Scott Carlson is a senior writer who explores where higher education is headed. Follow him on LinkedIn, or write him at scott.carlson@chronicle.com.
Stories by this Author
-
What Motivates StudentsColleges Are Selling Themselves as Wage-Boosters. They Have Something Better to Offer.
Many workers care more about finding purpose in their jobs than they do about pay. Why did colleges stop emphasizing their role in the search for meaning? -
-
Campus Activism
‘This Is Incredibly Scary’: Students Arrested at UT-Austin Protests
A planned teach-in ends with police in riot gear. -
Survival Odds
Why It Can Be So Difficult to Gauge a College’s Financial Health
A few metrics can shed some light, but the most important ones often remain hidden. -
Parsing the Narrative
What’s Really Behind the View That Higher Ed Isn’t Worth It?
Yes, the sector has a lot that it needs to fix. But criticisms that seem to dismiss the value of college altogether often miss key details. -
'Status Games'
The U. of Chicago Is Feeling a Financial Squeeze
What does it mean when one of higher ed’s wealthiest institutions is under fiscal pressure? -
The Work Force
Why Labor Shortages on Campus-Building Staffs Are Reaching ‘Crisis Situations’
The lack of workers is driven by a host of factors, and it’s worsening deferred-maintenance backlogs. -
The Invisible Hurdle
Why Transferring Credits Can Be One of Higher Ed’s Most Stubborn Barriers
Bureaucracy, institutional self-interest, and seemingly minor systemic snags can make moving from community college through a four-year institution almost unbearably difficult. -
Aging Facilities
The Backlog That Could Threaten Higher Ed’s Viability
Campuses went on a decades-long building boom. The bill for maintaining them, which has rarely been fully met, is coming due. -
College and the Work Force
What Employers Are Saying About Higher Ed
For many companies, decisions about how much education to require are not simple.
