Reforming Dysfunctional Teacher Education: ‘Back to the Future?’

Apr 14, 2021 · · Comments Off on Reforming Dysfunctional Teacher Education: ‘Back to the Future?’

Most American children are trapped in public elementary and secondary schools that are either mediocre or dysfunctional. Readers who wonder if this statement is polemical should know that for almost two decades, the federal government’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the nation’s highly respected school assessment tool, has documented that on average, less than … Continue reading “Reforming Dysfunctional Teacher Education: ‘Back to the Future?’”

A Conversation with UNC System President Peter Hans

Apr 12, 2021 · · Comments Off on A Conversation with UNC System President Peter Hans

A new leader took the helm of the University of North Carolina system during a tumultuous time. In the midst of a global pandemic, Peter Hans was elected UNC system president on June 19, 2020 and assumed the role in August. The position was previously held by interim president Bill Roper, who stepped in after … Continue reading “A Conversation with UNC System President Peter Hans”

Did You Know? The Students Hurt Most by School Closings

Apr 8, 2021 · · Comments Off on Did You Know? The Students Hurt Most by School Closings

Over 20 percent of college students come from lower-income families, according to Inside Higher Ed. These students face the worst effects of school closings due to the pandemic—whether they’re in high school or college now. Elementary school students may be even worse off. Yale economist Fabrizio Zilibotti co-authored a study that found: Pandemic-related school closures … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Students Hurt Most by School Closings”

Did You Know? The Campus COVID-19 Plan That Worked

Mar 25, 2021 · · Comments Off on Did You Know? The Campus COVID-19 Plan That Worked

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earned a reputation for having a remarkably effective COVID-19 mitigation plan. Its experience is one that other colleges should pay attention to. As mentioned in a previous Martin Center article, the success of the university’s COVID-19 plan was applauded for strategically reopening in fall 2020. Urbana-Champaign kept case counts … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Campus COVID-19 Plan That Worked”

Reassessing the College Wage Premium Payoff

Mar 19, 2021 · · Comments Off on Reassessing the College Wage Premium Payoff

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts within the higher education policy space were projecting that four-year colleges could face a loss of up to 20 percent in fall enrollment. While these predictions never materialized, the political infatuation with college enrollment figures is not a new phenomenon. Barack Obama proclaimed the orthodox view of … Continue reading “Reassessing the College Wage Premium Payoff”

Did You Know? The Future of Online Learning

Mar 18, 2021 · · Comments Off on Did You Know? The Future of Online Learning

The overall success of online education is being hindered by the fact that some classes just aren’t meant for online instruction. If higher ed leaders can adjust online classes for the future, they may be able to build a collection of online course offerings that don’t make students dread them. For example, Logyn Welborn, a … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Future of Online Learning”

Silenced by the Sheep: Academia’s New Censorship

Mar 17, 2021 · · Comments Off on Silenced by the Sheep: Academia’s New Censorship

The nation’s cultural elites have been gripped by an intense wave of moral panic since the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol. That panic has found expression in higher education in renewed efforts to curtail the speech rights and academic freedoms of the already near-extinct members of the campus community who dissent against … Continue reading “Silenced by the Sheep: Academia’s New Censorship”

COVID-19 Campus Changes: Testing and Sequestering Students

Mar 1, 2021 · · Comments Off on COVID-19 Campus Changes: Testing and Sequestering Students

Colleges have been trying to stop COVID-19 from spreading on campus, and after a year of experimentation, failure, and success, officials may have found their way. Campuses are combining widespread testing, a reduction in social activities, limited in-person classes, and altered schedules to avoid shutting down campuses like many did last fall. Colleges do deserve … Continue reading “COVID-19 Campus Changes: Testing and Sequestering Students”

Don’t Rock the Boat: UNC BOG Members Rarely Vote ‘Nay’

Feb 22, 2021 · · Comments Off on Don’t Rock the Boat: UNC BOG Members Rarely Vote ‘Nay’

The members of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors are charged with a solemn duty: to oversee and guide the state’s public university system. Although some of their day-to-day responsibilities might seem mundane, many of the decisions they make shape the system’s standards, values, and the extent to which the university’s dual mission … Continue reading “Don’t Rock the Boat: UNC BOG Members Rarely Vote ‘Nay’”

Did You Know? COVID-19 Budget Cuts Hit Students and Profs, Not Admins

Feb 11, 2021 · · Comments Off on Did You Know? COVID-19 Budget Cuts Hit Students and Profs, Not Admins

It only took a global pandemic to force public and private universities to cut their spending. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that about 650,000 jobs were cut in the higher ed sector—a 14 percent decline. An analysis from The Chronicle of Higher Education on the budgets of about 100 top colleges pegged their losses … Continue reading “Did You Know? COVID-19 Budget Cuts Hit Students and Profs, Not Admins”