The Dispatch
A newsletter about the role of higher ed in society, from Open Campus
Written by
Colleen Murphy, +2
Connect
Jun 19, 2026
•
3 min read
The number of professors with tenure has been on the decline for decades. Legislators and university systems are accelerating that trend, weakening tenure protections.
Jun 5, 2026
Student parents in their mid- to late-30s are about twice as likely to face an eviction filing as their peers who aren’t in school.
May 15, 2026
The new borrowing limits for graduate school could make both problems worse.
May 1, 2026
The department dismissed critiques of its new repayment plan and its limits on graduate student borrowing. The changes take effect July 1.
Apr 17, 2026
2 min read
An inflation-adjusted Pell Grant would be worth several hundred more dollars. That could help keep low-income students enrolled.
Apr 3, 2026
7 min read
The majority of faculty and administrators said in a recent survey that their well-being has declined in the last year.
Mar 13, 2026
8 min read
Focus group participants said they enrolled with limited information, received little support and often graduated with heavy debt.
Feb 27, 2026
So far, 43% of high school seniors have completed the application, unlocking access to federal financial aid.
Feb 13, 2026
The median U.S. household takes home nearly $20,000 more in income than it did 50 years ago. A key reason? College.
