Welcome to The Chronicle’s fourth annual Trends Report. At a time when colleges, like much of the nation, are experiencing deep political and social upheaval, it’s easy to become distracted — and reactive. But instead of putting innovation on hold, some college leaders are seizing the opportunity to respond to pressing problems in imaginative ways — making a stronger case for the value of a degree, removing obstacles to graduation, helping improve job prospects for doctoral candidates, and more. Our coverage of 10 key shifts in higher education will tell you how they’re doing it.
In this report you’ll find case studies, analysis, and commentary that you can use to try new initiatives on your own campuses. If uncertainty is the new normal, The Trends Report can give you an edge. We’ve been covering higher education nationwide for more than 50 years now, enabling us to examine shifting political, cultural, and economic trends with historical perspective and nuance.
Drawing upon insights from our reporters, editors, and sources like you, we identified these trends for 2018:
The American Campus, Under Siege: Colleges have faced growing scrutiny in recent years — from legislators, members of the public, and parents concerned about value. But the 2016 presidential election led to fresh political attacks on colleges for being elitist and out of touch. A survey found that GOP voters thought higher education actually had a negative impact on the country’s direction. Perhaps the last bastion of liberalism, colleges must learn to weather attacks from far-right groups.
Students in Charge: Student influence on campus has been growing for a while, as colleges compete for enrollments and as students’ demands — for better amenities and a greater say in campus policies — increase. “Lazy river” swimming pools on some campuses have become a visible symbol of how far colleges will go to satisfy students, but students are also using their voices to demand trigger warnings, power over hiring, and more. Some conservative groups, meanwhile, are encouraging them to rat out “politically correct” professors.
Loss of Global Prestige: Studying in the United States appears to be losing some of its luster among international students, as growth in their enrollment slows down. While the latest overall numbers were higher than ever, for the first time in a decade, the number of new international students actually dropped in 2016-17 from the previous year, and graduate applications and enrollments were also down. The Trump administration’s policies on immigration and other issues aren’t likely to help.
Peer Review in Flux: Peer review has long been considered the “gold standard” of scientific reliability, but the internet era has led to a proliferation of open-access online journals that have weakened the notion of peer review. It isn’t yet clear whether scientific leaders will agree on a new approach that encourages transparent scientific sharing, while reserving the highest-quality peer review for where it is most needed.
Era of Deregulation: If one word can capture the essence of the Trump Administration’s higher-education policy, it’s deregulation. The Education Department has announced plans to abolish or rework several key Obama-era programs, including guidance for handling sexual-misconduct cases and regulations meant to hold for-profit colleges accountable. While many college leaders are confused by the constant reinterpretations, some say they welcome less regulation.
Student Success Up Front: Many colleges are intensifying their efforts to improve student success and graduation rates, responding to changing demographics and new technologies that allow for early intervention. One strategy that’s spreading: awarding “completion grants” to struggling students close to graduation. A grant as small as $1,000 can determine whether some students make it to the finish line.
Spotlight on Hazing: The high-profile hazing death of a Penn State student named Timothy Piazza raised hopes that this time, colleges would really do something about fraternity hazing. But it hasn’t been so simple: One president worries that stricter rules will simply push bad behavior underground — and pressure from the Greek system, alumni, and even parents of fraternity members has made the task tougher.
Rebranding the Ph.D.: As graduate enrollments fall and academic programs are criticized for accepting candidates in a weak faculty job market, more universities are taking proactive steps to demonstrate the value of the Ph.D. Some are offering career-diversity programs to better prepare doctoral students for jobs outside academe.
Data Scientists in Demand: Data science is a hot field, as companies look for experts who can mine data and uncover social-media trends. The number of graduate programs in data science has spiked over the past decade, but some critics have questioned the value of these programs, and expressed concerns about whether students are learning to use data ethically.
Black-College Renaissance: Enrollments at many historically black colleges are rising after years of decline. But it’s not just because of recent racial incidents, which may lead some black students to feel more comfortable at an HBCU. A number of black colleges have been recruiting both black and Hispanic students more aggressively, and selling the supportive environment that many HBCUs offer.
We hope you find The Trends Report useful. As always, we view it as a work in progress, and are eager to hear from you. We’re tracking a number of important issues that didn’t make it onto this year’s list — for example, small colleges’ efforts to develop distinctive programs to stay viable, cybersecurity challenges, and the rise of artificial intelligence on campuses. You’ll find coverage of those issues all year.
To see the report online, visit chronicle.com/trends.
— THE EDITORS
