Emma Whitford
Inside Higher Ed
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Past articles by Emma:
Pittsburgh Council Member Suggests Tax on College Tuition
A city councilman in Pittsburgh has proposed a tax on college tuition, Trib Live reported. Under the bill, students enrolled at colleges, universities or technical schools in the city would be assessed a 1 percent tax before financial aid is factored in. The same tax would also apply to patients at medical facilities. Revenue from the new tax would fund city infrastructure. → Read More
Humboldt State University is now a polytechnic
The California state Legislature approved $458 million to turn Humboldt State University into a polytechnic institution that aims to bring economic growth to Humboldt County. → Read More
Colleges must prepare for the inevitable arrival of Omicron
Experts urge colleges to begin planning for the likely arrival of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. → Read More
Kentucky’s Only Public HBCU Risks Running Out of Money
Kentucky State University may run out of money before the spring, WDRB reported. Aaron Thompson, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, told Kentucky lawmakers Tuesday that the historically Black university needs at least $23 million to keep its doors open. Kentucky State is the only public HBCU in the state. Thompson was instructed by Kentucky governor Andy → Read More
Colleges explore a new three-year bachelor’s degree program
Higher education thought leaders and colleges are working together to create a three-year bachelor’s degree program that will offer all the value of a four-year degree—for less cost. → Read More
Tuition increases are historically low for a second year
As tuition rises slowly, the amount of federal loans students and parents take on to finance higher education declines, the College Board’s annual report shows. → Read More
College enrollments continue to drop this fall
Experts hoped college enrollments would rebound this fall. New data show that while selective institutions have seen their numbers recover, most others continue to struggle. → Read More
Alabama system has employees sign confidentiality agreement
Hours after news of the agreement was published in a local newspaper, legal counsel told employees in the system office that it was investigating a “breach of confidentiality.” → Read More
After a long legal fight, Mills approves Northeastern merger
The long-awaited board vote follows a months-long legal fight and significant pushback from Mills alumnae groups. → Read More
Howard University Cancels Class Due to Cyberattack
Howard University canceled classes Tuesday after experiencing a ransomware cyberattack. University officials shut down campus networks Monday to “mitigate potential criminal activity” while the university investigates the attack. “We are currently working with leading external forensic experts and law enforcement to fully investigate the incident and the impact. → Read More
After a year of cuts, state funding looks positive for fiscal 2022
Experts' fears that state higher education funding would decline this fiscal year have largely abated. → Read More
Moody’s Updates Methodology for College Ratings
Moody's Investors Service, one of several ratings agencies that evaluates higher education institutions, updated its methodology for rating colleges and universities. The new methodology will use the same methods and scorecard to evaluate debt issued by colleges and universities as it does to evaluate revenue-backed debt issued by U.S. community colleges. It will replace → Read More
Saint Leo University will acquire Marymount California
Marymount has sought a buyer for two years. Saint Leo is looking to expand its reach, both online and on the ground. → Read More
Moody's downgraded Rider University's bond rating
The private university in Lawrenceville, N.J., is facing declining enrollment, falling tuition and auxiliary revenue, and increasing debt. → Read More
Kentucky State's president resigns amid financial anxiety
Governor Andy Beshear announced a review of the university’s finances soon after M. Christopher Brown resigned. → Read More
Post-9/11 GI Bill leads to lower earnings, paper shows
Student veterans who received benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill had lower earnings for seven to nine years after leaving the Army, a new NBER working paper showed. → Read More
University of California investment office releases new diversity report
The report provides a rare look at who is managing the University of California system’s $161 billion portfolio. → Read More
Pennsylvania system approves plan to merge six universities
The 14-university system will move ahead with a multiyear consolidation process despite months of public outcry about the plans. → Read More
Fayetteville State Clears $1.6M in Tuition Debt
Fayetteville State University paid off $1.6 million of tuition debt owed to the North Carolina institution by more than 1,500 students, the Fayetteville Observer reported. Outstanding tuition debt that was not covered by federal grants or loans was paid off by the university. All students who attended the university between fall 2019 and spring 2021 now have a tuition balance → Read More
Four alumnae trustees file suit against Mills College leaders
The trustees say administrators refused to turn over financial documents and misled them about the vote to wind down operations at the liberal arts college. → Read More