Review finds Ed Dept's accreditor audits lacking

The Center for American Progress suggests annual audits and program review processes must be restructured to achieve meaningful oversight.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 14, 2016

Tenure is disappearing, much to the detriment of higher ed

Schools with a greater reliance on adjunct faculty have lower graduation and retention rates, among other consequences.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 13, 2016

Helping students make college decisions only gets them so far

For students living in 'education deserts,' the best info about how and where to apply doesn’t help them avoid the only open-access institution close to home.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 13, 2016

UW-Madison chancellor commits to protecting tenured faculty

Chancellor Rebecca Blank says faculty are safe from layoffs, but faculty members are not so sure of their futures.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 12, 2016

What's the best way to fix higher ed funding?

New America has laid out a plan to make debt-free college possible, positioning its solution into a number of other policy proposals floated recently.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 12, 2016

More colleges developing holistic supports for student financial wellness

A growing interest in student financial wellness, beyond just student loans, comes at at time when financial responsibility among students seems to be declining.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 11, 2016

New journal edition highlights studies of higher ed effectiveness

The latest issue of the Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences examines effectiveness relating to historical objectives, not politicized metrics.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 11, 2016

UNC caught in the middle with LGBT 'bathroom bill'

System President Margaret Spellings told chancellors their institutions had to comply with the law, though she said this was not an endorsement.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 11, 2016

13 attorneys general oppose ACICS accreditation renewal

In a letter to Education Secretary John King and the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, the group made a case against ACICS.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 11, 2016

UMD schools won't merge, but partnership will strengthen

The University of Maryland's College Park and Baltimore campuses considered consolidating, but the final legislation will simply bring the two closer together.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 7, 2016

Ed Dept seeking feedback on draft standards for accreditors

The standards outline circumstances under which accreditors would have to notify the department about colleges.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 7, 2016

Test-optional college admissions can increase transparency

Colleges are increasingly choosing not to require standardized test scores, touting 'holistic' admissions processes that consider an entire academic record. 

By Tara García Mathewson • April 6, 2016

Tennessee scaled corequisite remediation initiative a success

Two studies examine the first full semester of a statewide initiative that put all developmental ed students in college-level courses with supports.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 6, 2016

Achieve finds troubling variation in reporting of enrollment, remediation, persistence

The education reform organization has found significant limitations to its study of college and career readiness metrics due to wide state reporting variation..

By Tara García Mathewson • April 5, 2016

Paper: Pay, benefit increases significant for unionized faculty

A study focusing on professors at regional public universities finds a nearly 25% jump in pay and benefits for those on campuses with faculty unions.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 5, 2016

U of California announces jump in admissions offers to in-staters

Following criticism, the UC system announced 15% more Californians were offered admission this year than last year, and nearly one-third are Latino.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 5, 2016

Study highlights negative consequences of performance-based funding

While the data is limited and further study is necessary, a new paper describes how public colleges may be enrolling fewer low-income students to game state funding formulas.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 5, 2016

Higher education risk impacts low-income students most

Though new data shows the benefit is less significant for the poorest students, there is a way to reduce the investment risk and increase social mobility.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 4, 2016

Florida institutions have to get creative with developmental ed

A legislative ban on requiring high school graduates to take placement tests before enrolling in college-level courses has left schools to experiment with best practices.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 4, 2016

ELL innovation and for-profit stigma: The week's most-read education news

Get caught up on the latest news around coding in kindergarten and more here!

By Roger Riddell • April 1, 2016

College rankings seen as key element in higher ed's commodification

In the finale of an Atlantic series on elite college admissions, Alia Wong outlines the history of rankings and their pernicious impact on higher ed.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 1, 2016

Federal lawsuit targets Ed Dept over debt collection

The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Consumer Law Center are suing the department for access to debt collection policies and oversight info.

By Tara García Mathewson • April 1, 2016

Small colleges struggle to withstand financial challenges

Staying open is a growing struggle for small institutions with limited endowments in regions that have experienced declines in the college-going population.

By Tara García Mathewson • March 31, 2016

Pennsylvania university to replace flat tuition with per-credit rate

Indiana University of Pennsylvania expects the change to increase tuition revenue and make the system more fair.

By Tara García Mathewson • March 31, 2016

Audit prompts controversy over U of California admissions

An audit commissioned by the state legislature found the system was not holding out-of-state students to higher standards than in-staters.

By Tara García Mathewson • March 31, 2016