A Scholar’s Lament
Professor John Ellis has served on college faculties since 1963 and is now an emeritus professor at the University of California-Santa Cruz. He has witnessed enormous changes in higher education…
How Tulsa University Was Turned into Toxic University
Suffering from self-inflicted wounds, the University of Tulsa is sick and getting sicker. This is a case study in how “progressive” academic leadership can wreck a once-excellent university. Last April…
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…
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…