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Yesterday, before heading to my parents house for Christmas and while it was still freezing outside, I decided to snap photos of the semi-new exercise equipment on Bayshore Boulevard. This exercise equipment has been open for about a month or two to the public and is part of the Bayshore Fitness Trail. This trail starts right across from Rome Avenue and is 1 mile long. I included the signs for each piece of equipment because they depict which muscles are worked out when you use them.
Author: Steve
My Experience at Tough Mudder
This is a repost of a post I made last month. Unfortunately, the original site got hacked so I was forced to make a backup of all of our posts and delete the site and start over. I also decided to move the site to a new web hoster , so we're starting fresh here. These posts are also missing images that were originally published with them, so the blog isn't as great as it use to be…
My buddy and I went to Tough Mudder:
Tampa Central Florida over the weekend.
It was my first Tough Mudder experience and it was a great experience. It was like a casual boot camp experience where we got rewarded at the end of the day with a beer and a snazzy headband that says "Tough Mudder" on it.
Below I will attempt to explain everything for you potential first-timers by explaining what you should do before the event, what you should bring, and by describing what the obstacles are like.
What to do before the event:
- Train as hard as you can by making sure you can run/jog at least 4 miles straight. Also, working your upper-body and making sure you can lift yourself and other people up over a wall — this will help tremendously.
- Start drinking more water so you are hydrated for the run. I would call it a race but you don't have to race anyone. In fact, you can skip obstacles and take as long as you want when going through the course.
- Eat bananas the morning of, so you don't cramp up. I don't think I ate enough yesterday morning 😦
Bring the following:
- A photo id
- Your registration forms (there was a long line even before registration opened so you should get in line early).
- A bag to keep a change of cloths and other items in.
- $5 dollars to check-in your bag. Apparently they just started charging for this and all the proceeds go towards a charity.
- A change of clean cloths which should include a pair of shoes because they will GET MUDDY!
- A small (preferably water-proof) pack to carry snacks and anything else you will need during the event. You can even bring a camel pack but it's not recommended since it can get you stuck in some obstacles. The key is to stay light on your feet so you don't have to bring anything at all!
- A towel to dry off with, which come in handy after you wash off all that mud.
- plastic bags for your muddy clothes!
- A pair of old RUNNING shoes. You can either keep them (even though they will be extremely muddy at the end) or donate them to Tough Mudder. If you donate them, then they will go to a charity.
- Motivation!
Course Breakdown
Some obstacles were fun and exhilarating and some obstacles were lame and painful. Here's our breakdown of each obstacle, just click on the obstacle link below to skip to a description of it:
- Start Line
- Kiss of Mud
- Jesus Walk
- Sack Up
- Mystery Obstacle #1
- The Phoenix
- Mud Mile
- Hangin' Tough
- Electric Eel
- Warrior Carry
- Course Hazard
- Jesus Walk
- Glory Blades
- Funky Monkey
Starting Line
Unbeknownst to me, there were actually two starting lines: the first one was where the wave was gathered after they went through registration and baggage check-in. We were all gathered in this area and then suddenly everyone started moving forward. I heard someone shout, "This is it!" but I couldn't believe it because I knew there was always a debriefing before the run. As we were talking towards the official starting point, it eventually all became clear: they made us jump over an 8 foot (or 8ish…not sure) wall before we could reach the debriefing part. I thought this obstacle was the hardest of them all, it was more of a "wake up and get pumped up for this run" obstacle. Don't worry, you can always get help from your fellow teammates and other Tough Mudders when going over this wall but it helps to be able to climb over it by yourself! At the second/official starting point, we were debriefed about the run by a MCer. named Sean Corvelle. This guy was very motivating and he will definitely get you motivated for the run , OORAH!
Kiss of Mud
I'm listing out these obstacles as they are listed on the official Tough Mudder course map, but I don't remember this one being the first obstacle. In fact, it seems like some of these obstacles were reordered differently. However, I will give a short description of it here. It was easy, it just required commando-style crawling underneath a barb wired cage. It's not as bad as it looks! In fact, none of the obstacles were as bad as they look!
Jesus Walk
There were several Jesus Walks obstacles in between the main/bigger obstacles. These involved a lot of running, walking, and jogging through mud and water.
The first one brought me back to my childhood (when I use to play in the mud – don't lie you did that too!) but it also gave me a taste of what Tough Mudder is mostly about, TEAM WORK! As we were walking through a ditch full of mud, about waist high, we had to navigate around holes in the muddy ditch (which we couldn't see because of the mud). I fell down once and the other Tough Mudders pulled me out of the mud. In addition, there was a little socializing going on as we were walking through the mud. I would definately recommend this event (or perhaps all mud run events) for people who are looking to make new friends.
Sack Up
This one required us to lift up a heavy sandbag and carry it down a trail. I think the trail was about a half-mile. Everyone just walked through it, so you don't have to run through it if you don't want to. This one was one of the easiest in my opinion. Some people carried the sandbags on their backs while others carried them on their shoulders. I found alternating the carrying between each shoulder was less painful.
Mystery Obstacle #1
This one required us to crawl underneath a structure that was dark inside. One side had fog while the other didn't have fog in it. This one wasn't hard to go through.
The Phoenix
This one is most likely named after a bird called The Phoenix which appears in Greek mythology, or after the X-Men character…I guess the idea about this one is that you will feel reborned after jumping over fire and then into a pool of water. It didn't make me feel reborned, just little irritated because I didn't expect water to go up my nose.
Mud Mile
The mud mile was easy, but that's because people weren't actually going through the main part of the obstacle! We didn't realize it at the time, because everyone was following everyone else. I can't say it was challenging but we did get a little exhausted after all that running.
Hangin' Tough
More like, "Hangin' and Fallin' into the water", AMIRITE? No, actually I'm not and this would have been easier for me if I worked out my upper-body more. I only managed to make it to the third ring before falling into the water. This obstacle required us to swing from one hanging ring to another ring.
Electric Eel
This one required us to crawl through a cage with electrified wires that were hanging down. My friend was like "NOPE, no way, I'm not doing this." while I was like "Psh, a little electricity has never hurt anybody." I went through it and thought I didn't get shocked because I was THAT GOOD, but it turns out the power for it was turned off. Still, there was a lot of space between each wire and it was easy to slide between and underneath them.
Warrior Carry
This one was about depending on your fellow teammates, which means you had to carry each other to the end of the obstacle. This wasnt that bad, just make sure you can lift each other up as if they were injured and need to be evacuated from a hostile situation.
Course Hazard
Along the way, there were mounds of sands we had to climb over and mud we had to walk through. I believe this one was mounds of sand that we had to climb over.
Jesus Walk
More running through the mud.
Glory Blades
Remember when I said there were lame and painful obstacles? Well, this was one of them. It consisted of two walls, each angled about 90 degrees inwards towards the start of the obstacle. It was too painful to go over because of the way it was designed. It was like the very first wall we had to climb over, but slightly different because of the way the walls were angled. In fact , you had to climb over the back of the walls (so there was a lot of framing in front of you to navigate around.)
Funky Monkey
Brass Monkey, the Funky Monkey… sorry, I couldn't resist. This one was about going across monkey bars over water, however, some of the monkey bars rotated on you so it was hard to keep your grip on them. I almost made it across but ended up falling into the water.
Cage Crawl
Ahhh, this one was like floating down a lazy river and yes, it was that easy. All you have to do is slide down on your stomach, and rotate yourself on your back and propel yourself forward to the end (which means you will go backwards). You can propel yourself forward by grabbing on to the chain length fencing above you. I have to say the water was cleaner than what the pictures of this obstacle suggested.
Artic Enema
Ahhhh, this one was the Pièce de résistance of this year's Tough Mudder. It required everyone to jump into a pool of below-freezing waters and then dive underneath a barrier so you can get to the end of the pool. You couldn't hop over the barrier because it had barbed wire above it. This one wasn't as scary as it looked…actually it was as scary as it looked. Despite the numbness and shock that comes with it, I would recommend this one anyways. It will make you feel refreshed afterwards.
Course Hazard
There was a small dip in the trail after Artic Enema, which had lots of mud in it. It felt great to run through it because the muddy water was warm!
Trench Warfare
This one was fun and interesting. We had to crawl through a makeshift tunnel that had very little visibility inside. I guess they dug trenches in the dirt and then put plywood over them. This was one also was easy to go through, but it was also one of the dirtiest because we had to crawl through sand.
Walk the Plank
So, this one was the one I was going to skip out of fear. I was pretty sure this one was going to kill me but thankfully that wasn't the case. In retrospect, I should have skipped it. We had to climb up onto a structure that was about 20 feet high in the air and then walk onto a plank. We then had to jump off the plank into a pool of water as if a bunch of mutineers forced us off our ship. I think it's funny how this concept was invented as a form of punishment and now people pay to go do it for fun. Again, you should be a good swimmer when going through this one and know how to dive properly (feet first that is!).
