Latest news with #MarkSchneider
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How massive US Education Department cuts are threatening the Nation's Report Card and core federal programs
US Education Department layoffs leave key student testing and research functions at risk. (The New York Times) The US Supreme Court has allowed the Department of Education to move forward with laying off more than 1,300 employees, a decision that is already affecting key federal education functions. The move is part of President Donald Trump's broader plan to dismantle the department, an effort long supported by some conservatives. The cuts reduce the department's total workforce by nearly half, following the resignation or separation of an additional 600 employees earlier this year. Among the most severely impacted areas is the Nation's Report Card — officially known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — which is a congressionally mandated program used to assess student performance across states. According to the Washington Post, nearly all staff in the division overseeing NAEP were laid off, leaving only three employees to manage the work that was previously handled by approximately 30. Impact on student testing and national data collection NAEP, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is the only federal assessment that provides comparable data on student achievement across states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover Why These Off-Plan Dubai Apartments Sell Fast? Binghatti Developers FZE Read More Undo It is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Education. The significant staff reductions are already impacting operations. According to the Washington Post, the department missed its deadline for releasing the 2024 science test results and preparations for the 2026 assessment are now at risk due to insufficient staffing. The National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees NAEP, approved a reduced testing schedule in April. The revised plan preserves only the congressionally mandated math and reading tests and eliminates 19 other assessments that were scheduled for 2028 to 2032. The board reportedly tried to retain the most essential exams while signaling which ones should be protected from future cuts, according to a source cited by the Washington Post. Other federal education offices affected The layoffs have also heavily impacted the Institute for Education Sciences (IES), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Office of English Language Acquisition, and the Federal Student Aid office. The IES, the department's main research and data division, lost around 90 percent of its staff. Mark Schneider, who led the IES from 2018 to 2024, told the Washington Post that the department has yet to provide a clear plan for continuing its responsibilities, stating, "We have so many more questions than we have answers. " A summary of key impacts from the layoffs, as reported by the Washington Post, is shown below: Impact of US Education Department layoffs Category Details Total layoffs approved 1,300 employees Additional separations ~600 (via separation packages) Overall workforce reduction Nearly 50% Effective separation date August 1 (as reported by the Washington Post) NAEP staff reduction From ~30 to 3 employees IES staff reduction ~90% cut NAEP missed deadline 2024 science test results (not released on time) Planned testing cuts (2028–2032) 19 assessments eliminated Programs/agencies affected NAEP, IES, NCES, OCR, Office of English Language Acquisition, Student Aid Budget cut to NAEP $48 million reduction (as reported by the Washington Post) Estimated NAEP savings (5 years) $185 million (according to Education Dept., per Washington Post) Governing Board action Prioritized mandated math and reading assessments; cut optional subjects Key quote (Mark Schneider) "We have so many more questions than we have answers." (via Washington Post) Trump statement "Major Victory to Parents and Students..." (via Truth Social, quoted by WP) According to the Washington Post, department spokesperson Madi Biedermann stated that the agency is working with Congress and state leaders to ensure all required functions continue and that the Trump administration is committed to "sunsetting" the department responsibly. Supreme Court decision and ongoing legal challenge The Supreme Court's decision allowed the layoffs to proceed while litigation continues in a lower court. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 said the affected staff had remained on paid leave since a federal court issued a preliminary injunction in May. After the Supreme Court ruling, the department notified employees that their official separation date is August 1, as reported by the Washington Post. President Trump described the court's decision as a victory for families, stating on Truth Social that the ruling was a "Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country," according to the Washington Post. Critics, however, argue the cuts have left the future of several core federal education functions uncertain. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Reuters
