In addition to occasionally writing articles for a broad audience, I am frequently quoted by local and national news outlets discussing my own research as well as key state and national higher education issues. Below are recent examples of me in the news.
My Commentary and Analysis
“How to Chair a Large Department.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, October 31, 2025.
“America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges.” Washington Monthly, August 24, 2025.
“How Dire is Higher Ed’s Budget Crunch?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 28, 2025.
“Is Your College About to Close?” The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 30, 2024.
“Are Gaza Protests Mostly Happening at Elite Colleges?” Washington Monthly, May 24, 2024.
“Improving Outcomes Data for Online Programs.” Inside Higher Ed, March 29, 2022.
About My Research
“Has the Graduate-School Collapse Begun?” Megan Zahneis, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 3, 2025.
“What You Don’t Know Can Close You.” Rick Seltzer, The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 25, 2025.
“Months After Deep Cuts, Education Researchers See Cause for Cautious Optimism.” Greg Toppo, The 74 Million, October 6, 2025.
“Gutted NCES Releases First Batch of Higher Ed Data.” Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed, September 25, 2025.
“Ursuline President Says More Colleges Could Close or Merge in the Coming Years, They Need to Act Now.” Clay LePard, WEWS-TV (Cleveland), January 16, 2025.
“Will Your Master’s Program Keep Enrollments Up? Don’t Bet on It.” Karin Fischer, The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 10, 2024.
“The Sins of the Educated Class.” David Brooks, The New York Times, June 6, 2024.
“Funding Models Don’t Drive Performance, Study Finds.” Jessica Blake, Inside Higher Ed, March 15, 2024.
“Hybrid State Funding Model May Increase Community College Enrollment.” Danielle McLean, Higher Ed Dive, February 14, 2024.
“Generous Student Loan Programs Make School More Expensive.” Megan McArdle, The Washington Post, June 20, 2023.
“How Gainful Employment Changed Higher Ed.” Katherine Knott, Inside Higher Ed, April 14, 2023.
Quoted in the Media
“Webster U.’s Risky Bet.” Layla Halilbasic and Ellie Davis, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 17, 2025.
“Amid Uncertainty, Some Colleges Brace for More Cuts.” Kirk Carapezza, WGBH, December 8, 2025.
“Next Generation of Nurses at Risk With Proposed Student Loan Caps.” Chris Quintana, USA Today, November 21, 2025.
“Trump’s College Compact Identified Problems in Higher Ed. But Experts Fault Its Approach.” Susan Snyder, The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 5, 2025.
“Simmons University Sees Credit Rating Slashed to Junk by Moody’s.” Faith DiBiagio, Bloomberg, October 28, 2025.
“How a Small North Carolina College Became a Magnet for Wealthy Students.” Roshan Fernandez, The Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2025.
“Education Dept. Subjects Harvard to More Financial Oversight.” Emma Whitford, Inside Higher Ed, September 19, 2025.
“U.S. Colleges Are About to See a Big Decline in Applications.” Jeffrey Selingo, New York Magazine, September 11, 2025.
“Higher Ed’s ‘Hunker-Down Mindset.’” Colleen Murphy, Open Campus, September 5, 2025.
“Trump Wants Admissions Data on Grades and Race, but Who Will Collect It?” Sarah Mervosh, The New York Times, August 9, 2025.
“Emory Braces for a Big Tax Increase on Endowment After Trump Bill.” Jason Arnesto. The Atlanta Journal Constitution, August 1, 2025.
“Harvard is Staring at a Billion-Dollar Budget Shortfall From Clash With Trump.” Heather Gillers and Juliet Chung, The Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2025.
“Financial Reckoning Hits Universities: Pay Cuts, Layoffs and No Coffee.” Sara Randazzo, The Wall Street Journal, May 16, 2025.
“Trump Administration Suspends Dozens of Grants to Princeton.” Susan Svrluga, The Washington Post, April 1, 2025.
“Does Less Than 25% of Education Department Spending Go to Students? No.” Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact, March 20, 2025.
Audio/Video
I went on PBS’s “Balancing Act with John Katko” show in December 2025 to discuss college costs and prices.
I joined NPR’s “1A” show twice in 2025 (in October and April) to discuss the state of higher education.
I was on CBS Evening News in June 2024 to discuss the sudden closure of the University of the Arts.
I went on WGBH’s “College Uncovered” podcast in May 2024 to discuss student fees.
I joined NPR’s “Morning Edition” in May 2024 to discuss the implications of campus protests.
Robert Kelchen 