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?”
Among the arguments against the policy of admitting students to colleges because they have the right ancestry—that is, they appear to come from “underrepresented” minority groups—is the fact that it … Continue reading “The Truth About Student Mismatch”
When planning their college years, students want reliable advisors who can help them pick the right major and classes. As most students are not on campus during COVID-19, high-quality early … Continue reading “The Importance of College Advisors for Academic Success”
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 … Continue reading “Did You Know? UNC Graduation Rates Have Increased, Many Still Very Low”
A sense of urgency has taken hold of higher education leaders nationwide. Reports of declining community college graduation rates and the lack of skilled workers have led policymakers and college … Continue reading “The Success of Community College ‘Non-Completers’”
The public relies on journalists to learn about and share academic research. Public knowledge can be undermined, however, when academics try to influence what research journalists cover or limit the … Continue reading “Keeping Journalists in the Dark: ‘Citation Cartels’ Limit Public Knowledge”
Conventional wisdom and public perception hold that college sports provide educational opportunities for thousands of student-athletes who could not afford to attend college without them. The National Collegiate Athletic Association … Continue reading “College Sports and Educational Opportunity: Exposing the (Half) Truth”
The winds of change have blown through the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors in recent years. In a state historically dominated by the Democratic Party, the board … Continue reading “The Chairman of the Board Speaks”
No cliché is more ubiquitous at teacher protests than signs that read, “if you can read this sign, thank a teacher.” That is, unless you disregard variations on the theme … Continue reading “Teacher Training and the Construction of Illiteracy”
“Reform” is an appealing word, suggesting change intended for the better. It is frequently used in discussions of higher education. Critics, especially conservative ones, point out visible cracks in the … Continue reading “Is Academic Reform for Insiders Only?”