Course Hazard
This is when my legs started to cramp up badly which almost caused me to give up. I kept pushing myself to go further (and it was worth it!) when my legs were killing me. I can't remember the last time my legs cramped up that bad.
Mystery Obstacle #2
This one was another great obstacle. We had to hop into a pool of mud and then lift ourselves up into large drain pipes. However, there was a hose in each of the drain pipes that shot a blast of water into your face as you crawled through it. The best approach for this one is to hop into the tube quickly and grab the rope that is inside it, so you can use the rope to propel yourself upwards towards the exit of the pipe. I found that flipping over onto my back and crawling out backwards was the easiest thing to do. There was a makeshift slip-in-slide at the end that everyone slide down which was fun to do.
Underwater Tunnels
This one required a lot of swimming. We had to swim under 3 sets of barrels that were lined up horizontally. The hardest part was swimming towards the shore while wearing shoes.
Berlin Walls
Remember when I said you need to work out your upper body for Tough Mudder? Well this is one of those obstacles that requires a lot of upper body strength. The falling down part from it wasn't that difficult to do.
The Berlin Walls obstacle was the last obstacle that was away from the base. Once we ran out of the woods, we were in a field which led us to the base. This is where all the concession stands, tents for changing cloths, gift shop, and the start/finish lines were. At the base, there were two obstacles: Everest and Electroshock Therapy.
Everest is an obstacle that is just a quarter pipe. The goal was to run up it and then grab onto to the ledge of it, but most people got help from others by getting pulled up onto the ledge.
Electroshock Therapy
This one was like the Electric Eel obstacle except for you get to stand and run through it. Also, the power was actually on for it so I got shocked a few times while going through it. This one had the most spectators watching it (maybe because of the comedic effect) and announcers commenting on it. Don't worry, the jolts of electricity weren't painful at all, but they will give you a funny sensation, like when you hit your funny bone.
Finish Line
Beer, Glorious Beer!
Finally, after all that running, going through obstacles, and wading through mud, we made it to the finish line and got our Tough Mudder headbands and beer! I have to admit I didn't think getting any of those items would feel worthwhile but now I feel like they were hard earned.
What about you?
Are you a Tough Mudder or do you have any questions about the event? If so, please feel free to share or ask in the comments section below!
Foot Patrol
Although football season has now officially arrived in the bay area, the appearance of fall items in the grocery (hello, Octoberfest ale!… in September!) has the TampaSportsFitness offices considering a change in the weather and the oncoming rush of outdoor events. And since both the paint run and the pixie dust run just finished, we feel a little safer about going outside.
Tough Mudder (where volunteers can run for $20 after working!) and the Zombie 5k will both be returning to the bay area later this year, and their reappearance enforces the notion that 5k races of different flavors are becoming (wait for it…) a trend. Articles on Tough Mudder have already appeared in Men's Journal and GQ. The Zombie 5k has been featured as a fall favorite event on the Travel Channel. And in the bay area, clubs have formed to prepare/push each other to finish the runs.
One thing that hasn't been addressed very well? Footwear.
Consider: most running shoes are designed to handle long runs on paved surfaces, such as roads and sidewalks. But the obstacle course runs typically take place in fields, and cleat shoes aren't considered wise since they would not allow for the best performance once the person leaves the ground. Plus, anyone crawling in the trenches won't appreciate being kicked by a football sneaker. Tough Mudder, for example, recommends any old shoe that can be donated after. Based on that criteria, one could therefore attempt the course in platform heels (please don't).
TampaSportsFitness endorses any kind of activity, be it gimmicky or classic, but takes a substance over style approach to the type of shoes. To be sure, running shoes and cross-trainers are generally acknowledged as the go-to shoes for most physical activities, with some exceptions like yoga and diving. But those shoes aren't always the correct choice. The right footwear for the right event has always been an ongoing issue in the TampaSportsFitness office, especially when it comes to more off-beat activities than outrunning zombies and enduring an obstacle course.
A pair of parkour shoes runs (HA!) for about $49.99. A decent pair of high-end soccer cleats online can be more than $200. And triathlon shoes can be about $100. The problems with all these specialized foot requirements, of course, are money and space; specialized shoes are hard to find cheap, and the more shoes you have the bigger the closest space needed (or garage, in the case of certain sport bloggers).
For example, while engaging in acrobalance a few years ago, TampaSportsFitness discovered that ninja tabi boots (which can be purchased at Wolfpack Martial Arts Supplies on Busch Boulevard by Chamberlain High School) were fantastic in terms of grip and support for acrobatic activities, which included standing on shoulders and running up walls. Likewise, Feiyue shoes were ideal for practicing martial arts on carpet and gymnasium floors, although tile floors proved problematic. And fencing, which favors shoes with flat soles to allow for the quick weight transfers, could be ideally served with wrestling shoes, which are flat and provide superior ankle support.
So what kind of shoe works best for your activity? And is it something odd, like bowling shoes for rock climbing?
Youth in Sports: Reason for Hope
August is almost upon us, and as a friend pointed out to us this week, football is just around the corner. Football in the bay area means the Bucs and the Bulls, but more importantly, it means the return of Friday night lights on high school fields.
Which is why, in a slight change of pace, TampaSportsFitness is recommending a news series that deals with the challenges of youth sports programs.
In an age when some parents pay thousands of dollars for special coaches to help their children excel on the field, the image of youth sports as the last bastion of athletic purity, the one place where players and fans can enjoy themselves, is being challenged. With the hype and glory of professional athletics only a Tweet, Facebook page, or YouTube video away at all times, the changing culture of youth sports has produced as many new concerns as it has taken advantageous steps forward.
Thankfully, the writers at the Tampa Bay Times have noticed this, too, and they've done something about it.
The series, titled Varsity Blues, has proven to be one of the most interesting reads about youth sports produced in the bay area. A team of writers spoke with numerous coaches and sports figures, both locally and nationally, and produced a series that highlights the numerous pitfalls and booby traps of youth sports while offering guidance and sign posts of hope along the way.
The series proves timely, as fall school sessions are drawing closer and bringing football back to everyone's attention. The series also has personal heft on the TampaSportsFitness team, where some of the memebers have been wrestling with this subject since being upgraded to parents.
Some of the subjects are surprising. One problem the series has highlighted is the concern from coaches and parents that the sheer number of athletic programs now available (year-round ball clubs, multiple leagues, travel teams) makes it harder for kids to learn the values of hard work and perseverance. If a child fails to crack the starting lineup, they now have more opportunities to leave one club for another, potentially dissuading the kid from working harder for more playing time. The writers also highlight other areas of concern, like the surprising lack of available funds for many local prep sports programs, overtaxing a child's still-developing body with year-round play, and the rise in diva behavior from players and parents. The writers do all this, however, while stressing the notion that the message can and should still be "let 'em play," even when that seems impossible.
The Parents and Diva sections both show how easy it is for both players and parents to be seduced by even the slimmest possibility of a full-ride college scholarship and the potential riches of a professional career. The writers also discuss the surrounding culture that celebrates the hype and tends to view young athletic prospects the same way Henry VIII would have appraised a potential new bride.
There have been exposes aplenty on the disturbing results of too much professional emphasis being placed on youth sports. H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights is the gold standard here, although TampaSportsFitness also recommends Robert Andrew Powell's We Own This Game for its look at Pee Wee leagues in Miami. But the Tampa Bay Times series is an excellent read for anyone who has a child involved in sports because the writers do more than pay lip service to the familiar problems of youth sports, like parents confusing volunteering on their child's Little League team with being the agent for their child's athletic career.
Proof that there's still hope, however, can be seen in the story about the young athlete/parent relationship of J.D. Edwards, a Pasco football player, and his father John Alexander, a former collegiate basketball player.
Leave the Bags
This one got announced a few weeks ago, but it piqued our interest. The NFL has implemented a new policy regarding bringing bags into football stadiums.
The NFL Committee on Stadium Security said to a provide a "safer environment" and to "expedite fan entry," NFL teams will implement a policy that will limit the size and types of bags that can be brought into stadiums.
Additional banned items include coolers, fanny packs, cinch bags and camera bags. Items that will still be allowed are small clutch purses, bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12″; and gallon freezer bags. The original story is here, along with a list of things not allowed at Bucs games.
