Good afternoon.
Higher education has had a public perception problem for years. Annual surveys show that despite a recent rebound, the sector suffers from a general lack of trust.
But a new survey shows students, at least, have more trust in higher education leaders.
New survey data from Lumina Foundation and Gallup finds 55% of students believe their school’s leadership usually makes decisions that are in students’ best interests. The rest expressed reservations, saying they thought leaders acted in their best interest sometimes, rarely, or never. (Lumina is a funder of Chalkbeat. See our funders here, and read our ethics policy here.)
The survey findings also show higher education leaders enjoy a high overall approval rating when it comes to policy. Four out of five students say they trust campus-led solutions to their challenges more than state or federal policies.
But the report says there’s more work to be done. More students still view the value of their degree much more favorably than the decisions university leaders make.
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A new school year needs strong local reporting. Help Chalkbeat’s reporters keep asking the questions that matter.
Stories From Chalkbeat
Colorado will select training programs for new Pell initiative. But data shows a ‘mixed bag’ in outcomes. — An analysis by research firm The HEA Group and Open Campus Media found that earnings outcomes vary dramatically across Colorado’s job certificate programs.
Colorado public colleges and universities try to keep student services safe from budget ‘belt tightening’ — Institutions in Colorado and nationally are confronting various financial challenges.
144,000 Coloradans are in student loan default as repayment struggles increase nationwide — Nationwide, there’s been a surge of borrowers who have missed nine months of payments.
As more Colorado students take college-level classes, a report says it’s time to make improvements — States should rethink policies to support high school students who are dual-enrolled, authors of the report say.
What We’re Reading
The number of high school grads in Colorado is shrinking. Can colleges weather enrollment drops? The Colorado Sun
Once globally preeminent, U.S. universities are sliding into decline The Hechinger Report
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