The California tuition protests: much ado about very little?

Anger over the tuition increase at the University of California erupted into several protests and resulted in numerous arrests last week.  Protesters used tactics that included throwing incendiary devices at police cars, vandalizing the home of the chancellor of University of California, and breaking in and barricading themselves inside university buildings. Given that students are so [...]

California vs. Nebraska: two models of university governance

Two important education news items today both have to do with public universities. They invite interesting comparisons of the types of governance structure in our public universities. First, the University of California is set to increase undergraduate tuition by 32%.  The increase is meant to make up for large cuts in state funding. Second, the University [...]

What merit scholarships say about us

The College Board released data on Tuesday that shows substantial increases in tuition at public colleges in the country last year.  Prices increased by an average of 6.5% last year, despite low inflation rates and a negative consumer price index.  The tuition hike is yet another symptom of the state budgetary crisis, which have resulted [...]