by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute “This is hard for you because you think of the students as cuddly bunnies, but you can’t. You just have to drown the bunnies. Put a Glock to their heads.”\ The above is a quote from former Mount St. Mary’s University President Simon Newman earlier this year. I say former, because the quote, in part, forced … Continue reading “Put a Glock to Their Heads”
By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute In 2013, state and federal governments spent approximately $150 billion on higher education. This includes funding for Pell Grants, state grants, research, and direct subsidies for students. To put this in some perspective, federal funding amounted to $227 per person in the US, and about double that if state funds are included. On the … Continue reading So How Much Does Student Departure Cost Your Institution?
by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute Higher education is about legacy. If a parent goes to a certain university, it is likely that their children will go to college. If the parent graduated from an Ivy-League or very selective institution, it is more likely that their kids will attend that institution. A 2005 study of 180,000 students who attended selective … Continue reading When Money Trumps Education: A Story of Wealth and Educational Legacy
by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute If you have kids, at some point you’ve either heard of, supported, or even participated in your local Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Organization (PTA). These arms-length non-for-profit organizations provide funds and other support to local schools. The new movie, Bad Moms, showcases PTOs in a tremendously poor light (led in a very funny … Continue reading The Insatiable Desire for Fundraising in Education
by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute Unless you were part of a very tight group of people in the Donald Trump campaign, you were likely surprised at the outcome of last Tuesday’s Presidential Election. Trump shocked the nation with his victory, and when I say nation, I mean everyone, from voters, to children, to prognosticators, and especially pollsters. Pollsters got this … Continue reading One Heck of a Week
The Swail Letter on Higher Education 