Monday Musings

There are some encouraging signs for higher education this week, with new data showing modest improvements in college enrollment and persistence. But beneath the headline are persistent equity gaps, alongside growing thoughts on disability support, career readiness and how institutions serve changing student populations.

Colleges are rethinking how they reach students, deliver learning and connect education to opportunity. This week, we look at AI-powered early intervention, the staying power of online education, support beyond the first year and new approaches to workforce pathways.

The demographic cliff may be looming, but some colleges are posting record enrollment by focusing on affordability and workforce relevance. This week, we also look at new approaches to student support, a consequential federal tax proposal, graduate loan limits, and what dual enrollment failures can teach us about student success.

Sometimes the biggest obstacles to student success have little to do with academic ability. This week, we look at how colleges are addressing basic needs, strengthening reading comprehension, expanding direct admissions and making higher education easier for students to navigate.

New workforce data points to a notable shift in who is working on college campuses, with tenure-track faculty numbers rising while staff counts decline. This week's Monday Musings also looks at new student success research, proposed accreditation changes, college application trends, and the growing importance of preparing graduates for an AI-shaped workforce.

College affordability takes center stage this week as families report a 10% increase in the cost of attending college. Also making headlines: colleges rethink orientation, elite institutions return to standardized testing, Michigan experiments with first-semester grading, and a federal loan rule lands in court.