What has us interested is if other athletic facilities/sports organizers will follow the NFL's lead on this. The story stated the NFL made this decision in part due to the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this year, which is only understandable; NFL games can draw huge crowds in their host cities even when the teams aren't winning, which could prove to be a tempting target for the next idiot. So what does it mean for the other local sporting events like, say, the Clearwater Iron Man competition or the Gasparilla Distance Classic? Right now the reports indicate the bag rules only apply to NFL games, but if the rule change proves effective, will that rule apply to other events hosted at the stadiums?
Senior games
The 33rd Annual Tampa Bay Senior Games will be held Oct. 7-18. Online registration begins on July 15. Beginning on Aug. 5, you can also pay by check or money order. Simply print, fill in the forms and register by mail. The Games are open to adults age 50 and over as of Dec. 31, 2013. Registration is open until Sept. 23
The Tampa Bay Senior Games feature 37 events during a two-week competition. Participants competing in the following events also have the opportunity to qualify and advance to the State competitions: basketball free shooting, billiards, bowling, golf, pickleball, power lifting, swimming, track and field events, table tennis and tennis.
Entry fee is $20 and includes unlimited participation in most of the games, one ticket to the awards luncheon, opening ceremony breakfast, and a t-shirt. The following events have an additional cost: golf (extra $25), power lifting (extra $5), 5K run (extra $15), and pickleball (is an extra $5 per event). The cost for additional Awards Banquet tickets for non-participants is $10 each.
Last year, the Tampa Bay Senior Games hosted 655 competitors, and more than 400 participated during opening day. The oldest contestant was 97 years young and the youngest was 50.
The Tampa Bay Senior Games are hosted by the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department, Hillsborough County Family and Aging Services, City of Tampa Recreation Department, and Temple Terrace Leisure Services.
Online registration, rules, schedule, locations and more are available at http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/seniorgames, or call 813-635-3519 for more information.
Why is this here, you ask? Simple: fitness and activity know no age limit. Check out that 77-year-old golfer in the ESPN Bodies issue if you don't believe us.
Red Bull Wake Open 2013
Red Bull Wake Open Photos!
Didn't think we'd forget, did you?
As promised, here are the photos from the 2013 Red Bull Wake Open. A big thank you to Mr. Jack Heilig for granting us access to the event. The photos can be found here.
We apologize for the wait, but we had good reason: we were editing video and setting up our new YouTube station! TampaSportsFitness is really excited about this, because it means we can now post video on every event we attend here in the bay area. Click here, here, here, and here to see what happened at the Open.
Any thoughts? Also, check out our previous posts about this event:
Surf's Up; Red Bull's Back in Town
Wheelchair Games are coming
Well, now that we've finished watching the Red Bull Wake competitors fly through the air and (occasionally) crash into the water, TampaSportsFitness wants to highlight another unique sporting event coming to town.
Starting July 13, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games will be taking place in Downtown Tampa.
A multi-event sports and rehabilitation program for military service Veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition due to spinal cord injuries, amputations or other neurological disorders, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games serves as the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world. The Games will be attracting more than 500 athletes to the Downtown Tampa area, as well as additional off-site venue locations July 13- July 18.
Events at this year's Games will include swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, archery, air guns, basketball, boccia, nineball, softball, quad rugby, bowling, handcycling, trapshooting, wheelchair slalom, power soccer, a motorized wheelchair rally, track and field. Exhibition events are also being planned. Athletes will compete in all events against others with similar athletic ability, competitive experience, or age.
And as a bonus, these competitions will be absolutely free for anyone wanting to watch. Yes, free.
There's already been a fair amount of excitement building for this event (Tampa Bay Times did this story on the event), but TampaSportsFitness wanted to highlight this event for two reasons: it's a free local event involving some of the most unique athletes in the world, and TampaSportsFitness is a huge fan of quad rugby. The Tampa area already has its own team, the Tampa Generals, that has been competing on an international level since 1989 and providing some fantastic entertainment for fans of the sport. Plus, Murderball was a great movie.
Anyone planning on going?
Archery? Wakeboarding? Must be Summertime!
In its youth, the TampaSportsFitness staff took pride in participating in outdoor summer activities. Field days, camping trips, canoes sinking; all staples of outdoor life in the bay area. And now that summer has officially returned to the bay area, it brings a collection of sports with it.
We here at TampaSportsFitness like to bring you stories of out-of-the-norm sports and fitness activities. And what could be more out of the norm than shooting things with a thousand-year-old piece of technology or flying through the air on a wakeboard?
We're talking about archery, that activity you did in P.E. class in middle school or maybe once or twice at summer camp, and it's on the rise. According to this AP story, archery has been experiencing a dramatic uptick of popularity in the last few years. While the 2012 Olympics can claim some credit for that, popular culture has been so saturated with the weapon that it's almost impossible not to see the things everywhere. And we don't just mean Katniss Everdeen and Hawkeye here; archery has television shows like Game of Thrones and Arrow in a headlock.
There are several archery ranges and classical weapons instructors in the bay area, but for anyone looking for an excuse to shoot something other than the traditional round target, The Gasparilla Bowmen will be hosting a 3-D Archery Shoot at the Lake Park Archery Area on Sunday, June 23, at 8 a.m., 17302 N. Dale Mabry in Lutz. All ages are invited to participate at the low cost of $2 per vehicle up to eight people per car. The Bowmen will provide 3-D targets ranging from bears to turkeys. Participants are required to bring their own archery equipment.
For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, 3-D archery basically involves moving through a range, preferably in the woods, and shooting at targets made to look like animals. So for anyone looking to practice shooting a buck, the event promises to be fun. The TampaSportsFitness staff thinks it would be even better if 3-D archery were combined with a cross-country obstacle course like a biathlon, only without the skis since we don't get snow in the bay area.
Speaking of outdoor activities, the Red Bull Wake Open will be making its way back to Tampa in a few weeks when some of the best wakeboarders in the world will showcase their talents July 5-6 at the Tampa Convention Center. According to the event's website, 36 riders representing seven countries will compete in Boat, Big Air, and Park disciplines.
Just like last year, spectators can see the event live as viewing locations are available around the Channel including the Tampa Convention Center and Knights Point at Harbour Island. And also like last year, the event will also be televised live on July 6 at 4:00 p.m. on NBC.
So who's in?
Triathlon For Kids Coming
While the staff of TampaSportsFitness continues to deal with the dual disappointments of the Lightning's road record and the removal of wrestling as an Olympic sport, it was suggested by our editor that we go find something to write about that would cheer everyone up. And boy, did we ever.
Now, TampaSportsFitness covers a great deal of running events. We do this for a number of reasons: the bay area weather allows for almost year-round running events, the scenery is wonderful and it emphasizes the notion that running is good for you while biking and swimming is good for you yet more challenging. But TampaSportsFitness also likes to cover offbeat races, such as Tough Mudder and numerous zombie runs that have been making more and more of an appearance lately. And this past week we received notice of an event that piqued our curiosity something fierce.
With that, TampaSportsFitness wants all of our readers to know about the inaugural Tampa Bay Kids Triathlon at (wait for it) Adventure Island on Saturday, March 9, at 7 a.m.
How cool is this?
The event, hosted on Adventure Island season-opening day prior to the park opening at 10 a.m., provides youth the opportunity to run, bike, and swim in and around Busch Gardens' water park.
Focusing on children ages 7-10 (junior varsity division) and 11-15 (varsity division), entrants will receive an Under Armour participant T-shirt, a finisher's medal, as well as the opportunity to purchase Adventure Island single day admission tickets at a discounted cost (up to six), to be able to enjoy the park after the triathlon.
The course for both divisions will be the same, although the varsity division has to loop through each area twice. Starting in the park, participants will swim through the Rambling Bayou lazy river before transitioning to bikes and racing to the Busch Gardens parking lot down the road (using Greenwood Avenue to avoid the traffic on 40th Street). After riding around the exterior of the lot, riders make their way back to the park for a run around the field behind Adventure Island and ending in the volleyball courts.
Registration fees are $35 per participant in advance and $40 on the day of the race. The registration packet will be available for pickup on Friday, March 8, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the registration tent across the street from the event parking lot on Bougainvillea Avenue. Participants are encouraged to pick up their packet and drop off their bikes on Friday to avoid the Saturday morning congestion (registration pickup on Saturday starts at 5:30 a.m.). Overnight security will be provided. After a review for participants at 6:45 a.m., the race will get underway at 7 a.m.
So what's got TampaSportsFitness so excited? In addition to being a child's event that encourages physical and outdoor activity, it combines a triathlon with one of the bay area's signature destinations during one of the best times to be outdoors (provided the weather cooperates, of course). Anyone interested can contact Claire Lessinger at 813-342-4075, or email@example.com.
So how about it, dear readers? Any takers for this event?


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I finally found what Barb wanted, and I'm now waiting for it to show up in the mail. It's glass, so I'm freaking out about it breaking!!!! But I have to have some faith, it took so long for me to find, it's gonna be alright!
