and Endocrinology Center Baylor College of Medicine; Jay Morris, MD, President, Houston American Diabetes Association Leadership Council, Sr Medical Director Clinical Strategy, OptumHealth; and Evangelina Trejo Villagomez, PhD, Board of Directors, Hispanic Health Coalition; Research Scientist, Methodist Hospital Research Institute-Center for Diabetes Research

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