Higher Education: A Right or a Privilege?

By Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute/EPI International A few weeks ago, I was featured in a Canadian Press article about McGill University’s privatization of its MBA program. Last year, McGill announced that it would raise its MBA tuition 900 percent, from a little over $3,000 to $29,500 a year. This massive increase has raised the ire of many in Canada, including … Continue reading Higher Education: A Right or a Privilege?

The Senator and the Schools

By Watson Scott Swail, CEO, Educational Policy Institute/EPI International Senator Tom Harkin has had a distinguished political career. He is seen as a moderate Democrat who gets along with his Senatorial colleagues and tries to do the nation’s business in a meaningful and tangible manner with decorum. He has been a supporter of college access and success throughout his career. To protect the interest of … Continue reading The Senator and the Schools

Taking it to the Streets: Student Protests and Higher Education Policy

by Watson Scott Swail, CEO, Educational Policy Institute/EPI International This past Wednesday, British higher education students took to the streets of London to decry the Conservative government’s plans to significantly raise tuition fees. It has been reported that the government plans to raise the fees by as much as three times the current price to £9,000, or about $14,000 US/CDN. The protest involved an estimated … Continue reading Taking it to the Streets: Student Protests and Higher Education Policy

The DREAM Act and the Party of “No”

It is of better valor to stay outside of the political arguments, and I most often heed that advice. But events of last week are forcing me to reconsider said advice.

Last week, the DREAM Act was voted down in the Senate on a party-line vote. The DREAM Act allows students who are, by birth, illegal immigrants to gain access to in-state tuition and financial aid for college. As well, it allows them to fast-track for citizenship. Continue reading The DREAM Act and the Party of “No”

Myths on College Costs and Prices? I Don’t Think So…

Earlier today, Elyse Ashburn of The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote about the cost of higher education in her piece, News Analysis: Higher-Education Misperceptions, Myths, and the Media. In the article, Ms. Ashburn discusses recent findings from Jane Wellman’s group, the Delta Project. Continue reading Myths on College Costs and Prices? I Don’t Think So…