Isn't it?
A Trip to the Country
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subset: commoncrawl


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Higher Education Reforms in Romania pp 25-42
The Role of Impact Evaluation in Evidence-Based HE Policy Making: The Contribution of Transparency Tools
In this article we set to analyze the policy measures that have been initiated and experimented in the Romanian higher education sector in order to reduce the information asymmetry between the education providers and the rest of stakeholders. The need for higher education policies is triggered by the public nature of the education and also by the information disparities and gaps that are inherent given the long-term investment character of the services provided. In this context, there are several transparency tools available, ranging from state intervention to sector self-regulation. The article assesses the potential ex-ante impact of different policy options and of the implementation of U-Multirank in Romania in particular and argues that sector self-regulation through voluntary participation in U-Multirank complemented by the development of a benchmarking system would be the most feasible policy option for enhancing the transparency and social responsibility of higher education institutions in Romania.
KeywordsEvidence-based policies Ex-ante impact evaluation Transparency tools Higher education ranking
1 The Need for Informed Higher Education Policies
From the elite to the massification of education and training;
From the local/regional approach to the global approach;
From the use of mainly governmental funds to attracting private investments;
From collegial management/steering to corporate management/steering;
From national to cross-national standards;
From regional to international mobility;
From national cultural frameworks to cultural diversification;
From accreditation to quality enhancement mechanisms—trust, transparency, impact;
Starting from the last point above, namely the need for trust, transparency and impact assessment, we will try to illustrate the role and function of transparency tools (with a specific case-study) in the new conceptual picture and social mission of higher education in Romania.
In the following chapter we will undertake an ex-ante analysis of the implementation of one tool (U-Multirank) in Romania, as an example of a relevant policy that aims to address the information asymmetry at the level of the higher education sector. The U-Map sets to develop a more elaborated and versatile model through which institutional performance can be measured and compared, and also a series of new indicators, considered as being more appropriate and valid to capture the perspectives of beneficiaries by the authors of this approach. Our analysis is therefore a contribution to the current debate regarding the tools for impact assessments at system level, suppliers, professional practice and student and other direct/indirect beneficiaries level and their role in assuring a higher transparency and information symmetry (Hazelkorn 2012; Usher and Jarvey 2010; Van Vught and Ziegele 2011). The aim of the chapter is to identify the policy measures that best address a set of external criteria that refer to the scope, the impact, the depth and the associated costs of the intervention. We will approach this ex-ante impact analysis by estimating the advantages and disadvantages of each of the policy options identified, based on the secondary analysis of the existing data. In the end we will propose a policy measure that best addresses the transparency issues given the criteria that we set.
- (1)
Higher education is a public (or partially public) good or it exhibits the features of such a good. The benefits of higher education are non-exclusive, since they spill over to the society at large and do not only affect the direct beneficiaries (graduates, their families). The development of the human capital is crucial for an economy, allowing its organizations to recruit highly qualified workforce. Therefore it plays an essential role in attracting capital investments and economically developing the society as a whole. In addition, the innovation and the technological progress facilitated by the universities are beneficial to the society in general. The development of citizenship through the higher education study programs also has a positive impact on the democratic functioning of a nation. As it does produce a lot of positive externalities (the benefits go beyond those who pay the direct costs for its provision), it displays the features of a public good, higher education tends to be produced and delivered at suboptimal levels, entailing that generally higher levels of provisions and consumption would pay the additional costs. This leads to state intervention through public policies in order to increase participation or consumption (measured, for example, through transition rates from secondary to tertiary education, higher education enrollment rate; the percentage of degree holders in the 30–34 years age group, etc.) or to enhance the quality of the results and the scope of impact (graduation rates, labor market insertion rates). Public policies in higher education generally pursue such objectives, aiming at raising the overall participation in the sector, as well as the effectiveness of the educational sector (Vlăsceanu et al. 2011).
- (2)
Secondly, at the level of the higher education sector, there is an information asymmetry between providers and beneficiaries of educational services, which leads to systemic distortions of the market. Student choices are distorted because of the lack of standardized and comparable information on the higher education providers. Students most often rely on surrogate information such as peers' choices or family guidance. This situation is actually to the advantage of education providers. The lack of state or other type of regulations indirectly encourages higher education suppliers to publish only the favorable pieces of information that drives their competitive advantage or to process and analyse the data to their own advantage. A certain degree of approximation can be found in all these types of information, since it does not always reflect the quality of a study programme/supplier. Consequently, decisions are made without relevant information and inefficient social services do not easily find their way out of the market (Hazelkorn, 2011; Păunescu et al. 2012).
The accountability function, responsible for determining the quality of the public policy and for accountability to beneficiaries and financiers, which have to be informed in regard to any intervention performance and impact;
The management function, which provides early warnings, solutions and recommendations for the continuous improvement of the public policy during its implementation; impact management is an adaptive approach that is aware of the contextual factors that influence success;
The learning and developing function, which refers to the institutional capacity to capitalise on the successes and failures of an intervention in order to perform better in that same intervention and especially in future similar ones.
2 U-Multirank as a Transparency Policy—a Case Study on the Romanian Higher Education Sector
2.1 Context
U-Multirank is a recently developed transparency tool that aims at producing rankings of European higher education institutions and beyond, both in terms of overall institutional characteristics and also specific rankings on fields of study. U-Multirank is intended as a user-centered tool, democratic, abandoning the principle of alleged, implicit, epistemic authority in alternative, unitary rankings. Other important principles that stand at the basis of this model are: avoiding simplistic league-tables, wide applicability, approach based on empirical data, involvement of multiple stakeholders in providing information and tracking several dimensions, robust scale and special attention given to collecting additional data. All the activities are based on the voluntary decision of universities to be part of this exercise. It is expected that the first results on the multi-criteria classification of 500 higher education institutions, as well as the study fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, business administration and physics, will be published in 2014. In the following years U-Multirank is planned to be progressively extended in what concerns the number of institutions and fields of study. For example, sociology, psychology, social work, computer science and music will be introduced in the ranking process by 2015.
The basic assumption from which this transparency tool begins is that there is no universal definition of quality in higher education on the basis of which to build a unique methodology for ranking. Conversely, higher education fulfills multiple functions for different stakeholders and therefore requires a multidimensional assessment to empower stakeholders in producing different rankings, according to their areas of interest. Classic rankings give arbitrary weights to different performance assessment criteria (generally giving substantial weight to research) and produce composite scores based on which they can generate unique rankings. The problem with this approach is that by aggregating the scores obtained on various indicators arbitrarily weighted, reductionist and artificial results are produced. Furthermore, such rankings are often irrelevant for different categories of stakeholders that do not pursue excellence in research, but rather in the quality of teaching, in the relations with the external environment, community engagement, etc.
In the case of U-Multirank, the dimensions/criteria taken into account when generating hierarchies, besides the classical one regarding research, are teaching, knowledge transfer, international orientation and community/regional commitment. Based on these, multiple rankings can be generated, taking into account the interests and values of the user of the resulted classification.
U-Multirank starts from a comprehensive definition of higher education. The general characteristic of higher education and research institutions is the processing of knowledge (Clark 1983; Becher and Kogan 1992). These institutions are engaged in different ways, in breakthrough efforts, in the development, conservation, transmission and application of knowledge (Clark 1983). On the other hand, U-Multirank assumes both vertical and horizontal institutional diversity corresponding to different levels of quality of educational services provided (which also corresponds to different educational levels), as well as to various institutional profiles in accordance with institutionally assumed missions and also to different audiences of higher education institutions. With regard to quality measurement of the provided services, the U-Multirank project includes indicators regarding the institutional capacity of higher education institutions, so-called input indicators but also the articulation of processes for knowledge building and transfer, as well as the short, medium and long term results (impact). Furthermore, there are indicators regarding different higher education institutions capacities and different missions like: education, research and knowledge transfer. Also, some indicators refer to objective, quantifiable data regarding inputs, processes and results, while other indicator categories refer to subjective aspects such as opinions, perceptions and attitudes of beneficiaries or other interested stakeholders.
In the following we will try to make an ex-ante assessment of U-Multirank as a transparency tool addressed to Romanian stakeholders.. We will thus approach this ex-ante impact analysis by estimating the advantages and disadvantages of each of the policy options identified against a set of a priori criteria. The evaluation will be based on the secondary analysis of the existing data at the higher education sector level.
2.2 An Ex-ante Assessment Case-Study for the Introduction of a Transparency Tool
- 1.
What are the nature and the scope of the problem that the public policy aims to address?
- 2.
Who are the stakeholders involved and directly affected by this problem (organizations, institutions, individuals)?
