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 … Continue reading “The Higher Education Establishment’s Self-Interest Goes Unchecked—Again”
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 … Continue reading “Should Universities Be “Sanctuaries” for Illegal Immigrants?”
Accreditation is supposed to act as a quality guarantee for colleges and universities, but it works very poorly. Students can and regularly do graduate from accredited schools without having learned … Continue reading “Will We, at Last, Do Something About Accreditation?”
Last month, PEN America, the U.S. branch of an international organization, published a strong defense of free speech on college campuses. The nearly century-old group stands for the idea that … Continue reading “Will the Surge of Support for Free Speech on Campus Do Any Good?”
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 … Continue reading “UNC Leaders Should Keep a Closer Eye on Underperforming Degree Programs”
Many experts believe that the United States is facing a student loan crisis. Total student loan debt now exceeds $1.3 billion—more than total credit card debt for the country. And … Continue reading “States Should Work to Ameliorate Bad Federal Student Loan Policies”
In February 2015, the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors (BOG) concluded an extensive review of the 237 academic centers and institutes housed across the 16 UNC campuses. … Continue reading “UNC-Chapel Hill’s Center for Civil Rights Continues Leftist Agenda Unabated”
In 2006, I clipped a “Non Sequitur” cartoon that captured perfectly the mystique that surrounds our nation’s universities. The cartoon pictured a professor ensconced in a cubicle surrounded by an … Continue reading “The Modern University’s Greatest Failing”
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. … Continue reading “Will This New College Ranking System Upend the Status Quo?”
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 … Continue reading “Universities Are Churning Out the Next Generation of Higher Ed Bureaucrats”