Higher Ed Under Fire
‘Private Little Hell’
A Florida committee once hunted for gay people in its universities. Sixty years later, the effects linger.
The Latest
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Due Process and Accountability
A ‘Reckless’ Disciplinary Process Contributed to Stanford Goalie’s Suicide, Lawsuit Says
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'The Moment Feels Urgent'
Hundreds of UC Faculty Members Stop Teaching as Strike Continues
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The Review | Opinion
Can We Finally Topple the Tyranny of Rankings?
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Enrollment Plunge
In Wisconsin, a Merger Can’t Save a Community College
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Featured Newsletters
Latitudes
In New International Enrollment Data, a Rebound — and a Reality Check
Everything you need to know about the latest Open Doors report.
Race on Campus
Does Diversity Improve Grades?
What the research says about the benefits of racial diversity on academic performance.
The Review
The Cure for Overeating? Repentance.
If you’re stuffed with Thanksgiving stuffing, pick up a Puritan sermon.
Virtual Events
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Higher Ed’s Digital Future: Research Universities
UPCOMING: December 6, 2022 | 2 p.m. ET: Hybrid and virtual courses improved accessibility for students, especially nontraditional ones, during the pandemic. In the final installment of this three-part series, a panel of experts will discuss the future of tech in higher ed. With Support From Verizon. Register here. -
Managing Higher Ed’s Modern Work Force
UPCOMING: December 8, 2022 | 2 p.m. ET: In a national survey by The Chronicle, 57 percent of administrators said their colleges lacked policies and systems to govern a contemporary workplace. Join us to discuss what provosts, deans, and department chairs can do to improve employee morale and related issues. With Support From ModernThink. Register here. -
Chronicle Festival: The Ideas Shaping Higher Ed
ON DEMAND: Higher ed faces an unprecedented decline in trust. What can colleges do to revitalize their missions, better promote their value, and reconnect with the public? Chronicle journalists interview leading thinkers. With Support From Workday, Adobe, and Pushkin. Watch on demand.
The Enrollment Crunch: A Special Report
Disappearing Students
The Shrinking of Higher Ed
In the past, colleges grew their way out of enrollment crises. This time looks different.
Nearly 1.3 million students have disappeared from American colleges since the pandemic began. That contraction comes at a precarious moment for the sector. Inflation is driving up costs and straining budgets, stock-market volatility is reducing endowment returns, and federal stimulus funds are running out.
Why is the enrollment crunch happening now? How are colleges responding? What might turn things around? Those are the questions fueling this special report.
Nearly 1.3 million students have disappeared from American colleges since the pandemic began. That contraction comes at a precarious moment for the sector. Inflation is driving up costs and straining budgets, stock-market volatility is reducing endowment returns, and federal stimulus funds are running out.
Why is the enrollment crunch happening now? How are colleges responding? What might turn things around? Those are the questions fueling this special report.
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Stopping the Slide
A community college, a public regional, and a small private institution try to innovate their way out of yearslong enrollment declines. -
Finishing What They Started
As the number of traditional-age students shrinks, educators strive to re-enroll the 39 million Americans who left without a credential. -
The Perilous Predicament of the Very Small College
Many campuses with fewer than 1,000 students survived the pandemic on fumes. What’s next? -
Whither Black Enrollment?
After more than a century of Black activists’ fight for college access, Black enrollment this past decade has tumbled at an alarming rate.
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Professional-Development Resources
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Professional-Development Resources
Visit The Chronicle’s professional-development resources page to read stories from Chronicle journalists and contributors, and to explore videos and research briefs on a variety of topics. -
The Chair’s Role in the Continuing Pandemic
George Justice discusses how department chairs are continuing to deal with Covid on campus, and how they’re dealing with the added pressures of leading through the pandemic. Video provided by Dever Justice LLC. -
Managing Up
Carolyn Dever tackles how managing up is a challenge for all department chairs, and how to navigate these difficulties, providing pro tips on how to approach your dean or provost. Video provided by Dever Justice LLC. -
Seven Practices for Building Community and Student Belonging Virtually
Most colleges and universities have traditionally provided in-person programming and supports to strengthen bonds between students and build a sense of community. This research brief was originally published by Ithaka S+R.
The Review
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The Hard Truths of the Academic-Labor Crisis
Even if striking workers win, the system is still rigged against them. -
The Political Prophet Harvard Didn’t Want
In our age of global conflict, István Hont is finally having his moment. -
The Rise of China’s Universities
No nation has a more successful record of promoting talent to serve state and society. -
Letters
The Chronicle welcomes correspondence from readers about our articles and about topics we have covered.
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Data
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Major Private Gifts to Higher Education
Gifts of $50 million or more, dating to 1967, are compiled in this list. -
Yale and Harvard’s Law Schools Are Ditching the ‘U.S. News’ Rankings. Will Others Follow?
Yale’s dean argued that the ranking’s formula discourages institutions from admitting low-income students and supporting careers in public service. -
Test-Optional Policies Now Dominate Higher Ed
Over 800 colleges shifted to test-optional policies between the fall of 2019 and the fall of 2021.
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Advice
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7 Tips for Scholars on Writing for Nonacademics
To reach a wider audience, try to unlearn a few habits. -
Ask the Chair: ‘I’ve Never Been a Boss Before’
A new chair seeks advice on how to be an effective supervisor of department staff members. -
Tenure and the Arrival Fallacy
Wasn’t tenure the Holy Grail of academe? I had made it. Why wasn’t I overjoyed? -
The Provost Files: 8 Dos and Don’ts for New Leaders
What to expect in your first year in academic administration. -
Beating Yourself Up Is Labor, but It’s Not Work
Advice from an academic-productivity expert on how to extinguish self-defeating talk about your research abilities. -
The Worst Career Advice I Have Received
Learning from other people’s mistakes can be as valuable as making your own — and much less painful.
