confronting cost

Corinthian Colleges once owned more than 90 schools across the United States, enrolling students in programs like medical billing and criminal justice. Now, the for-profit company has been shut down, fined by the federal government for the tactics it used to recruit students. In reporting that story, On Campus met with graduates of a Corinthian-owned school working with the state of Massachusetts to try to get their federal student loan debt erased.

The federal government is poised to forgive college loans for thousands of students who attended Corinthian Colleges, the now defunct for-profit giant under investigation for misleading students about graduation and employment rates. Many of these students not only have loans, but are also unable to find jobs.

Over the weekend, Virginia's attorney general announced that an agreement had been reached to keep Sweet Briar College open. The reversal comes three months after the College’s Board of Trustees voted to shut it down, citing "insurmountable financial problems.”

It was almost impossible to escape the call for Massachusetts to “be great” during the campaign of now-Governor Charlie Baker last fall. The campaign slogan followed Baker right to a Yankee Candle facility in Whatley this May, where the company presented him with a specially branded “Let’s Be Great Massachusetts” jar.

But for Massachusetts to truly be great, the Commonwealth has to stop underfunding its public higher education system, starting with UMass.

Students at any one of the University of Massachusetts’ five campuses may have to pay more in tuition next year. The UMass Board of Trustees is recommending an increase of up to 5 percent for in-state undergrads. It would be the first tuition and fee increase in two years.

The world's wealthiest university is getting a lot wealthier. Harvard University has received its largest gift ever: a $400 million dollar donation from hedge fund manager John Paulson to expand its campus across the Charles River. 

After coming under intense federal and state scrutiny, the for-profit giant Corinthian Colleges says it will shut down its more than two dozen remaining campuses. Massachusetts and other states have accused the career college of recruiting students with inaccurate job placement rates.

The U.S. Education Department has fined the for-profit giant Corinthian Colleges $30 million for recruiting students with inaccurate job placement rates.

Having universities divest from fossil fuels is a feel-good measure that would do nothing to address the problem of global climate change. Instead, we should be focusing on efforts to push for strong government action.

Many universities hold large endowments that have significant positions in fossil fuel companies or funds that hold fossil fuel assets. But universities also support most of the research that has identified the existence, nature and consequences of climate change, and the principal purpose of the university is to educate, particularly the young adults who will live and work in the climate of the future.