- 3.
Which are the main types of options, scenarios and measures that should be considered?
All these questions will be approached and analyzed below.
1. Analyzing the need for a transparency policy in the Romanian landscape of higher education, the identified problem refers to the lack of valid, standardized and comprehensive data which will enable different stakeholder categories to make multidimensional comparisons based on specific aspects of higher education. Higher education is not a commodity that users can evaluate a priori (for example based on competitive prices). Higher education is an 'experiential' service (Nelson 1970): users can evaluate the quality of the service provided only after they have 'experienced' it, but this type of 'experience' is an ex-post knowledge. Other authors consider that not even the learning experience is sufficient for a correct evaluation of the service provided. Dulleck and Kerschbamer (2006) consider that the value of the service provided becomes clear only after graduation (or even long after) depending on how the gained competences improved the graduates work and social status. However the most important characteristic of the evaluation of higher education services is its' multidimensionality and the difficulty of weighting indicators/dimensions according to the various needs of different users/beneficiaries. Different categories of stakeholders need specific information to enable informed decision-making processes. Prospective students and their parents might be interested in the global performance of universities in education, employability of graduates from a particular field of study, study conditions etc., thus aiming at choosing a specific supplier for educational services. The state or other financing organizations might be interested in the overall performance of universities, as well as knowledge transfer and the social value of research in choosing the most effective public investment. The different nature of the goals pursued by different stakeholders requires for relevance valid and specific data, collected in a strandardized manner that allows relevant comparisons. The problem is thus the lack of a set of comprehensive, standardized and valid data for the different dimensions of higher education, both for the institutions and the study programmes, that would allow both transversal and longitudinal comparisons between programmes as well as institutions, relevant for different types of stakeholders.
2. There are different categories of stakeholders that might have interests in a public policy on transparency of information regarding higher education institutions. On the one hand, institutional stakeholders as the state, employers, evaluation and quality certification agencies and consultative councils of the ministry are interested in the development and consolidation of comprehensive multi-annual databases on which to fundament different types of public policies for higher education. On the other hand, higher education institutions themselves can benefit from longitudinal comparative data as well as transversal data collection would allow setting of benchmarks against which to compare their own performance in order to improve the services offered. Finally, beneficiaries, individual stakeholders, students, parents and also organizational stakeholders and employers need information regarding learning outcomes and higher education impact in terms of employability, the exploitation of competences and skills on the labor market etc.
Major intervention—using several tools of intervention, taking many public objectives, highly institutionalized means of achieving objectives, restricting individual choices;
Moderate intervention—intervention tools that guide individual options through sanctions and rewards, assuming a certain degree of self-regulation, incremental policy change according to the evolution of the expected and unexpected consequences of policy implementation;
Minor intervention—soft tools of intervention, based on informing stakeholders and facilitating collective action (for self-regulation purposes).
In what concerns the level of intervention, it can be local, state or supranational.
2.3 Current Situation. Baseline Scenario
The current situation in Romania is that of moderate, multiple public interventions, both at state and supranational levels, oftenly perceived as being poorly coordinated and most often redundant interventions. Different stakeholders, usually public authority bodies, have imposed different data collection mechanisms which are mandatory for most higher education institutions and create a lot of strain on them, as they differ from other methods used for reporting to different bodies. This is easy to observe as there are different mandatory methodologies for data collection: a) the legal provisions on the financing of higher education have produced informational flows managed by the National Council for Higher Education Financing (CNFIS) together with the Ministry of Education; b) the national education reports that are in line with the Eurostat methodological requirements are managed by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The Law no. 87/2006 approving the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 75/12.07.2005 regarding the higher education quality assurance establishes the principle of internal and external evaluation of the quality of institutions and study programs using its own taxonomy of criteria, standards and indicators. The institutional and programme data are managed by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) that has also the legal power to propose to the Ministry the accreditation or non-accreditation of an institution or a study programme. In addition, following the provisions regarding the university classification and study programs ranking mentioned by the National Law of Education no. 1/2011, the new national assessment exercise for classification and ranking was established, its' methodology being approved by the Government Decision No. 789/10.08.2011.
The situation is characterized by a marked lack of coordination of the various data collection initiatives regarding the higher education system. The UEFISCDI analysis regarding the various information flows in the Romanian higher education system mentions (pp. 3–5):
Currently there is no integrated information system that can produce a unitary data collection and generate useful data in basing higher education public policies. Moreover, there are several reporting and data collection exercises at the national level (from higher education institutions) for the same type of data only that they request presenting it in different formats or machetes. This endeavor squanders resource and is time consuming for all the stakeholders involved. […] Data collections are systemically done (at intervals clearly defined in time), on one hand by The Ministry of Education through the General Department for Higher Education (DGIS) in collaboration with CNFIS—UEFISCDI and, on the other hand, by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Other institutions either make periodic data collection on their own depending on their legal provisions (the National Research Authority, UEFISCDI—National Council for Scientific Research-CNCS for research centers), or do not directly collect data, but make use of the ones which are already public being published by the National Institute of Statistics in its publications (for instance the Institute for Educational Sciences).
In conclusion, we can state that the comparability of data collected through different methodologies is very low and most often than not the availability of primary data for generating of customized reports suited for the needs of different users is nonexistent. Data collection methodologies often change over time depending on the specific criteria from the financing methodologies (for example, the evolution of quality indicators for the allocation of the competitive primary financing). This leads to the lack of comparable data regarding the dynamics of some specific aspects of higher education institutions.
In addition to central authority agencies requiring data on higher education institutions, another data source is represented by the self-evaluation reports (both institutional reports and, respectively, study programmes reports) that the higher education institutions must submit to the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS), before the Agency's external evaluation, for accreditation and/or mandatory periodic evaluation purposes. In this context, quality assurance also performs the function of a transparency tool, enforcing the accountability for education providers and offering interested stakeholders with reliable information validated by an external evaluation agency. The collected data are both objective—measurable performance indicators and subjective—the results of peer review evaluations. The problem with this data is that the information presented is either, descriptive and little comparable, or in many cases only the evaluation results are publicly available, but not the data that lead to the evaluation agency's decision. Most often than not, the evaluation results are poorly differentiated, most institutions being accredited by ARACIS and awarded with a 'high confidence' label; thus, there is little vertical differentiation and, to the extent it is, it is only one-dimensional (ultimately generating a single-ranking of institutions and/or study programs). Furthermore, as shown in the Quality Barometers published by ARACIS (Vlăsceanu et al. 2010; Paunescu et al. 2011) internal quality assurance is mostly a ritualistic and conformist process, often decoupled from the university management processes. Data reliability is, in this case, reduced. In addition, the autonomous and independent use of the disclosed information by various individual/organizational stakeholders is limited to the conclusions/evaluation reports of various assessment exercises. The primary data is often unavailable in usable and user-friendly forms in order to generate customized reports in accordance with the need of information and relevant, specific criteria of different stakeholders' categories.
The data collected during the national exercise for university classification and study programs ranking were gathered in 2011 only and were, to a limited extent, public as aggregate higher education institutional reports. Users did not have any possibility of autonomous data management for relevant comparisons, based on their own criteria. The data collected were processed through a national methodology approved by Ministry Order no. 5.212/2011 which reflects a certain vision on higher education (centered mostly on research) and resulted in a single ranking by providing weights and aggregating indicators specific to different dimensions. Eventually, the ranking is single-dimensional and reflects a particular view of higher education, mostly centred on research; while this could be beneficial for producing a vertical differentiation, it severely limits the horizontal differentiation. However, the most important shortcoming remains the narrow autonomy of users in selecting and using the data in order o generate customized comparisons that are relevant for the respective user's criteria. The public nature of the data collected is also affected by the lack of availability of an online tool with a simple interface through which data of interest to each individual user can be accessed and processed.
2.4 Setting of Policy Objectives
The objectives of public intervention on increasing transparency, reducing the information gaps on the higher education market and consequently increasing the public confidence in the higher education services are as follows:
O1. Setting of a comprehensive and standardized data set with relevance for the performance of higher education institutions and the study programs they offer;
O2. Enabling cross comparisons (between institutions at a specific moment) and longitudinal comparisons (between different moments in time regarding the evolution of the same institution/program and its characteristics) that capture the relative quality of the services provided;
O3. Increasing the autonomy of various stakeholder categories in higher education data usage and making relevant reports, according to their own informational interests.
2.5 Option/Scenario Identification
The current situation/baseline scenario is sub-optimal in several respects. On the one hand, it is characterized by a persistent informational asymmetry between users and beneficiaries of educational services. On the other hand, the inflation of informational flows puts a lot of strain on higher education institutions due to the multiple and, in the same time, redundant reporting requests; these are also time and resource consuming and eventually lead to a sub-optimal data usage. Data that cannot be compared and used in various assessment exercises because of the incompatible methodologies and collection methods used.
