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Lee Gardner

Senior Writer
The Chronicle of Higher Education

Lee Gardner, a senior writer, covers the management of the university and how leaders navigate change.

He formerly served as editor of the Finance and Policy section, overseeing The Chronicle‘s coverage of state and federal government, for-profit colleges, and the business of higher education. Before joining The Chronicle, in May 2012, Gardner spent nine years as editor in chief of Baltimore City Paper. Under his stewardship, the newspaper won numerous awards from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. In addition to prior stints as arts editor and music editor at the City Paper, he also worked as a staff writer at the alternative weekly Metro Pulse and an assistant editor at Whittle Communications.

Gardner earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Towson University. He lives in Baltimore with his family.

Stories by This Author

Financial Worries
By Lee Gardner September 17, 2024
Deep cuts at public comprehensive colleges have often made news, but this year they seem deeper and more brutal than ever.
Looking back
By Lee Gardner August 28, 2024
Daniel Greenstein’s tenure was defined by merging six campuses into two new institutions.
Finances
By Lee Gardner May 8, 2024
The annual State Higher Education Finance analysis says the squeeze could be explained by enrollment declines, tuition freezes, and the dwindling of stimulus dollars.
Finances
By Lee Gardner March 14, 2024
Increasing worker pay to comply with a new federal rule on who gets overtime will hurt colleges’ budgets and may be passed on to students through higher tuition.
Census Analysis
By Lee Gardner February 29, 2024
A new report helps explain colleges’ steep drop in enrollment and why more teenagers say a degree isn’t worth it.
'A More Unified System'
By Lee Gardner February 20, 2024
In a fractured and saturated higher-ed landscape, Pennsylvania’s governor wants to build a new system.
Q&A
By Lee Gardner February 9, 2024
The new head of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities wants to counter the growing narrative about college as costly and ideology-obsessed.
Navigating the Rise of AI
By Lee Gardner January 22, 2024
Many college marketers are excited about using AI and how it can help them do their jobs. But some worry about its growing pains, or that it could even cost them their jobs.
Complex Factors
By Lee Gardner December 15, 2023
Drastic budget cuts at flagship universities in Nebraska and West Virginia point to economic, cultural, and demographic shifts that could have wider implications.
A High-Profile Departure
By Lee Gardner December 6, 2023
The president’s aggressive push into online education set the stage for the rise of so-called mega-universities.