The “Snowflake” Generation: Real or Imagined?
When universities institute things such as “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings,” they often justify doing so in the name of protecting students’ mental health. Critics, on the other hand, argue…
Articles by Stephanie Keaveney
The Higher Education Establishment’s Self-Interest Goes Unchecked—Again
Recently, a legislative proposal aimed at improving graduation rates at the University of North Carolina system’s 16 institutions was nixed due to vehement opposition from university leaders. In its place…
Should Universities Be “Sanctuaries” for Illegal Immigrants?
On November 16, thousands of students at public and private universities across the country walked out of classes to protest the election of Donald Trump to the presidency. One of…
UNC Leaders Should Keep a Closer Eye on Underperforming Degree Programs
An unlikely champion of more university oversight emerged at a recent University of North Carolina system Board of Governors (BOG) meeting. During a discussion about the board’s long-term strategic goals…
Will This New College Ranking System Upend the Status Quo?
Higher education reformers have long argued that colleges’ admissions selectivity reveals little about their educational quality and how well they prepare students for the workforce and civic life. The U.S.…
Universities Are Churning Out the Next Generation of Higher Ed Bureaucrats
The number of non-academic administrators at colleges and universities has more than doubled in the last 25 years, far outpacing the growth in students and faculty. According to a report…
Athletics Reform Is Possible Without the NCAA
In the past two decades, North Carolina higher education leaders have tried to address problems related to college athletics. But whether they’ve focused on the increasing pressure to admit academically ill-prepared…
Should Universities Be Outsourcing Their Chancellor Searches?
Among the duties of a university’s board of trustees, there is perhaps no bigger responsibility than helping to select the leader of the campus—the chancellor/president. Such an important responsibility requires…
The Freshman Experience: Social Justice Indoctrination and Academic Handholding
It took less than a week into the 2016-2017 academic year for several outrageous stories to surface on college campuses. At the University of Texas at Austin, thousands of students…
These Professors Are Working to Restore Free Speech on Campus
Four classically liberal professors and an economist named Adam Smith walk into a room. No, this isn’t the beginning of a bad joke; it was the first event of the…