- 1.
Integrating the existing informational flows into a single centralized consistent process through which to collect the data requested in both primary legislation (quality assurance, education law) as well as secondary legislation (norms associated with the financing methodology, EUROSTAT methodology). In this scenario the information would also be centrally processed and unitary institutional and study programmes reports would be generated. The state will assume the role of data collector and processor and would standardize specific type of reports by replacing them with a unique framework that collects data useful to various stakeholders, usually agencies and public bodies.
- 2.
Standardizing the mandatory institutional reports of higher education suppliers; the reports are actually mandatory as requested by the Law of National Education no. 1/2011, but this scenario will further elaborate secondary norms imposing the form, type of information and of data to be submitted regularly by each education provider. It will thus force the suppliers of education services to publish regularly a precise set of data (as defined by the norm) and not as a freely written report as it is happening. This will conduct to a standardized set of institutional reports that would comparable both transversal and longitudinal.
- 3.
Carrying on with the national evaluation exercise for university classification and ranking of study programs. In this scenario a novelty would be the integration of collected data (at least some parts of them) into an accessible database through an online tool that can generate customized reports, according to user information needs. The centralized classification and ranking exercise could thus become transparent for all users' categories.
- 4.
Improving the ARACIS external evaluation methodology for higher education institutions and programs/fields of university studies in order to increase the relevance of self-evaluation reports (for example through the continuous development and adaptation of benchmarks). In this scenario, the self-evaluation reports would likely become more reliable and richer in useful information and comparable data and would be usable by various stakeholder categories;
- 5.
Assuming the implementation of U-Multirank at the national level by encouraging the higher education institutions to participate in the European project. In this scenario, the policy objectives would be followed by assuming and streamlining a European project, generating types of data and procedures that are comparable and compatible at European level.
- 6.
Assuming the mandatory participation of all Romanian higher education institutions in U-Multirank. This scenario will enforce a European initiative through national authority and will foresee institutional penalties for failure to comply.
The above options are clearly not mutually exclusive. Some of these can be implemented at the same time, but they have different advantages and disadvantages associated with various stakeholders´ categories. On the other hand, the nature of the intervention differs as well as its level: options 1 and 6 represent major interventions, options 2 and 3 represent moderate interventions and options 4 and 5 represent minimal interventions. Options 1 to 4 are formulated at the national level while options 5 and 6 are formulated at the supranational level.
2.6 Options Analysis
the scope: degree to which various stakeholders' needs are included and addressed;
the impact regarding the fulfillment of the assumed policy objectives;
the type of intervention: the criteria of proportionality and subsidiarity—when the objectives of the public intervention are achieved equally effective, minimal or moderate interventions are preferred to major ones, more intrusive and restrictive of the individual liberty; also, the principle of subsidiarity requires that the intervention level should be kept to a minimum providing the effective achievement of the policy objectives;
the balance between the main costs and benefits associated with various stakeholder categories.
Option 1 effectively addresses objectives 1 and 2, but does less in the case of objective 3—the autonomy of various stakeholder categories in using data and generating reports relevant to their informational interests. The scope or degree of stakeholders' coverage is limited to institutional actors that use data to elaborate public policies, the option being less relevant to students, future beneficiaries and parents. Also, being a major public intervention (centralized and enforced by authority), it is less preferred to others that fulfill the same objectives. Individual stakeholder costs are greater because they have to identify the relevant information in the various standardized reports for the public agencies/authorities and consequently to compare the information from different sources. However, the advantages arise from the increased validity and increased amount of the data verified by national authorities and consequently the public confidence.
Option 2 is the moderate version of the above option. Reports, as transparency tools, are made public by the institutions themselves, but are susceptible to data manipulation from institutional stakeholders. Also, the costs associated to generating relevant data by the information users are high because of the individual researching efforts to find and further process the available data. The advantages come from the establishment and effective usage of institutional reports as transparency tools, the enhanced institutional responsibility and fostering of a quality culture at the level of higher education providers, the increased communication and direct information paths between suppliers and beneficiaries of educational services.
Option 3 is beneficial both for the institutional users (funding or evaluation agencies) and for the individual users due to the online interface that allows data selection and generation of meaningful comparisons, relevant to the specific interests of each user. There is a high scope (degree of coverage) due to the fact that all the institutions take part in the exercise while data access and availability is guaranteed by a user-friendly interface. Data access could be made different according to each user's category. The disadvantages are related to the fact that the specific national methodology of the classification/ranking exercise does not always allow the comparison of Romanian institutions/study programs with their European or international counterparts. At the same time, such a measure implies the risk of formalizing and ritualizing the reports and even data manipulation in the context of a lack of rigorous control; on the other hand, controlling and verifying the reports implies significant costs for the evaluating agencies. It may also discourage the emergence of a true quality culture as the standards, indicators, processes and procedures are imposed from top-down. Alternatively, the previous option (option 2) as well as the next option (option 4) encourages universities and the other providers to take ownership of the reporting process and the quality assurance mechanisms.
Option 4 leads to increased institutional autonomy and public responsibility of higher education providers, also fulfilling the quality enhancement function. Besides achieving social information functions, the collected data will also be relevant to the specific missions of each higher education institution (through their own choice of a set of relevant indicators for their assumed objectives/missions, in addition to a minimal set of mandatory indicators for all types of providers). The disadvantages consist in the high costs experienced by stakeholders in the selection and analysis of specific data; there can actually be information barriers for the stakeholders that are not experienced in the documentation of various sources and data analysis. This option is more appropriate as an effective quality enhancement tool for providers, but less as a transparency tool for beneficiaries—this function is fulfilled rather indirectly through the high validity of the data reported by the universities and through the increased trust between providers and beneficiaries. This option also fosters the emergence of sustainable quality cultures within the educational providers.
Option 5 meets all the policy objectives set; it is also a moderate intervention. The scope or degree of coverage can however be limited to the universities/study programs that decide to participate in the European project. It is also an option that yields long-term benefits: only after a critical mass of institutions and study programs participate in the project, the tool becomes effective for appropriately informing the potential beneficiaries. Also, only following the large-scale inclusion of providers and programmes in this project, the self-regulatory mechanisms at the field level become effective through the high image costs incurred by the non-participant institutions and programmes. The disadvantages consist in the excessive standardization of certain indicators and lack of flexibility in the design of alternative indicators. Also, the lack of data required by the national authorities in the design of public policies (the methodology and types of indicators are set out at the level of the U-Multirank project without consulting the national authorities) is also a disadvantage.
Option 6 also meets all the objectives set, but being at the same time a major intervention method that could take to a faster achievement of objectives; this comes with the cost of limited institutional liberty. On the other hand, U-Multirank design philosophy is centered on the voluntary participation of higher education institutions. Mandatory provision in the national legislation would lead to a disproportionate and excessive measure with regard to the other European higher education institutions participating in the project. In addition, such a measure implies the risk of formalizing reports and even data manipulation associated with if not properly enforced by control specific to a major intervention. Such a control would not be appropriate for the philosophy of the project.
Mobility of Romanian students
Mobility before studies: the place where the baccalaureate exam was taken—the place of graduation
Valid percentage
Cumulative percentage
Same city
Same county
Same region
Other countries
Concluding, options 2, 4 and 5 build on the assumption of more responsibility of higher education institutions and also assume the capacity for self-governance of the sector if the state intervention provides the push and the conditions for collective action. Conversely, options 1, 3 and 6 are more centralized and assume a more active and paternalistic role of the state in its relation to the higher education institutions. Options 2, 4 and 5 could be implemented at the same time as these are complementing each other, but there needs to be consistency in the policy implementation as the main benefits will only be visible on the long-term. The development of a sector-owned benchmarking system and the emergence of a true quality culture enhancing the institutional responsibility will be the main positive achievements on the long run.
3 Conclusions
From the beneficiaries' perspective, U Multirank seems to directly answer their requirements/needs to have at ease relevant valid data and to make informed decisions. These tools prove to be effective in assisting prospective students to select their academic path and decide between different higher education institutions offers, contributing to a broad movement for a greater transparency and accountability (Hazelkorn 2012).
