A new Blog on Higher Education

Last week was the debut of a new blog from the new Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP).  Already it has tackled a number of interesting issues. CCAP director Richard Vedder, the Ohio University economist, weighs alternative models for accrediting colleges and universities, and Lynn Munson, a former aide to Lynne Cheney and deputy director at the National Endowment for the Humanities, compares how much money colleges make from their endowments against how much they contribute in student aid.

Munson finds college endowment wealth is skyrocketing while endowment spending is at all-time lows.  Yesterday Muson testified before the Senate Finance Committee. She noted that more endowment spending might help reduce tuition hikes, and she urged colleges to give the public more information about their endowment spending. If a sunshine provision does not induce change, Munson suggests that Congress consider imposing an endowment payout requirement on colleges similar to that imposed on foundations.