The Rubber Hits the Road
by Watson Scott Swail, Ed.D., President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute In February, I wrote about what a Betsy DeVos Education Department might look like. Last night, the proverbial rubber hit the proverbial road when the Trump White House released “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again.” Basically, a fancy title for the President’s FY 2018 federal budget. If there is one … Continue reading The Rubber Hits the Road
What Betsy DeVos Means as Secretary of Education
by Watson Scott Swail, Ed.D., President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute A little later today, the education world will find out if billionaire Betsy DeVos will take the reins of the U.S. Department of Education. Much has been said about DeVos, the husband of former Amway CEO Dick DeVos and brother of former Blackwater founder and CEO Erik Prince. I only mention those two relatives … Continue reading What Betsy DeVos Means as Secretary of Education
“Put a Glock to Their Heads”
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”
So How Much Does Student Departure Cost Your Institution?
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?
When Money Trumps Education: A Story of Wealth and Educational Legacy
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
The Swail Letter on Higher Education 