How College Sports Turned into a Corrupt Mega-Business
College sports are a gigantic entertainment business that have nothing to do with the missions of the schools. Frequently, the highest-paid employee of a school is the football or basketball…
Some MBA Programs Are an Overpriced Credential, but Others Give Real Value
Once a hot degree, the MBA is now being questioned by more and more people. Wall Street Journal columnist Andy Kessler, for example, recently wrote that “the cost is prohibitive.”…
American Higher Education: Beset with Problems, but Solutions Exist
Editor’s note: This is an abridged transcript of a speech Richard Vedder gave at a Martin Center luncheon on January 30, 2020. I will concentrate today on the economics of…
The Ever-growing Costs of Mandatory Student Fees
North Carolina public universities are more than just institutions of higher learning. They are each small cities of young adults with Olympic-level athletic franchises, massive dining and fitness clubs, and…
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…
Did You Know? Majority of Federal Funding for College Is for Student Loans
The federal government has grown in importance for higher education for decades. The most long-lasting effect could be its status as the lender of first resort for student loans. The…
Pro/Con: Is Food Insecurity on Campus a Problem?
Campus Food Insecurity Matters Food insecurity among American college students is a significant problem. While outdated stereotypes of higher education presume that undergraduates live on campus, receive stipends from their…
Did You Know? As Tuition Goes Up, Some Colleges Freeze or Cut Prices
Private colleges that compete with public schools are scrambling to find a way to keep attracting students. To do so, freezing or lowering tuition rates have grown in popularity to…
Christian Colleges Are Worth the Investment
Editor’s Note: This article is a response to a December Martin Center article on Christian colleges and student debt. In his recent article, “Are Christian Colleges Worth the Debt Burden?”…
Pension Spiking at North Carolina Colleges: An $8 Million Bill for the Public
In 2014, the North Carolina legislature passed a law to curb “pension spiking” among public employees. Pension spiking is when a worker dramatically increases their compensation at the end of…