A new report says the state’s model for higher education should be reworked to better support public and private institutions serving large minority populations.
Higher Education and Adult Learning
Posted inEducation
New state aid will cut costs for 25,000 UMass students
A THIRD OF ALL UMASS students will qualify for free tuition paid for by the new income surtax on the state’s highest earners, under a plan the Healey administration rolled out Wednesday to spend an expansion of state financial aid.
Posted inOpinion
Tracing the origins of our college affordability crisis
IN TODAY’S AMERICA, the cost of college is nothing short of staggering. But this was not always so; in 1987, tuition and fees at a public institution in Massachusetts totaled $1,352 annually; equivalent to $3,220 in today’s dollars. This was a time when a summer gig paired with part-time work during the academic year could […]
Posted inEducation
In-state tuition, financial aid in sight for undocumented students
AFTER TWO DECADES of advocacy on Beacon Hill, Massachusetts is set to join about two dozen other states in removing a high-profile barrier to undocumented students in higher education. The final $56.2 billion compromise budget for fiscal year 2024 includes a Senate provision that would allow all students, regardless of immigration status, to qualify for […]
Posted inOpinion
Affirmative action is dead; long live affirmative action
“The big, well-funded, elite research institution is a particularly American phenomenon and represents one of the country’s greatest contributions to the world of knowledge. But…I wonder if America’s success at providing for the top of the pyramid, at creating places for future geniuses to be taught by current geniuses, sometimes blinds us to a more […]
Posted inTransportation
Bus stops targeted to improve pedestrian safety
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FOLLOWING A PEDESTRIAN safety assessment that showed almost half of all Massachusetts pedestrian fatalities or serious injuries happened within 300 feet of a bus stop, the Department of Transportation is looking to use federal funds to make safety improvements at bus stops across the state. Pedestrian fatalities, serious injuries and cyclist […]
Posted inCourts, Education, State House News Service
Supreme Court strikes down use of race in admissions
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE NATION’S HIGHEST COURT on Thursday declared that two major colleges violated the Constitution by considering a student’s race as a factor in admissions, a landmark decision that sent shockwaves through the higher education industry and generated condemnation, disappointment, and criticism from many corners. The US Supreme Court’s conservative majority restricted […]
Posted inOpinion
Follow New York’s lead on matching university gifts
A correction has been added to this story. STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY, part of the New York higher education system, just got some joyous news, in fact half a billion dollars of joy. Jim and Marylyn Simmons donated what is possibly the largest gift ever made to a public university. The donors credited their choice to […]
Posted inEducation, Opinion
Congratulations Mass. grads, but watch out for that $400m in debt
GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE is a wonderful accomplishment reflecting your unwavering dedication and commitment both inside and outside the classroom. Throughout your academic journey, you have not only acquired a diverse range of skills and knowledge but also fostered a heightened sense of awareness, encompassing technical expertise, analytical prowess, and much more. Many of you have […]
Posted inEducation
Meehan says UMass system facing headwinds
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DECLINING ENROLLMENT and swelling employee expenses are causing budget woes for the University of Massachusetts and financial help from Beacon Hill may be needed, according to a top university official. Salary and fringe benefits constitute 60 percent of UMass’s expenses in fiscal 2024, an increase of $186 million compared to the […]