07-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Exclusive: Nestle chair's exit followed rising unease over direction, investors say
ZURICH/LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - Nestle's (NESN.S), opens new tab recent announcement that Chairman Paul Bulcke will step down followed rising investor unease over the food group's share price, the tenure of previous CEO Mark Schneider and concerns its corporate governance model was out of date, investors told Reuters. Support for Bulcke, 70, was ebbing away due to doubts about Nestle's recovery after the pandemic, when sales volumes flagged in 2023 as the world's largest packaged food maker increased prices to offset rising raw material costs, four Nestle investors said. There was also discontent over Bulcke's loyalty to Schneider during that tough period, as well as Nestle's practice of making former CEOs chairmen, they said. Schneider was eventually ousted last August and replaced by Nestle veteran Laurent Freixe. The maker of Nescafe instant coffee and KitKat chocolate bars said on June 18 that Bulcke, CEO from 2008 to 2016, would step down as chair in April 2026 and be replaced by vice chairman Pablo Isla, a former chairman and CEO of Spanish fashion retailer Inditex ( opens new tab. "Nestle is not in crisis mode, but it's the right time for a change," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at Deka Investment, a top-30 Nestle investor which voted against Bulcke at this year's AGM on April 16. "We are big supporters of independent chairmen, but after being on the board for more than a decade, Bulcke was no longer independent," added Speich. "Nestle has been too much like a closed shop in the past." Bulcke was not available to comment on this story. His departure will mark the end of a near 50-year career that saw him rise from marketing trainee to the very top. Responding to a Reuters request for comment on this story, Nestle spokesperson Christoph Meier said Bulcke chose not to seek re-election at a time when Freixe was well established, and the company's strategic direction was clear and firm. "This timing ensures a smooth transition, providing ample time and space for the new leadership team to settle in," Meier said, noting the firm had reviewed its succession plans in June. But the timing of Bulcke's exit - announced soon after he was re-elected for another year, and a year before his mandatory retirement age - was unusual, analysts and investors say. Bulcke, chairman since 2017, was due to retire in 2027 under Nestle's rules. Several top-30 investors told Reuters they had been unhappy with Bulcke for years, with some seeking his departure either privately or at shareholder meetings. "The time has been right for Mr. Bulcke to step aside for quite some time," said one, who declined to be named. Bulcke's shareholder backing has been declining. In April, he won re-election with 84.8% shareholder support. While apparently substantial, it was well below the level chairs usually get in Switzerland. In 2017, he received almost 96%. "This was a clear sign that many investors did not appreciate him anymore," the investor said. "He shouldn't have been chairman in the first place - we don't like a CEO becoming chairman without cooling off periods." Two previous powerful Nestle chairmen, Peter Brabeck and Helmut Maucher, had also been CEO. "Chairmen who are former CEOs can be resistant to change," said Kuno Schedler, a corporate governance expert at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Shareholders also criticised Bulcke's decision to retain Schneider when Nestle's performance struggled after 2022. Adding to the disquiet were scandals such as Nestle's use of banned treatments to purify bottled water in France, and supply chain problems in the United States. Yet when Schneider was finally let go, it came as a shock. "Safe haven companies like Nestle should never surprise the market," one shareholder said. "The former CEO was doing roadshows with investors shortly before he had to go." Shareholders have also been concerned by the performance of the group's share price - which fell 42% between 2022 and 2024 - lagging rivals like Unilever (ULVR.L), opens new tab and Danone ( opens new tab which gained 15% and 19% respectively. Investors were also worried about high debt which threatened future payouts. Net debt at the end of 2024 was 2.9 times adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and Amortization, up from 2.5 times at the end of 2023. "Shareholders only want one thing: returns. And if they're not there, then people are unhappy," said one investor. Investors and analysts said incoming chair Isla showed strong leadership at Zara-owner Inditex, cheering a potentially fresh approach to driving growth at Nestle. One of Isla's first priorities will be to define the profile of the next CEO, said Vontobel analyst Jean-Philippe Bertschy. Freixe is 63, so questions have been raised about how long he will remain in the top job. Other tasks will include deciding what to do with Nestle's roughly 40 billion euro ($47.11 billion) stake in French cosmetics giant L'Oreal ( opens new tab, and whether to keep the company's struggling frozen foods business. "We need better execution at Nestle," said Simon Jaeger, a portfolio manager at Nestle investor Flossbach von Storch. "That's why it's good to have a breath of fresh air in the position of chairman. "Inditex is one of the best-managed companies in an ultra-competitive sector. Pablo Isla played a leading role in this. And because he already knows Nestle, he is a good solution." ($1 = 0.8490 euros)