Examples of the advantages and risks of implementing accountability and transparency tools in Romania
A more rigorous substantiation of institutional development strategies and annual or multi-annual operational plans
Additional resources (human, material) allocated for data collection and database development
Multi-criteria comparison of academic performance
Providing internal expertise for data verification, indicator calculation and indicator interpretation/analysis
The lack of confidence in the accuracy, completeness and up to date characteristic of basic data for the calculation of different indices
Transparency towards stakeholders, providing information that assists the individual decisions of beneficiaries
The weak assessment culture and the "fear" of publishing various databases
A more realistic picture of the quality of service provided in relation to costs. The possibility to define a more realistic reference standard in relation to the performance of other universities
Additional costs that need to be included in the annual budget of the institution. The difficulty of justifying the inclusion of these costs in the current funding formula (from the state budget)
Moreover, as suggested by Miroiu (2010), "Romanian higher education currently exhibits a variety of internal differences. Yet there are, at the same time, strong incentives towards the homogenization of existing HEIs on several dimensions. To the extent to which institutional diversity is desirable, one must first define the dimensions of diversification while avoiding, at the same time, absolute dimensions or the reduction of the entire process to a single type of diversification. The public policies which may be advanced and then implemented by the authorities have a number of available instruments to reach their objectives. Each of these instruments has its specific virtues and drawbacks and any efficient policy application able to limit the range and impact of unintended consequences must consider them"
Various transparency and accountability tools in higher education system were developed in recent years, in particular related to accreditation, quality assurance and national ranking for resource allocation. However, the state was the main driver of these developments, universities having so far limited initiatives and experiences of independent use outside specific public policies. Having the comparison of characteristics and uses of transparency instruments as a reference (Hazelkorn 2011), benchmarking seems to be, in particular, underdeveloped and could offer universities a space for cooperation in the near future.
At institutional level, benchmarking added value is linked with the instrument capacity of using institutional comparisons processes for assisting strategic decisions and with the voluntary dimension of the approach. It provides a framework both for systematic comparison of practices and performances with peer institutions and for systematic cooperation in specific areas, based on mutual needs and interests.
The current context provides a good opportunity for a wide use of this instrument, since both educational authorities and universities themselves are still in search for effective and efficient transparency and comparative approaches, formats and mechanisms. It could directly contribute to enhance quality, performance and competitiveness and also create a community of practice of institutions jointly sharing data, best practice, peer-to-peer development and mentoring (Labi 2011; Hazelkorn 2011). As a bottom-up process and not a top to down, it could lead to the creation of a group of peer institutions that, at a later stage could be the main drivers of mainstreaming accountability and transparency tools within higher education system.
This approach could be particularly relevant in Romania, where for the last decades the policy process was 'suppressed' by the uncontested dominance of regulatory tools and very diffuse presence of real impact assessments. Impact evaluation and the availability/use of transparency tools on a large scale could enhance the evaluative culture in higher education institutions, stimulate decision-makers towards more evidence-based processes and bridge this missing link of the between policy process stages and actors, namely evaluation.
The international scene offer insightful examples on how trustworthy data exchange directly impact the strategic decision-making and promote innovative tools for boosting initiatives for higher education modernisation and competitiveness (i.e. example of the Canadian universities partnership). U-multirank demonstrates the wide area that could form the basis of the cooperation, guided by the diversity of higher education missions and activities and is fully compatible with this approach. As one of the core design principles is the peer-group comparability whereby higher education institutions of similar mission are looked at together, benchmarking could offer a concrete framework for Romanian universities to accurately diagnose bottlenecks and fundamental restructure in a continuous improvement process.
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Wow. My last post was in June when we moved the the Old Schoolhouse in Castle Ashby! I don't feel like we've been able to look up since then as we've been working like mad on the redesign and development of the Fellows website. This one was not for the faint hearted, we had from early July until mid October to completely rebuild the site from the ground up in Joomla with direct integration to Microsoft Dynamics NAV and SQL Server. I think its fair to say that we are hugely impressed with what we've achieved, but we are knackered as well! Big ups go out to Andrew Matthews head of design over here for the stunning CSS and AJAX implementations, and the feedback from users has been awesome. The guys at Evo Soft looked after the NAV development on the local side, nice guys. So...Continue Reading
We've moved about a mile up the road from our beautiful barn at Parkhill to The Old Schoolhouse in Castle Ashby. We were bursting at the seams and it seemed the time was right. Below a photo of some of the team, including Banjo the dog! Our 12 week old 'company dog'. If you're in the area come an visit for a cup of tea and a stroll around the gardens. A wonderful place for creative thinking!Continue Reading
Direct mail is dead? I keep hearing this, but I also look at stats from various campaigns and see that a combination of direct mail and email seems to get the best results. In fact with the overall drop in direct mail and the exponential increase in email we could argue that cut through and conversion of well thought out highly personalised direct mail could result in improved conversions in the coming year. However, as the economic outlook continues to be uncertain for the UK I fear a number of companies will cut back their direct mail in favour of cheaper alternatives such as email and add to their overall woes. It all comes back to multiple channel marketing. You need a good mix, and swapping your DM for email isn't likely to cut it. We've met with some very bright companies...Continue Reading
Looks like the privacy argument at Google just runs and runs as the company becomes bigger and bigger. They are going to release browser plug-ins for users to opt-out of being recorded in analytics in the next few weeks. We will wait to see details of this, but its likely that it will only apply to specific data such as ISP network location and the like, so for the main user base (SME's) it shouldn't be overly problematic. Could be something and nothing?Continue Reading
There is a newly passed amendment to the UK Companies Act means that any UK company has now, by law, to include the following information in their email footers (this means general email not e-mail marketing although best practice would suggest inclusion): Your company name Your registration number and registered address (if registered)* Your place of registration (e.g. England and Wales) *it is not sufficient to just include a vaild address, it must be your registered address.Continue Reading
This is an interesting development listed on the Google blog. Could it be that Google are going to show Twitter posts in natural search listings? If so it could make for a new battleground amongst search marketers... Check it out on the Google BlogContinue Reading


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Servicing Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding area
For most your house, standard double-hung windows are suitable for your needs and perform the function you need them to do. They open easily and close securely, they look nice, and they provide a good level of insulation to prevent high power bills through drafts or loss or internal heated or cooled air. There are some situations which require a specialty window, or there may be a particular room where you simply would prefer the convenience and décor of a window designed to perform more than the standard function.
Read the rest of entry »
At Window World, windows are our business and we love what we do. New windows make a house beautiful, provide function and usefulness for the family who lives in the home, and helps cut down on power bills by keeping heated or cooled air inside and outdoor air outside. We also recognize how beautiful historic architecture can be and realize how some windows were built so well they don't need replacement. In such cases, there are means to upgrade a historic building to modern standards while keeping the historic architectural elements which distinguish the house as a local landmark.
Whether you're building a new home or renovating an older house, windows are an important design aspect which provide a functional use and cosmetic appeal. In many cases, the same blueprint design can look like a completely different house depending on window choices. It's important to discuss with your contractor what options are available and determine which windows will best serve your needs.
A beautiful home exterior is something everyone wants, and can obtain with proper planning and design skills. Whether you're renovating an older home or upgrading a relatively new house, there are proven means to make your house have curb appeal and offer an inviting welcome when you have company. Certain aspects of the house are noticeable from the street or as someone pulls into your driveway, other parts of the house become obvious as a guest walks along the sidewalk from the driveway to your door. Once you understand what's important, you can design your home in a way that will make all your friends want to come visit.
Every homeowner is aware they may want to replace their windows at some point in time. In some cases, it may be a matter of saving money and building equity in the house before upgrading to nicer windows than the house came with. The issue becomes glaringly obvious when living in an older home, or a house which wasn't taken care of properly by the previous owners, and the windows are damaged or don't function properly. The good news is that depending on how large your home is and how many windows it has, the replacement process doesn't have to be an expensive repair or even a large job which turns your home into a construction site for an extended period of time.
When buying new windows, it's a good idea to determine your home's needs. A lot of homeowners consider grid windows, contacting their provider for a quick, professional installations. Also referred to as grilles or muntins, grids are window strips—made from vinyl, wood, aluminum or PVC—which divide a pane's glass into smaller panes.
If you're considering buying grid windows, or if you want to know more about them, read on.
Comparing the Five Most Popular Windows for Homeowners in North St. Paul
If you're getting ready to purchase windows, there are some things you need to know. First, not all windows are the same. In our 20 years in business, Window World experts have concluded that vinyl windows are made with the highest quality materials in the industry. You simply will not find a better window.
The average U.S. home loses 30%-50% of its heating and cooling energy due to air leaks around windows and doors and drafts penetrating the siding. Over time, even the highest quality home materials will show signs of wear and tear. A comprehensive evaluation from a trained window and door installation specialist will reveal critical areas in your home where air and moisture are getting in, and your money is leaking out.
Nothing is quite as frustrating as windows which don't function properly when you want to open them to let in fresh air or close them securely before bed or leaving the house. Nearly as bad is when you can feel a cold draft coming in during the winter months and realize you're also losing air conditioning during the summer. Although in some cases a window can be repaired, these types of problems usually indicate it's time to replace the windows with new ones.
