Paul Basken

the creation of databases containing records of individual students, contending that such "unit record" information allows detailed examinations of cause-and-effect in teaching and education policy. Opponents led by private colleges have argued that existing practices, in which institutions provide the government with course completion and grade data only for large groups of students, gives educators and policy makers sufficient information without jeopardizing students' privacy rights…

But the refusal of many private colleges to cooperate with efforts to collect student information, on the grounds that they're protecting student privacy, looks disingenuous, Mr. Ewell says, given that nearly all American colleges already share individual student data with the National Student Clearinghouse...

The colleges cooperate with the clearinghouse because its database helps them increase their published graduation rates by locating former students who completed their studies at other institutions, Mr. Ewell says. "Private colleges are all in favor of data. They just don't want anybody but them to know."

Amanda Goodall

It is well known that the top European research universities underperform compared to their American counterparts…

many of America’s great universities are also led by their best researchers…

Why might top scholars improve university performance? Four reasons emerged… [1] have a better understanding of the core business of a university… [2] likely demand higher academic standards… [3] signal a university’s priorities, act as a beacon when hiring other outstanding academics, and are attractive to students and donors…[4] greater respect from academic colleagues and appear more legitimate…

Scott Jaschik

the share of students from the bottom 40 percent of family incomes at the collected colleges increased by only 1 percentage point between 2001-2 and 2008-9, to 11 percent.

Karin Fischer

Despite calls to more closely link higher education with job needs in the United States, American colleges are only "moderately responsive" to changes in the labor markets, according to a new working paper...