By Patrick O'Donnell of the Cleveland Plain Dealer for EWA
Journalists looking for new angles on the click-grabbing topic of
student loans should consider digging into legal and political
battles over who answers the phones when borrowers call
with questions, and how the bills are collected, experts told
reporters at recent Education Writers Association event in
Washington, D.C.
Millions of Americans could be affected by ongoing
inside-the-beltway debates over the exact definitions
of wonky terms such as ”credit hour” or “gainful
employment,” according to two veteran Washington policy
insiders.
By Delece Smith-Barrow of the Hechinger Report for EWA
The 2018 midterm “blue wave” that split party control of the U.S.
Congress and narrowed the Republican edge among governors to
27-23 will likely mean political battles over several higher
education issues.
The details of bribery and fraud involving some of the
nation’s most elite colleges unveiled in the
“Operation Varsity Blues” admissions scandal are
jaw-dropping. But the underlying premise — that wealth can buy
entry to prestigious universities – has been a
subject of many journalistic investigations over recent decades.
America’s declining
birth rate has sweeping implications for the U.S. economy and
society – especially its education system. Already,
a decline in the number of 18-year-olds is forcing many
colleges to take actions that journalists should cover, such as:
changing recruiting practices, cutting costs, and, in some
cases, going out of business, according to a panel of college
officials, researchers and journalists speaking at a recent
Education Writers Association seminar.
Reporters looking for data and background on college campus hate
crimes have limited and less-than-ideal options, says Dan Bauman,
a data reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Hate crimes on university campuses have spiked since 2015. The
U.S. Department of Education reported a 25 percent jump in 2016.
A recent
FBI report said the bureau’s count of hate crime reports at
schools or colleges jumped 36 percent in 2017.
Some of the nation’s most influential education policymakers and
legislators will address more than 30 journalists at a Jan. 28-29
Education Writers Association seminar
examining the impact of the 2018 elections on higher education.
The alarming rise in college students seeking mental health
services at campus counseling centers has garnered plenty of
headlines in the last few years.
But there’s a fresher, more hopeful story emerging at many
campuses, said mental health experts convened at the Education
Writers Association’s 2018 Higher Education Seminar in Las Vegas.
Some colleges are trying to meet the new needs creatively and
affordably using programs like online tools, peer-led discussion
groups or dorm-based healthy living workshops.
Educating Americans in the liberal arts – teaching them to write,
understand history, and philosophize – was traditionally a main
purpose of college.
But today’s students are shunning that tradition. The number of
undergraduates earning bachelor’s degrees in some of the mainstay
liberal arts subjects – English, history and philosophy – fell by
at least 15 percent between 2008 and 2016, even though the total
number of bachelors rose 31 percent during that time,
one recent study found.
Small colleges struggling because of declining enrollment and
tuition revenues face stark choices: If they can’t rebound,
financial realities may force them to shut down.
Fresh Angles on Student Loan Stories: Phones and Bills
Lawsuits and "Next Generation" reforms are likely to generate headlines.
Journalists looking for new angles on the click-grabbing topic of student loans should consider digging into legal and political battles over who answers the phones when borrowers call with questions, and how the bills are collected, experts told reporters at recent Education Writers Association event in Washington, D.C.
Is Your Community’s ‘Free College’ Program ‘Bait and Switch’?
By asking the five Ws, journalists can identify the fine print in College Promise programs.
“Free college” is an increasingly popular rallying cry for politicians. There are now more than 200 programs that seek to deliver on that promise around the country, and more being proposed nearly every month.
The Surprising Real-World Impacts of Edu-Jargon Debates
Washington's battles over the definitions of terms like "credit hour" could affect millions of college students.
Millions of Americans could be affected by ongoing inside-the-beltway debates over the exact definitions of wonky terms such as ”credit hour” or “gainful employment,” according to two veteran Washington policy insiders.
Elections Have Consequences for Higher Ed
The 2018 midterm “blue wave” that split party control of the U.S. Congress and narrowed the Republican edge among governors to 27-23 will likely mean political battles over several higher education issues.
Why Elite Colleges Have Always Been ‘Pay to Play’
The details of bribery and fraud involving some of the nation’s most elite colleges unveiled in the “Operation Varsity Blues” admissions scandal are jaw-dropping. But the underlying premise — that wealth can buy entry to prestigious universities – has been a subject of many journalistic investigations over recent decades.
Changing Demographics Mean Better College Odds for ‘Slugs’
A baby bust is forcing newsworthy changes to college admissions.
America’s declining birth rate has sweeping implications for the U.S. economy and society – especially its education system. Already, a decline in the number of 18-year-olds is forcing many colleges to take actions that journalists should cover, such as: changing recruiting practices, cutting costs, and, in some cases, going out of business, according to a panel of college officials, researchers and journalists speaking at a recent Education Writers Association seminar.
Where to Find College Hate Crime Data
Five organizations publish numbers and information on hate crimes.
Reporters looking for data and background on college campus hate crimes have limited and less-than-ideal options, says Dan Bauman, a data reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Three Rules for Covering Campus Hate Incidents
Get the legalities right, put the data in context, and do followup.
Hate crimes on university campuses have spiked since 2015. The U.S. Department of Education reported a 25 percent jump in 2016. A recent FBI report said the bureau’s count of hate crime reports at schools or colleges jumped 36 percent in 2017.
Education journalists to hear from top policymakers and legislators
Some of the nation’s most influential education policymakers and legislators will address more than 30 journalists at a Jan. 28-29 Education Writers Association seminar examining the impact of the 2018 elections on higher education.
Newer, Fresher Ways to Cover Student Mental Health Emerge
Colleges experiment with low-cost screening and counseling.
The alarming rise in college students seeking mental health services at campus counseling centers has garnered plenty of headlines in the last few years.
But there’s a fresher, more hopeful story emerging at many campuses, said mental health experts convened at the Education Writers Association’s 2018 Higher Education Seminar in Las Vegas. Some colleges are trying to meet the new needs creatively and affordably using programs like online tools, peer-led discussion groups or dorm-based healthy living workshops.
Declining Demand for Liberal Arts Has Surprising Causes and Repercussions
Shifting humanities landscape should raise questions for education journalists
Educating Americans in the liberal arts – teaching them to write, understand history, and philosophize – was traditionally a main purpose of college.
But today’s students are shunning that tradition. The number of undergraduates earning bachelor’s degrees in some of the mainstay liberal arts subjects – English, history and philosophy – fell by at least 15 percent between 2008 and 2016, even though the total number of bachelors rose 31 percent during that time, one recent study found.
Come Together: How to Cover College Mergers
Small colleges struggling because of declining enrollment and tuition revenues face stark choices: If they can’t rebound, financial realities may force them to shut down.