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Nestle chair's exit followed rising unease over direction, investors say
By John Revill, Oliver Hirt and Richa Naidu ZURICH/LONDON (Reuters) -Nestle's recent announcement that Chairman Paul Bulcke will step down followed rising investor unease over the food group's share price, the tenure of previous CEO Mark Schneider and concerns its corporate governance model was out of date, investors told Reuters. Support for Bulcke, 70, was ebbing away due to doubts about Nestle's recovery after the pandemic, when sales volumes flagged in 2023 as the world's largest packaged food maker increased prices to offset rising raw material costs, four Nestle investors said. There was also discontent over Bulcke's loyalty to Schneider during that tough period, as well as Nestle's practice of making former CEOs chairmen, they said. Schneider was eventually ousted last August and replaced by Nestle veteran Laurent Freixe. The maker of Nescafe instant coffee and KitKat chocolate bars said on June 18 that Bulcke, CEO from 2008 to 2016, would step down as chair in April 2026 and be replaced by vice chairman Pablo Isla, a former chairman and CEO of Spanish fashion retailer Inditex. "Nestle is not in crisis mode, but it's the right time for a change," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at Deka Investment, a top-30 Nestle investor which voted against Bulcke at this year's AGM on April 16. "We are big supporters of independent chairmen, but after being on the board for more than a decade, Bulcke was no longer independent," added Speich. "Nestle has been too much like a closed shop in the past." Bulcke was not available to comment on this story. His departure will mark the end of a near 50-year career that saw him rise from marketing trainee to the very top. Responding to a Reuters request for comment on this story, Nestle spokesperson Christoph Meier said Bulcke chose not to seek re-election at a time when Freixe was well established, and the company's strategic direction was clear and firm. "This timing ensures a smooth transition, providing ample time and space for the new leadership team to settle in," Meier said, noting the firm had reviewed its succession plans in June. But the timing of Bulcke's exit - announced soon after he was re-elected for another year, and a year before his mandatory retirement age - was unusual, analysts and investors say. Bulcke, chairman since 2017, was due to retire in 2027 under Nestle's rules. Several top-30 investors told Reuters they had been unhappy with Bulcke for years, with some seeking his departure either privately or at shareholder meetings. "The time has been right for Mr. Bulcke to step aside for quite some time," said one, who declined to be named. Bulcke's shareholder backing has been declining. In April, he won re-election with 84.8% shareholder support. While apparently substantial, it was well below the level chairs usually get in Switzerland. In 2017, he received almost 96%. "This was a clear sign that many investors did not appreciate him anymore," the investor said. "He shouldn't have been chairman in the first place - we don't like a CEO becoming chairman without cooling off periods." FRESH START Two previous powerful Nestle chairmen, Peter Brabeck and Helmut Maucher, had also been CEO. "Chairmen who are former CEOs can be resistant to change," said Kuno Schedler, a corporate governance expert at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Shareholders also criticised Bulcke's decision to retain Schneider when Nestle's performance struggled after 2022. Adding to the disquiet were scandals such as Nestle's use of banned treatments to purify bottled water in France, and supply chain problems in the United States. Yet when Schneider was finally let go, it came as a shock. "Safe haven companies like Nestle should never surprise the market," one shareholder said. "The former CEO was doing roadshows with investors shortly before he had to go." Shareholders have also been concerned by the performance of the group's share price - which fell 42% between 2022 and 2024 - lagging rivals like Unilever and Danone which gained 15% and 19% respectively. Investors were also worried about high debt which threatened future payouts. Net debt at the end of 2024 was 2.9 times adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and Amortization, up from 2.5 times at the end of 2023. "Shareholders only want one thing: returns. And if they're not there, then people are unhappy," said one investor. Investors and analysts said incoming chair Isla showed strong leadership at Zara-owner Inditex, cheering a potentially fresh