Author Profile

Jane S. Shaw

Jane S. Shaw was president of the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy until February 2015, when she retired and joined the Pope Center's board of directors. Before joining the center in 2006, she was a senior fellow of PERC, the Property and Environment Research Center in Bozeman, Montana.

Before moving in to higher education policy, Shaw was a frequent writer and speaker on environmental topics. With Michael Sanera she coauthored Facts, Not Fear: Teaching Children about the Environment (Regnery 1999). She coedited A Guide to Smart Growth: Shattering Myths and Providing Solutions (Heritage Foundation, 2000) with Ronald Utt. Before joining PERC in 1984, she was an associate economics editor of Business Week. Shaw has a B.A. in English literature from Wellesley College. At that time her name was Jane Steidemann.

Shaw is a past president of the Association of Private Enterprise Education, editorial adviser to Econ Journal Watch, a member of the Editorial Advisory Panel of Regulation, and a member of the Editorial Advisory Council of the Institute of Economic Affairs (London). She is married to Richard L. Stroup.

Articles by Jane S. Shaw

President Ross, it’s not too late for a legacy

Jan 19, 2015 · Jesse Saffron and Jane S. Shaw

Looking back at Ross’s first four years at the helm, we see leadership marked by tentativeness and preservation of the status quo. But as Ross begins his fifth and final year as president, there are opportunities for him to champion meaningful changes and to leave a positive legacy.

Are UNC centers politically biased?

Dec 29, 2014 · Jane S. Shaw and Jenna A. Robinson

Imagine that a UNC Center for Western Civilization (which, of course, does not exist) were to co-sponsor a conference with the Heritage Foundation.

A promise from the president of the Pope Center

Dec 10, 2014 · Jane S. Shaw

In a few months, I will retire as president of the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy. I know that my successor, whoever it is, will continue the Pope Center’s commitment to improving higher education.

Now, here is something to wake up trustees

Dec 1, 2014 · Jane S. Shaw

Ever since it was created in 1995, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni has been trying to help trustees do a better job. ACTA has issued readable, thoughtful reports advising trustees on topics such as advancing intellectual diversity, dealing with grade inflation, measuring academic effectiveness, criticizing accreditation, and cutting costs. But turning the ship of higher education around is a herculean task.

The UNC Board of Governors takes action on a leak to the press

Nov 17, 2014 · Jane S. Shaw

In the past few months, under the chairmanship of John Fennebresque, the UNC Board of Governors has been more aggressive than in the past, drilling down into more topics and increasing its discussions in committees and in the full board meetings. But now the board is being distracted by a spat over confidentiality at Winston-Salem State University, one of the boardâ€™s sixteen college campuses.