Straws in the Wind - Part 183

From NBC: Americans have grown sour on one of the longtime key ingredients of the American dream. Almost two-thirds of registered voters say that a four-year college degree isn’t worth the cost, according to a new NBC News poll, a dramatic decline over the last decade. Just 33% agree a four-year college degree is “worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime,” while 63% agree more with the concept that it’s “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off.”

...The eye-popping shift over the last 12 years comes against the backdrop of several major trends shaping the job market and the education world, from exploding college tuition prices to rapid changes in the modern economy — which seems once again poised for radical transformation alongside advances in AI.

...What has shifted is the price of college. While there have been some small declines in tuition prices over the last decade, when adjusted for inflation, College Board data shows that the average, inflation-adjusted cost of public four-year college tuition for in-state students has doubled since 1995. Tuition at private, four-year colleges is up 75% over the same period. Poll respondents who spoke with NBC News all emphasized those rising costs as a major reason why the value of a four-year degree has been undercut...

[Click on image to clarify.]

Full story at https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna243672.

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From Inside Higher Ed: Chief diversity officers find their work has gotten harder and more stressful over the past two years, according to a new national survey by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. The survey results... are based on responses from 394 chief and academic diversity officers in February 2025.*

...About 68 percent of respondents reported their jobs were less predictable than two years ago; 87 percent found their work more stressful, and 77 percent reported their jobs were more upsetting. The vast majority of diversity officers—91 percent—identified the political climate as the greatest challenge to DEI work on campuses. Students’ and employees’ mental health and crisis management also rose to the top of their concerns. About 31 percent of respondents said their roles have changed in the past two years, with write-in responses about promotions, demotions, title changes and expanding responsibilities related to student success, human resources, Title IX and other campus functions. About 29 percent reported their DEI offices had been reorganized.

Full story at https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/12/03/chief-diversity-officers-report-stress-amid-shifting-roles.

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*https://nadohe.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/resources/NADOHE-2025-State-of-the-CDO.pdf.