Intelligent observers of American higher education know that colleges generally are in great trouble: falling enrollments, declining public and political support, often dubious outcomes, and excessive tuition and other costs. … Continue reading “A Collegiate Renaissance?”
In an earlier millennium, yours truly undertook graduate studies in history and persisted a couple of years before getting cold feet. Some new PhDs could not find academic positions; some … Continue reading “Are English Departments Really Dying?”
On April 3, the North Carolina House approved a proposed biennial budget, House Bill 259, which the Senate is now considering. The plan provides generous raises for state employees while … Continue reading “Reading the N.C. Higher-Ed Budget”
The evidence is everywhere: American colleges and universities are dying. Not all will die very soon—indeed, probably only a modest portion will. But the trend is unmistakably downward. Why? Is … Continue reading “American Colleges Are Committing Suicide”
Nationwide, undergraduate college enrollment has been falling since 2010. The trend is being driven both by a shrinking pool of high-school graduates and those graduates choosing to attend universities at … Continue reading “How the UNC System is Propping Up Enrollment”
Each January, the staff of the Martin Center share our higher-ed-reform dreams for the coming year. Will all of our wishes come true? Probably not. Nevertheless, we offer them here … Continue reading “Reforms We’re Cheering For in 2023”
Enrollment declines have finally come to North Carolina. In the past decade, universities across the country began to see declining undergraduate enrollments, first in the Northeast and the Midwest, then … Continue reading “Is UNC Playing Selectivity Games?”
There is considerable talk these days about the enrollment crash in higher education, especially in liberal-arts education. The Chronicle of Higher Education has been expressing worry about this crisis for … Continue reading “Colleges Helped Cause the Enrollment Crash”
Next week, the UNC Board of Governors will discuss whether to raise the cap on out-of-state students at five UNC institutions: East Carolina, UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro, UNC Pembroke, and … Continue reading “Should the UNC System Raise the Cap on Out-of-State Students?”
In the past few years, colleges have been closing their doors like never before. 607 colleges either closed or merged from 2014 to 2020, according to data from the National … Continue reading “Did You Know? College Closures Are On the Rise”