‘Latin-What?’ Why UNC Should Abandon the Term ‘Latinx’
By now, most people who’ve attended a wealthy college—or those who tuned into the Democratic presidential debates—have likely heard or seen the word “Latinx.” The anglicized Spanish term is the…
Articles by Shannon Watkins
Did You Know? UNC Pell Grant Students Have More Debt Than Their Peers
The federal Pell Grant program provides need-based grants to millions of college students every year—and costs the government over $30 billion annually. But even with that large investment, Pell Grant…
Goodbye Meritocracy, Hello…What?
Is meritocracy just? Just a short time ago, it was commonly accepted that it is the fairest way to determine who wins and who loses in the competition of college…
Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste: UNC BOG Hastily Enacts New Admissions Policy
It is a common saying that one should “never let a crisis go to waste.” Last week, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors exemplified this principle when they…
A Conversation with the Chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill
On December 13th, 2019, Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz became the 12th chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to his appointment, he had been serving as interim…
How North Carolina Colleges Are Responding to COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has injected uncertainty into nearly every aspect of society—and higher education is no exception. As North Carolina’s leaders grapple with the challenges posed by curbing the virus’…
Did You Know? UNC Graduation Rates Have Increased, Many Still Very Low
Timely graduation rates reveal a lot about how well colleges are fulfilling their academic mission. If, for example, the majority of students don’t graduate in the traditional four-year period—or even…
A New Chapter in UNC Board Governance
It’s been a couple of months since Randy Ramsey became the chairman of the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors. Since his appointment in October, Ramsey’s tenure has…
Reinvigorating the Teaching of American History
To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. —Cicero It’s no secret that many of today’s students are ignorant of American history…
GPA or SAT? Two Measures Are Better Than One
At a time when only 41 percent of college students graduate in four years—and only 56 percent in five years—colleges and universities across the country are phasing out the only…