Conversation on Higher Ed

Mary L. Churchill is a professor of the practice and associate dean of strategic partnerships and community engagement at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. She is the coauthor of When Colleges Close: Leading in a Time of Crisis and the founding editor of Inside Higher Ed's University of Venus blog.

The Conversation on Higher Ed edited by Mary L. Churchill provides a much-needed insight into reshaping the landscape of the academic life when the US institutions of higher learning have reached a "major inflection point"... The biggest assets of the present volume lie in its well-articulated verbiage, in its focus on things that really matter on campus these days, like freedom of speech, the need for knowledge in the work market, better curriculum perspectives, the implications of Artificial Intelligence, creating better learning conditions, as well as taking a positive look at the current state of affairs.—Journal of Practical Studies in Education

• Series Editor's ForewordPrefacePart I: Succeeding at College1. 4 Tips for Choosing a Good College—and Getting Accepted, by Timothy Poynton2. The SAT and ACT Are Less Important Than You Might Think, by Mary L. Churchill3. How Direct Admission Is Changing the Process of Applying for College, by Mary L. Churchill4. 5 Things to Consider before Taking Out a Student Loan, by Monica Chan, David J. Nguyen, and Katie N. Smith5. A College President's Advice to College Students of the Future Is Don't Borrow, by Walter V. Wendler6. Building Relationships Is Key for First-Year College Students: Here Are 5 Easy Ways to Meet New Friends and Mentors, by Peter Felten, Leo M. Lambert, Isis Artze-Vega, and Oscar R. Miranda Tapia7. Advanced Degrees Bring Higher Starting Salaries—but Also Higher Debt, by Eric Grodsky and Jaymes Pyne8. College Students Who Work More Hours Are Less Likely to Graduate, by Celeste K. Carruthers, Walter G. Ecton, and Carolyn HeinrichPart II: Why College Still Matters9. 3 Things That Influence College Graduates from Rural Areas to Return to Their Communities, by Stephanie Sowl10. The Problem with the Push for More College Degrees, by Johann N. Neem11. Beyond Social Mobility, College Students Value Giving Back to Society, by Alicia Bencomo Garcia, Marcela G. Cuellar, and Kem Saichaie12. Gates-Funded Commission Aims to Put a Value on a College Education, by Nicholas Tampio13. Fewer US College Students Are Studying a Foreign Language—and That Spells Trouble for National Security, by Deborah CohnPart III: Education as a Private Good14. Why Some Public Universities Get to Keep Their Donors Secret, by Alexa Capeloto15. Free-College Proposals Should Include Private Colleges, by Michael Simkovic16. 5 Ways to Check a College's Financial Health, by Leo M. Lambert and Gerald Whittington17. Cost and Lack of Majors Are among the Top Reasons Why Students Leave For-profit Colleges, by Molly Ott and Thomas ZimmermanPart IV: Inequality and Failure of Social Systems18. College Students with Loans More Likely to Report Bad Health and Skip Medicine and Care, by Arielle Kuperberg and Joan Maya Mazelis19. 3 Things the Pandemic Taught Us about Inequality in College—and Why They Matter Today, by Elena Van Stee20. College Students with Young Kids—Especially Mothers—Find Themselves in a Time Crunch, by Claire Wladis21. More Solutions Needed for Campus Hunger, by Suzanna M. Martinez22. As Second Chance Pell Grant Program Grows, More Incarcerated People Can Get Degrees, by Mneesha GellmanPart V: The Importance of Diversity23. How Colleges Seek to Increase Racial Diversity without Relying on Race in College Admissions, by Lauren Foley24. More Student or Faculty Diversity on Campus Leads to Lower Racial Gaps in Graduation Rates, by Nicholas A. Bowman25. 5 Ways That College Campuses Benefit from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs, by Erica Jacqueline Licht26. 3 Ways to Make "Belonging" More Than a Buzzword, by Michelle Samura27. Women of Color Faculty Do Extra Diversity Work for No Extra Reward—Here's How to Fix That, by Dawn Culpepper, Audrey Jaeger, Alexandra Kuvaeva, Joya Misra, and KerryAnn O'Meara28. The Importance of Having Female College Presidents in the Ivy League, by Felecia CommodorePart VI: Academic Life Is Getting More Difficult29. 5 Ways College Instructors Can Help Students Take Care of Their Mental Health, by Max Coleman30. Should Artificial Intelligence Be Permitted in College Classrooms? 4 Scholars Weigh In, by Nicholas Tampio, Patricia A. Young, Shital Thekdi, and Asim Ali31. The Future of College Will Involve Fewer Professors, by Patricia A. Young32. The US Doesn't Have Enough Faculty to Train the Next Generation of Nurses, by Rayna M. Letourneau33. Academic Tenure: What It Is and Why It Matters, by George JusticePart VII: Student Activism and Free Speech on Campus34. What Liberals and Conservatives Get Wrong about Free Expression on College Campuses, by Mark McNeilly and Timothy Ryan35. Saying That Students Embrace Censorship on College Campuses Is Incorrect—Here's How to Discuss the Issue More Constructively, by Bradford Vivian36. Not Every Campus Is a Political Battlefield, by Leonard Saxe and Graham Wright37. Why Colleges Should Think Twice before Punishing Student Protesters, by Jerusha Osberg ConnerContributorsIndex