approach to driving growth at Nestle. One of Isla's first priorities will be to define the profile of the next CEO, said Vontobel analyst Jean-Philippe Bertschy. Freixe is 63, so questions have been raised about how long he will remain in the top job. Other tasks will include deciding what to do with Nestle's roughly 40 billion euro ($47.11 billion) stake in French cosmetics giant L'Oreal, and whether to keep the company's struggling frozen foods business. "We need better execution at Nestle," said Simon Jaeger, a portfolio manager at Nestle investor Flossbach von Storch. "That's why it's good to have a breath of fresh air in the position of chairman. "Inditex is one of the best-managed companies in an ultra-competitive sector. Pablo Isla played a leading role in this. And because he already knows Nestle, he is a good solution." ($1 = 0.8490 euros)
New York Times
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Napoleon From Long Island Meets His Waterloo
On a field near the Belgian village of Waterloo, a Napoleon re-enactor, riding a white horse, gave orders to hundreds of people in military uniform. 'Vive l'Empereur!' they shouted back. The stand-in Napoleon, wearing a black bicorne hat, looked just like the real Napoleon, sharing his 5-foot-6 height, angular nose and light gray-blue eyes. There was one big difference: He was not French, but American — an American with a French accent that is 'quite horrific,' said Arnaud Springuel, an organizer of the annual battle re-enactment. 'For me, it's not a problem,' Mr. Springuel said. 'But the public doesn't expect that from Napoleon,' he said. For the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, the organizers held their biggest re-enactment in a decade, with 2,200 actors restaging the battle last weekend before 17,000 spectators. Mark Schneider, born on Long Island, secured the job over other would-be Napoleons, including from Belgium and Italy, in part because of his unrivaled ability to command respect on the battlefield, several organizers said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Elator Debuts as Exhibitor for the First Time at AUA 2025 in Las Vegas - Visit Booth #2271
The Elator, a patented, FDA-registered, non-invasive erectile solution, debuts at AUA 2025 in Las Vegas, offering urologists a drug-free alternative for patients seeking reliable erectile support and promising immediate results with a custom fit SAN DIEGO, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Elator , a groundbreaking non-invasive erectile solution for men's sexual health, is proud to announce its debut exhibition at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2025 Annual Meeting, taking place in Las Vegas this April. Urologists attending the event are invited to visit Booth #2271 to discover firsthand how The Elator is transforming the landscape of erectile dysfunction with its innovative, custom external support device. Why Urologists Should Visit Booth #2271 As a patented, FDA-registered medical device, The Elator offers a unique, effective, and non-pharmaceutical option for patients seeking reliable erectile support. Designed with comfort and long-term efficacy in mind, TheElator provides an alternative to traditional ED treatments. Key Benefits of The Elator : Non-Invasive & Drug-Free: Ideal for patients who cannot take oral medications, have exhausted other invasive procedures, or prefer a natural solution Custom-Fit Design: Personalized sizing ensures a comfortable and custom fit for every patient Immediate Results: Patients can perform intercourse instantly after attaching The Elator Durable & Reusable: Long-lasting solution compared to single-use treatments Patient Satisfaction: High success rates and positive patient outcomes "With the growing demand for non-pharmaceutical ED solutions, The Elator is filling a critical gap in urological care," said Mark Schneider, CEO. "We're excited to meet with urologists at AUA 2025 and showcase how our device can expand treatment options for their patients." Urologists attending AUA 2025 can schedule a one-on-one demonstration or just drop by Booth #2271 to see The Elator and discuss patient testimonials and benefits. Join us in Las Vegas this April and learn how The Elator can enhance your urological practice and improve patient outcomes. The Elator is the innovative force behind a revolutionary external penile support device designed to provide a natural solution for men experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED). Founded in 2008 with a mission to enhance the quality of life for men suffering from ED, including those with conditions such as diabetes or Peyronie's Disease, The Elator offers a non-invasive, drug-free alternative to traditional treatments. The Elator empowers users to regain confidence and intimacy through an easy-to-use device that supports sexual function without the need for medications or surgery. Committed to advancing men's health and well-being, The Elator continues to lead the way in providing effective, accessible solutions for ED. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE TheElator Sign in to access your portfolio