Your home is an investment. Over time, it will appreciate, hopefully. However, there are a multitude of home improvement projects that can increase the rate at which your home appreciates. You could renovate your kitchen or bathroom. You could also add an extra room to your home. Many people say adding new energy-efficient windows increases your home's value too? But, do they? And, why?
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including cash, credit and financing
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Wikileaks Reveals Hive: The CIA's Top Secret Virus Control System
(MPN) Early Friday morning, Wikileaks released its fifth batch of Vault 7 documents exposing the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's hacking techniques. The latest release, titled "Hive," exposes the agency's multi-platform malware suite that allows the CIA to monitor targets via malware as well as the ability to realize specific tasks on compromised machines.
Wikileaks has described Hive's function as a "back-end infrastructure malware" that uses public HTTPS interfaces which provide "unsuspicious-looking cover domains" to hide its presence on infected devices. Each of those domains is linked to an IP address at a commercial Virtual Private Server (VPS) provider, which forwards all incoming traffic to what is termed a "Blot" server. All re-directed traffic is then examined by CIA hackers to see if it contains a valid beacon. If it does, then a tool handler – called Honeycomb in the released documents – and the CIA then begins initiating other actions on the target computer. The released user guide shows that Hive allows for the uploading and deleting of files as well as the execution of applications on the device.
Wikileaks noted that anti-virus companies along with forensic experts have noticed before that malware, potentially originating from a state-actor, utilized the same back-end infrastructure implantation that Hive employs. Through the analysis of the communication between specific implants, these experts and software companies were able to determine that the malware's origin came from a "well-resourced organization which was involved in intelligence gathering operations."
However, there had been unable to attribute the back-end or the implants to the CIA, though Wikileaks' release of Hive may change that. Indeed, Wikileaks noted in its press release that "The documents from this publication might further enable anti-malware researchers and forensic experts to analyse this kind of communication between malware implants and back-end servers used in previous illegal activities."
Assange, for his part, doesn't seem too concerned, choosing to respond with a witty retort that incisively pointed out the CIA's lack of credibility in making such accusations:
Called a "non-state intelligence service" today by the "state non-intelligence agency" which produced al-Qaeda, ISIS, Iraq, Iran & Pinochet.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) 14. travnja 2017.
By Whitney Webb
via ANONHQ


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The Hook-Eye Sportfishing Cam is designed to be attached to any fishing line or leader in order to capture fast action and shoot high-definition videos even in extreme conditions, such as Marlin fight.
Its unique hydro-dynamic design and features make it the ultimate action camera for all kinds of underwater activities, with a particular attention to Big Game and sportfishing, which is what it was born for. Hook-Eye features a fishing line attachment system placed along the bottom of the body, which allows sliding the camera through the leader into the water, with no need to cut the line. The camera is then free to slide back and forth on the line, following action without ever interfering with it.
We believe in being responsible to the environment and therefore Hook-Eye Sportfishing Action Cam is an eco-friendly device. The Anti-Shock Floating Waterproof Case is made to be used as a floating waterproof accessory box and comes free with your purchase. The Case contains the camera and the quick-start guide. Sinkers are made in tungsten to prevent lead pollution in the ocean.
The Start Pack includes:
Sportfishing Cameras and Hook-Eye Comparison
Hook-Eye Sportfishing Action Camera has been specifically developed to enable anglers visually to record their deep-sea exploits. Thanks to its unique hydrodynamic design and line attachment system, Hook-Eye is free to slide on the line and swim with the lure, recording everything without ever interfering with fishing action. Furthermore, you never […]
Hook-Eye Tungsten Sinkers
Why do we use tungsten sinkers? Today every angler is committed to preserving fish and fishing environment. As environmental concerns grow and the awareness regarding the toxicity of lead increases, more and more anglers are turning towards tungsten as their material of choice for weighted applications. What's more, tungsten, having a […]
After 2 years of thorough testing all over the world, from Europe to Cabo Verde to Australia, Hook-Eye Underwater Sportfishing Action cam has been successfully presented to public during the Miami International Boat Show from February 16th to 20th, 2017. Sea-life lovers have been introduced to this amazing new action […]
Hook-Eye Sportfishing Cam – Born in Italy
Ideated and developed by a team of Italian engineers and designers, Hook-Eye Cam is able to shoot high-definition videos and capture fast action even in extreme conditions, giving you a truly unique perspective of the underwater world. Its amazing hydrodynamic shape has been designed by a renowned Italian boat designer […]


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Playstation 3 Games
Custom Win Pose for Tekken 6Home / Playstation 3 /
This page contains Tekken 6 Easter Eggs for Playstation 3 called "Custom Win Pose" and has been posted or updated on Dec 13, 2009 by denniscm69.
Boxshot & Details
- Developer: Namco Bandai Games
- Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
- Genre: Action Fighting
- Release: Oct 27, 2009
- ESRB: Teen
Easter Eggs
Custom Win Pose
At the end of a match, before the win sequence begins, hold either LEFT PUNCH, RIGHT PUNCH, LEFT KICK or RIGHT KICK to select a win pose.
Report Problem
Please Submit a Problem for any incomplete, non-working or fake cheat listed above.
If you know other secrets, hints, glitches or level guides, then please Submit your Cheats and share your insights with other players.
Latest Questions
How do I unlock Azazel and all arena characters.
From: Shane7779
From: Shane7779
Total 1 AnswersPosted on: 06-27-2014
Getting to 2nd dan
From: Jam
From: Jam
Total 1 AnswersPosted on: 11-03-2009
Ask a Question
Stuck in this game? Set a specific, clearly defined question and let other gamers answer your question or view answers to previously asked questions. If you think you are an expert then please try to help others with their questions.
Your Question
Trailers & Gameplay Videos
Tekken 6 - How to own Nancy
- Added on: May 17, 2014
Tekken 6 - Reverse RLX And HSP (and a little dance)
- Added on: May 17, 2014
Tekken 6 - How to own Nancy 2
- Added on: May 17, 2014
View All Videos »
Tekken 6 - How to own Nancy 3
- Added on: May 17, 2014
More Options
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YP - The Real Yellow PagesSM - helps you find the right local businesses to meet your specific needs. Search results are sorted by a combination of factors to give you a set of choices in response to your search criteria. These factors are similar to those you might use to determine which business to select from a local Yellow Pages directory, including proximity to where you are searching, expertise in the specific services or products you need, and comprehensive business information to help evaluate a business's suitability for you. "Preferred" listings, or those with featured website buttons, indicate YP advertisers who directly provide information about their businesses to help consumers make more informed buying decisions. YP advertisers receive higher placement in the default ordering of search results and may appear in sponsored listings on the top, side, or bottom of the search results page.
Mobile Home Parks in Saint Charles, MO
1.Sunnydale Mobile Home Park
I Zumbehl Rd
Saint Charles,MO
1.87 mi
Mobile Home ParksMobile Home DealersManufactured HomesModular Homes, Buildings & Offices
*Please Visit Our Web Site For More Information.
2.Town West
1350 Town West Dr
Saint Charles,MO
3.19 mi
Mobile Home ParksManufactured Housing-CommunitiesMobile Home Dealers
Ive lived here for 10 years now. for awhile the rules and guidelines were overstrict. if i wasnt cutting my grass every 6 days i got a letter saying cut my grass trim around the trailer. but im sure i
3.Deerfield Village
3600 Deerfield Dr
Saint Charles,MO
3.14 mi
Mobile Home ParksManufactured Housing-CommunitiesMobile Home Dealers
4.Muegge Mobile Manor
38 Vista Dr
Saint Charles,MO
3.70 mi
Mobile Home ParksManufactured Housing-CommunitiesMobile Home Dealers
5.Bropfs Mobile Home Park
1901 1st Capitol Dr
Saint Charles,MO
1.23 mi
Mobile Home ParksMobile Home Dealers
6.Crest Manor Mobile Home Estate
216 Meadowlark Ln
Saint Charles,MO
1.98 mi
Mobile Home Parks
7.Elm Point Mobile Home Village
1404 N Rue St
Saint Charles,MO
2.92 mi
Mobile Home ParksManufactured Housing-Communities
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Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
WASHINGTON — Having lost patience with China, the Trump administration is studying new steps to starve North Korea of cash for its nuclear program, including an option that would infuriate Beijing: sanctions on Chinese companies that help keep the North's … Continue reading
North Korea successfully fired a long-range rocket despite warnings from the international community. While the launch enhances the credentials of young leader Kim Jong Un, it is likely to bring fresh sanctions and further complicate relations with neighbors and the West. Independent Television News' John Sparks reports. Continue reading


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