Financial Responsibility in the Higher Education Compact
Introduction According to recent Pew Research Center polling, seven in 10 Americans believe the higher education system is headed in the wrong direction. Majorities of Americans also give colleges low…
Higher Ed’s Diseconomies of Scale
In Texas, we take pride in doing everything BIG. That seems to apply to our university systems, as well. While other states have one or two public university systems, we…
Black Americans Are Discarding “College for All”
The largest changes in college enrollment by black students have nothing to do with Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023), which banned affirmative action (“diversity”) in undergraduate admissions. SFFA…
Clearer Student-Loan “Guidance” Isn’t Enough
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced a reorganization of its Federal Student Aid (FSA) ombudsman’s office into a broader “Office of Consumer Education and Ombudsman.” The aim is twofold:…
UNC Should Keep Tuition Frozen
At the September meeting of the UNC Board of Governors Budget and Finance Committee, the UNC System announced that, for the first time since 2017, institutions may be allowed to…
Understanding the N.C. Central Housing Protests
Following complaints about unhealthy residence-hall living conditions, as well as protests that resulted in the arrests of a professor and others, N.C. Central University has completed what it calls “one…
Happiness Isn’t Stapled to a Diploma
For decades, college was seen as the ultimate standard of success: the pathway to a good job, financial stability, and, for most, happiness. However, many people (including myself) have begun…
Another Return-On-Investment Boost
If one thing has become clear in the last decade, it is that not all college degrees are created equal. Rather than simply attending any college and getting any degree,…
Tuition Transparency Is Still a Problem
When deciding whether to attend college, most people’s biggest concern is how to afford it. Indeed, the cost of attending a particular college is a key factor guiding students’ choices…
The “NC Colosseum” Is Prestige Over Practicality
Since the Dean Smith Center needs major repairs, why is UNC considering a 25,000-seat cricket stadium? That was the surprise tucked into the Board of Trustees’ July 30 External Relations…