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Sigal Ben-Porath discusses how our understanding of open expression and some of the boundaries of free speech that we find ourselves negotiating in this polarized time affects our ability to find common ground as a society, and what are some of the ways that higher education institutions and society more broadly can overcome polarization and mistrust and create a more engaged democratic community.

Sigal Ben-Porath spoke with host Jonathan Friedman, along with guest Vicka Bell-Robinson, director of residence life at Miami University, about how campuses can facilitate respectful and productive dialogue across political differences during this tense time

Sigal Ben-Porath wrote a piece about how teachers can approach the many issues that will arise around the general election in 2020, after the polls close and votes are counted, which could take days or weeks.

Karen Weaver, an expert on college sports in higher education, argues that perhaps the disruption of 2020 is the perfect time for faculty to reengage with college athletics.

Sigal Ben-Porath participated as part of a panel discussion, along with Greg Lukianoff and Dr. Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill, about the current state of free expression on college campuses.

Peter Eckel, an expert on higher education management governance, warns that due to the pandemic, higher education may face a shortage of leadership.

Peter Eckel said the pandemic has given colleges a chance to reevaluate their summer offerings and other scheduling matters. “The pandemic has raised a lot of questions about long-held traditions about how to deliver higher education,” he said. “The academic calendar is one of them.”

Principles to guide state policymakers through higher education’s trying summer and beyond.

Karen Weaver discussed how enrollment totals may impact sports budgets for colleges and universities.

Higher Education assistant professor Amalia Daché received an NAED/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Karen Weaver discussed the college sports landscape and the big questions universities and athletics programs are tackling during the coronavirus pandemic.

Karen Weaver said she has seen some ideas to address the crisis, but real strategies are still lacking.

Karen Weaver is interviewed about the issues surrounding college athletics returning in the fall in the face of coronavirus pandemic.

Laura Perna said of colleges’ approaches to the fall 2020 semester, “I think we are going to see a lot of variation.”

Karen Weaver talks about the importance of college sports on campuses and the impact on college athletics from the pandemic.

Penn GSE’s graduate assistantship program provides practical experience that complements students’ coursework and prepares them for future careers.

Laura Perna and Jeremy Wright-Kim write that while Pell Grants reduce financial pressures, this does not translate into higher graduation rates.

Robert Zemsky said, in the face of the pandemic, colleges with 1,500 or fewer students are facing the question of how much they can shrink and continue to function.

Peter Eckel said, “Part of the challenge is the complexity of the issues that university boards are facing. There is also a degree of unpredictability regarding short-term challenges, like enrollment and finances, endowments and financial resources, but also safety and security in the future. We don’t know if there’s going to be a new normal, a next normal, or return to normal.”

Penn AHEAD brought together administrators from across the country to discuss how pandemic has affected their schools, and how they are evaluating their future.

Robert Zemsky said, “It’s revenue pressure, and the sense that ‘if we’re the one that doesn’t open, we lose our share of the market permanently.’”

Karen Weaver discussed some issues that colleges athletics programs are facing during the coronavirus pandemic.

In his book The College Stress Test, Robert Zemsky predicted that 10% of private, liberal arts colleges in the U.S. were likely to close within the next five years. Now, with the pandemic’s damaging effects on school finances, his prediction has changed to 200 schools in the next year alone.

Robert Zemsky, in his new book, The College Stress Test, estimates that 10 percent of the nation’s colleges – smaller schools with poor retention rates – were already at risk of closing. Now, he said, “we think another 10 percent is at risk because of the virus.”

Peter Eckel and Turab Rizvi write that higher education institutions are well positioned to lead efforts beyond campus borders by advancing experts and their expertise, sharing excess capacity, and supporting community needs.

Robert Zemsky said that “dislodging events,” such as COVID-19, can force needed changes in education.

Karen Weaver talks through the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic on college athletics departments.

Penn GSE teacher’s teacher education programs listed among the nation’s best.

For 20 percent of institutions, this may be an existential moment, says Robert Zemsky.

The city needs more college graduates. Laura Perna argues a Kenney Administration proposal that includes scholarships and supports would put Philadelphia on track.

Laura Perna and Jeremy Wright-Kim write that more needs to be done to improve graduation rates at the colleges where many Pell recipients enroll.

Laura Perna joins CPRE Executive Director Jonathan Supovitz to discuss her team’s study on Net Price Calculators and some important implications for higher education policymakers and college officials.

Laura Perna writes that more must be done to recognize the extent to which college students are working and take actions that minimize the harm, and maximize the benefits, of student employment.

Laura Perna says "exams increase inequality when you look at who is getting access to aid."

Robert Zemsky discusses market pressures of higher education and his book, The College Stress Test. The conversation around what is happening in higher ed is “caught among extreme visions.” Necessary innovations for systemic change are difficult to pull off, he says.

President Amy Gutmann and Graduate School of Education scholar Robert Zemsky took part in a “fireside chat” at this year’s Higher Education Leadership Conference at Penn, which also awarded Gutmann the Zemsky Medal.

Laura Perna pointed out that for low-income students, the barriers to attending and completing community college go beyond tuition and fees. Those auxiliary costs include housing, food, transportation and childcare, among other things.

Peter Eckel suggests that for transformational change to occur, institutions must challenge underlying assumptions, behaviors, processes, and products.

Perna’s recommendations included improving community college access, clearer pricing, and more support for minority students and non-traditional learners.

Laura Perna is helping students and families understand what questions they should ask when looking at a college’s Net Price Calculator.

Shaun Harper on helping high school athletes choose a college

Laura Perna offers suggestions for preparing students, and their families, for college.