Hillary Clinton, an alumna of a women’s college and an elite law school, has a long record of policy positions of importance to higher education, as first lady, as a U.S. senator from New York, as secretary of state, and as a presidential candidate.
Not all of those positions have been consistent. For example, she adopted a stand on making college free that closely followed the views of Sen. Bernie Sanders, but only after she had defeated him in the 2016 Democratic primaries. Beforehand, she had taken a more middle-of-the-road stance that focused on pressing colleges to moderate their price increases.
But whatever her policy positions, they have been more abundant and more specific than those of Donald J. Trump, her Republican opponent whom she is favored to defeat on Election Day. The main question is whether, in a theoretical Clinton administration likely to be vehemently opposed by Republicans in Congress, Mrs. Clinton will be able to enact any of her higher-ed agenda.
Here’s a look at that agenda, and its evolution over the course of the 2016 presidential-election campaign, through the eyes of Chronicle reporters.
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NewsThe Bumpy Road to Free College
Hillary Clinton’s plan would require the federal government and the states to find a new way to work together. How would that play out? The federal highway system might hold some answers. -
Election 2016
Clinton Wants to Show What Her College Plan Would Save You. Here’s What Some People Learned.
The Democratic presidential nominee promoted a calculator displaying her higher-education proposals. Voters who used it said they liked seeing that they’d save money, but some still had concerns. -
Legal
What the Future Holds for the Federal Crackdown on Campus Sexual Assault
In the Obama administration’s waning months, hundreds of colleges remain under investigation. Legal challenges may change the landscape, but the government’s action has already left its mark. -
Tuition
How Clinton’s ‘Free College’ Could Cause a Cascade of Problems
The Democratic nominee’s proposal might sound great, but it could close many colleges, pressure some flagships, and disappoint students. -
Government
Is Student-Loan Debt Really Holding Would-Be Entrepreneurs Back?
Hillary Clinton wants to help aspiring business creators with their loans. Higher-education experts don’t think that’s the best way to help them out. -
Government
A Key Question for Clinton’s College-Affordability Plan: Will States Buy In?
The Democratic candidate’s proposal, announced on Monday, would require states to preserve higher-education funding in order to be eligible for a large grant pool. In some states, experts say, lawmakers won’t be eager to do so. -
College Costs
‘Debt-Free College’ Is Democrats’ New Rallying Cry
The concept seemed implausible just months ago, but it has obvious political appeal — and it appears to be picking up steam. -
Government
A Higher-Ed Guide to 4 Presidential Contenders
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul, and Hillary Clinton have announced their candidacies. Here’s where they stand on issues of concern to colleges. -
From the Archives
In a Tumultuous Era, Hillary Clinton Emerged as a Voice of Her Generation
The future candidate rejected 1960s radicalism but continues to embrace its social ideals.
