This new book from Michael M. Crow and William B. Dabars looks fascinating. Crow has served as the president of Arizona State University (ASU) since 2002. He was formerly executive vice provost at Columbia University and a professor of science and technology policy (a field I almost pursued after completing my bachelor's degree). Dabars is a senior research fellow in the Office of the President and a research professor in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at ASU. Crow is widely regarded as one of the pioneering leaders in higher education. He speaks at workshops … [Read more...] about Designing the New American University
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Who Do Young Adults Live With?
Are young adults really moving back home at record rates? When they do move back home, what drives that decision? This interesting WSJ article argues that it's less about the economy and more about student debt. A few highlights: "The proportion of young adults aged 18 to 31 living with parents has hit 36% from 31% in 2005, and indebtedness—especially rising student debt—explains roughly 30% of this increase." … [Read more...] about Who Do Young Adults Live With?
Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be
Frank Bruni's new book, Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania looks great, especially for upper and upper-middle class parents currently biting their nails over whether Junior will get into Princeton. For the rest of you, let me explain: Over the next few weeks, tens of thousands of "fat envelopes" (acceptances) and hundreds of thousands of "thin envelopes" (rejections) will be mailed all across the country to high school seniors hoping to get into a couple dozen of the most elite universities. The belief is that if you get into one of these schools, … [Read more...] about Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be
How Purdue University is Serving Students by Cutting Costs
Purdue University is midway through a (so far) three-year tuition freeze. In the 2015-2016 school year, in-state students will pay $10,000 and out-of-staters $28,794. How'd they do it? Adding higher-deductible health care plans that save the school money and make employees more cost-conscious. … [Read more...] about How Purdue University is Serving Students by Cutting Costs
Why not massively lower interest rates on students loans?
Over one million students graduate college each year with student debt. And the debt loads at graduation keep rising (to say nothing of the debt loads of the usually less employable college drop-outs). Naturally, politicians of all stripes are proposing policy solutions. For example, the following has been proposed by 2016 Ohio candidate for the U.S. Senate, Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld: Reduce interest rates to 2 percent for all recipients of subsidized federal loans who graduated with a four-year college degree since 2009. Reduce interest rates to 3 percent for other federal loan … [Read more...] about Why not massively lower interest rates on students loans?
Why the Attraction of “Fifty Shades of Grey”?
Why are millions of twenty-first century women drawn to a story about a rich man wooing, oppressing and humiliating a young, vulnerable woman? Don't we live in a day in which sexual assault on college campuses and domestic abuse by professional football players fills us with indignation? Ross Douthat explain this mystery: Viewed from one angle, the sexual revolution looks obviously egalitarian. It's about extending to everyone the liberties--the freedom to be promiscuous, to pursue sexual fulfillment without guilt--that were once available only to privileged cisgendered heterosexual males. … [Read more...] about Why the Attraction of “Fifty Shades of Grey”?