Author Profile

Ross Marchand

Ross Marchand is the Director of Policy for TPA. Ross is an alumnus of the Mercatus Center MA Fellowship at George Mason University. He has interned for the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council, analyzing and blogging on a variety of public policy issues ranging from higher education to fiscal policy. In the summer of 2015, he interned for the Lithuanian Free Market Institute and produced commentary on the European Union's emerging Capital Markets Union. His current research interests include disability insurance reform and the role of state-level liability structure in abating environmental contamination.

His work has appeared in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Denver Post, and the Washington Examiner.

Articles by Ross Marchand

‘Baby Bonds’ Would Skyrocket College Costs, Bilk Taxpayers for Billions

Jul 3, 2019 · Ross Marchand · No Comments

For too many politicians and presidential hopefuls, a free college education is a cure-all for inequality in America—so long as the federal government can pour enough money into it. Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), for instance, has opted to make “baby bonds” the centerpiece of his campaign. Under this policy, fleshed out in … Continue reading “‘Baby Bonds’ Would Skyrocket College Costs, Bilk Taxpayers for Billions”

Credential Inflation: What’s Causing It and What Can We Do About It? Aug 7, 2020
Credential inflation refers to an increase in the education credentials required for a job—for example, a job that used to be done by high school graduates but now requires new hires to have a college degree. Credential inflation has been going on for decades. One of the earliest mentions of it is in professor Randall … Continue reading “Credential Inflation: What’s Causing It and What Can We Do About It?”
Did You Know? More Open Seats at NC Colleges This Fall Aug 6, 2020
Since COVID-19 hit, students have taken notice and altered their college plans. Some high school seniors are delaying enrollment until the pandemic has subsided, leaving universities with more openings. This year, according to data collected by Sean Mulholland, an economics professor at Western Carolina University, from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), 10 … Continue reading “Did You Know? More Open Seats at NC Colleges This Fall”
Across Colleges of All Types, Student Anxiety Is a Growing Issue Aug 3, 2020
College admissions is a different field than it was 20 or even 10 years ago. High school guidance counselors still help hundreds of students make a plan for after graduation. Students still try to get into the best college they can. But they are now more cost-conscious, their families hire private college counselors, and they … Continue reading “Across Colleges of All Types, Student Anxiety Is a Growing Issue”

If We Jettison Standardized Testing, What’s Its Replacement? Jun 26, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic probably won’t kill the SAT, but will no doubt leave it in a badly weakened condition. Both the SAT (and its close competitor, the ACT) have had to cancel administration of their tests for the last few months and, according to this Washington Post story, universities have decided that they will make … Continue reading “If We Jettison Standardized Testing, What’s Its Replacement?”
Why Do American Universities Lead the World in Scientific Research? Jun 24, 2020
Miguel Urquiola is professor and chair of the department of economics at Columbia University. His special field is education and his book Markets, Minds, and Money: Why America Leads the World in University Research is about American higher education—its history, its relationship to higher education in Europe, and the trajectory it has followed from the … Continue reading “Why Do American Universities Lead the World in Scientific Research?”
The Right College: Students Using Data to Find Their Best Match Jun 15, 2020
Which college a student chooses to attend is a major decision that can affect the rest of their life. What students want to study, what they can afford to pay, and cultural fit can all influence their choice. Throughout the process, students have all sorts of vague information, but providing them with data specific to … Continue reading “The Right College: Students Using Data to Find Their Best Match”

UNC’s Attempt to Grapple with ‘History of Racism and Oppression’ Aug 10, 2020
On June 8, interim UNC system president William Roper and chairman of the Board of Governors Randy Ramsey announced the establishment of a race and equity task force. The announcement came a day after three individuals associated with the UNC system wrote a letter requesting that such a task force be established. In the letter, … Continue reading “UNC’s Attempt to Grapple with ‘History of Racism and Oppression’”
Credential Inflation: What’s Causing It and What Can We Do About It? Aug 7, 2020
Credential inflation refers to an increase in the education credentials required for a job—for example, a job that used to be done by high school graduates but now requires new hires to have a college degree. Credential inflation has been going on for decades. One of the earliest mentions of it is in professor Randall … Continue reading “Credential Inflation: What’s Causing It and What Can We Do About It?”
Did You Know? More Open Seats at NC Colleges This Fall Aug 6, 2020
Since COVID-19 hit, students have taken notice and altered their college plans. Some high school seniors are delaying enrollment until the pandemic has subsided, leaving universities with more openings. This year, according to data collected by Sean Mulholland, an economics professor at Western Carolina University, from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), 10 … Continue reading “Did You Know? More Open Seats at NC Colleges This Fall”