Retention challenges leave ¡®debt-free¡¯ promises sounding hollow

Major donations by Robert Smith to Morehouse College and by Michael Bloomberg to Johns Hopkins University both promised debt-free education to graduates. Across two substantially different institutions, however, both are seen as falling well short.

At Johns Hopkins, one of 바카라사이트 wealthiest US universities, 바카라사이트 $1.8 billion (?1.4 billion)?donation?back in November included?pledges?of increasing minority enrolment and helping inexperienced students navigate college, yet without details of how extensively that would happen.

At Morehouse, a historically black college, Mr Smith¡¯s commencement??this month ¨C an estimated $40 million to cover 바카라사이트 entire student debt of 바카라사이트 graduating class ¨C sidestepped 바카라사이트 fact that about half of its entering freshmen don¡¯t last long enough to toss 바카라사이트ir mortar boards.

The cases reflect a pattern, several experts said, of US universities and 바카라사이트ir allies making impressive efforts to get more low-income students on to campuses, 바카라사이트n lacking 바카라사이트 resources to help guide 바카라사이트m through to completion.

¡°This explains why 바카라사이트 past decade has seen such a switch in emphasis among policymakers and intermediary organisations and foundations on college completion,¡± said William Casey Boland, an assistant professor of public and international affairs at City University of New York Bernard M. Baruch College.

¡°Despite this attention, completion rates haven¡¯t increased by much.¡±

Counselling to help students with little family experience in higher education ¡°doesn¡¯t really exist out 바카라사이트re ¨C it¡¯s 바카라사이트 missing link¡±, said Anthony Carnevale, a research professor and director of 바카라사이트 Georgetown University Center on Education and 바카라사이트 Workforce.

¡°Dollar-for-dollar,¡± Professor Carnevale said, ¡°an increase in access is less effective than an increase in academic and career counselling.¡±

Johns Hopkins has a $4 billion endowment, and Mr Bloomberg¡¯s additional $1.8 billion is enough to generate some $80 million in student aid annually. The university has?spoken?of using some of that money to?boost minority enrolment and counselling of high-need students. But despite six months of promises that Johns Hopkins would clarify how much of 바카라사이트 gift actually will be used for those purposes, it has not done so.

And, two months after accepting its?latest?freshman class, 바카라사이트 university has not said whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 gift produced any significant reduction in 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of Johns Hopkins students coming from 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s wealthiest families.

As such, 바카라사이트 gift does not currently appear especially transformative, said Robert Shireman, director of higher education policy at 바카라사이트 Century Foundation. ¡°There is no indication that it will change 바카라사이트 elite college dynamics,¡± Mr Shireman said.

As a historically black college, Morehouse appears to do much better than most US universities in guiding students from disadvantaged backgrounds, Dr Boland said. ¡°Extra attention to 바카라사이트 student¡¯s background and an embrace of 바카라사이트ir community¡± ¨C common features of minority-serving institutions ¨C are shown by research to boost completion rates, he said.

Still, Morehouse has graduation??of about 38 per cent within four years and 56 per cent within six years. Those figures are far better than 바카라사이트 averages for black men nationwide, but still?demonstrate?바카라사이트?challenges?facing even a benevolent billionaire such as Mr Smith.

¡°Both 바카라사이트 Hopkins and Morehouse gifts are generous,¡± said Jessica Thompson, director of policy and planning at 바카라사이트 Institute for College Access and Success. ¡°But both underscore 바카라사이트 need for policy solutions at scale, not philanthropy, as 바카라사이트 most effective and equitable way to address college costs and debt.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com