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…
Did You Know? College Shutdowns from Coronavirus at 400+ and Counting
As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus quickly rises in America, colleges have started to take action. Scores of them have extended their spring breaks, shut down campuses, moved…
In Wilmington, the Decline of Community College Leadership
Something is rotten in the County of New Hanover. Cape Fear Community College, the fifth-largest in the state, is experiencing very public governance issues. Faculty and staff have accused CFCC…
Did You Know? What Colleges Can Do to Defend Free Expression
As political polarization is growing, colleges must figure out how to ensure that political discussions on campus are constructive. For that to happen, schools need to take the lead in…
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…
College Climate Surveys Needed to Understand Free Expression on Campus
In yet another window into the country’s polarized political environment, in 2017 the Pew Research Center surveyed Americans regarding their views of major civic institutions. While there were divisions in…
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…
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…
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…
Court Decision Erases a Huge Student Debt—Is that Good or Bad?
For years, a contentious and sometimes emotionally heated debate has raged over the issue of letting people discharge their student loan debts in bankruptcy. A recent decision opens the door…