It’s been a remarkable year for higher education. We ranked the most important events of 2018 in last week’s article. But now it’s time to look ahead. Here is what members of the Martin Center staff would like to see happen in academia in 2019. Jenna A. Robinson, President More States Adopting Due Process … Continue reading “What We Would Like to See in the New Year”
This year has been a turbulent one for higher education. From #MeToo to academic hoaxes, colleges and universities across the country have had to grapple with new problems that continue to shake individuals’ confidence in higher education. Here are the ten events we think have been the most significant: Jenna A. Robinson, President 1. Purdue … Continue reading “The 10 Most Important Higher Education Events of 2018”
College is expensive. Even in today’s deeply divided political climate, all Americans seem to agree on that. But while most, if not all, Americans agree that student loan debt is a big problem, the proper role of the federal government in distributing loans remains hotly contested. A solution could lie in offering a more attractive … Continue reading “Income Share Agreements Offer a Promising Alternative to Federal Loans”
Colleges tend to expand beyond their original missions by hiring more administrators and creating new programs. But they can also expand physically by exercising power usually reserved for state and federal governments. When that happens, universities can abuse their power and undermine the public good. For a prime example of this expansion, look at how … Continue reading “Public Universities Exploit Eminent Domain Powers with Little Oversight”
While money is not the root of all evil, it is undeniably responsible for the transformation of the University of Oregon (UO). It changed from a typical state flagship where athletics were a nice diversion for some students and alums into a sports powerhouse where the quest for glory in football and basketball dominates the … Continue reading “How Nike Transformed the University of Oregon”
Back in the summer, it seemed that the Republican/conservative vision for higher education reform was building momentum. A House GOP bill called the PROSPER Act was on the verge of moving toward passage and education secretary Betsy DeVos was implementing regulatory changes meant to undo some Obama-era policies such as the “Gainful Employment” rule and … Continue reading “The Democrats Retake the House; Now What for Higher Ed?”
State governments treat public university land as non-taxable because the mission of these institutions is nonprofit education. But when state legislatures aren’t careful, university administrators can take advantage of their non-profit status—at the expense of taxpayers. In Arizona, the university system has a cavalier attitude regarding the use of its tax-exempt status. In one glaring … Continue reading “When a University Helps a Business Avoid Property Taxes”
A strong executive with a proven track record, though lacking a typical background in academia, is selected as president of a large public research university in America’s heartland. Quickly identifying waste, inefficiency, and high overhead costs, he implements common-sense operating efficiencies to lower costs while freezing tuition for students. He casts a bold, innovative vision … Continue reading “In Oklahoma, a ‘Transformative Leader’ Brings New Vision to University”
Americans’ trust in higher education is crumbling. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 48 percent of American adults have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education. That number is down from 57 percent in 2015—the largest decline in confidence of any other institution. In efforts to rebuild that trust, … Continue reading “Reviving Trust in Higher Education, One Innovative College at a Time”
Over the last few decades, the number of college administrators has grown far more than the numbers of students and faculty. Amid this administrative bloat, the greatest growth has been in “diversity” officials. Even community colleges have begun hiring Chief Diversity Officers (CDO). A persistent question, however, is whether having a CDO and other diversity … Continue reading “What Do College ‘Chief Diversity Officers’ Accomplish?”