College Matters from The Chronicle

The Chronicle of Higher Education
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Higher education is at the center of the biggest stories in the country today, and College Matters is here to make sense of it all. This podcast is a production of The Chronicle of Higher Education, the nation's leading independent newsroom covering colleges.

  1. The Higher Ed Group Fighting Trump

    1D AGO

    The Higher Ed Group Fighting Trump

    As president of the American Council on Education, Ted Mitchell is at the tip of the spear. A year ago, when the Trump administration moved to slash federal research funding, ACE joined a lawsuit to stop the cuts. This was a major departure for the influential higher-ed advocacy group, which is hardly ever a plaintiff in litigation. In Trump’s second term, ACE has taken a notably pugilistic approach. In addition to fighting in courtrooms, Mitchell has been active in the court of public opinion, casting the Trump administration’s agenda as both unlawful and unwise. But not everyone agrees on the nature of the Trump threat or how to respond to it, which puts Mitchell in a tricky spot. Can he unite this disparate constituency? Related ReadingHow Higher Ed Staved Off a Research-Funding Bloodbath — For Now (The Chronicle) Statement by Higher Education Associations in Opposition to Trump Administration Compact (American Council on Education) 'A Robust Victory: Federal Judge Says Harvard Should have Billions of Research Dollars Restored (The Chronicle) GuestTed Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

    41 min
  2. Tenure’s Endless Numbered Days

    FEB 11

    Tenure’s Endless Numbered Days

    In its long and often tortured history, the faculty-job-protection status known as tenure has been defended as an essential safeguard for academic freedom. Professors, the argument goes, need to know that they won’t get fired for researching and teaching about controversial topics. In theory, tenure provides that necessary security. But critics of the system, who balk at the idea of a “job for life,” are unmoved by this defense. State lawmakers are busy chipping away at tenure’s protections or even seeking to do away with it altogether. But if the traditional argument for tenure’s existence is failing, what are its supporters to do? Is there a case for the system beyond academic freedom? Related Reading The War on Tenure (Deepa Das Acevedo / Cambridge University Press)  Tenure Will Be Eliminated at Most of Oklahoma's Public Colleges, Governor Says⁠ (The Chronicle)  The Strange, Secret History of Tenure (The Review)  A Professor Was Fired for Her Politics. Is That the Future of Academia? (The New York Times Magazine) Guest Deepa Das Acevedo, associate professor of law at Emory University For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

    40 min
  3. Is Trump’s Higher-Ed Attack Legal?

    FEB 4

    Is Trump’s Higher-Ed Attack Legal?

    Outcome-driven investigations. Threats of dizzying fines. Broad claims of rampant, unchecked antisemitism. The Trump administration’s playbook against higher education is familiar by now, and it always presents universities with the same stark choice: Pay up or face a potentially yearslong legal battle with an extremely powerful adversary. Washington insiders and judges say Trump’s tactics are legally dubious at best, breaking with procedural rules and even violating the U.S. Constitution. But will any of that matter in the end? Related Reading The Shakedown: How Trump’s Justice Department pressured lawyers to ‘find’ evidence that UCLA had tolerated antisemitism (The Chronicle/ProPublica)  The Improbable Warrior: Why the unlikely leader of Trump’s antisemitism task force may be the perfect man for the job. (The Chronicle/ProPublica)  Trump Wants $1 Billion From UCLA for Its ‘Hostile Environment.’ What Is That? (The Chronicle)  Guests Peter Elkind, national investigative reporter at ProPublica Katie Mangan, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

    30 min
  4. Minneapolis on the Brink

    JAN 28

    Minneapolis on the Brink

    The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, who was killed on Saturday during an encounter with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, has further escalated tensions in a metropolitan area dotted with college campuses. As the region reels with civil unrest, area universities are grappling with how to maintain safe operations. They’re also facing pressure to exert stronger moral leadership as their institutions’ values are tested in real time.Related Reading Navigating Campus Life Amid ICE Enforcement (The Chronicle) After Another ICE Killing, Minnesota’s Flagship Faces a Test (The Chronicle) Guests Scott Carlson⁠, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education  Fae Hodges, University of Minnesota Twin Cities student Alexander Boni-Saenz, a law professor at the University of Minnesota

    34 min
  5. College Matters Returns

    SEASON 4 TRAILER

    College Matters Returns

    Politics. Culture. Affordability. The biggest issues facing the country are playing out in higher education, and College Matters from The Chronicle is here to make sense of it all. Beginning January 28, tune in for all new weekly episodes of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s podcast. Catch up on previous episodes Interview: Chris Rufo Floats Calling in the ‘Troops’  Why Faculty Hate Teaching Evaluations  Has Harvard Gone Soft? For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters.

    1 min
  6. The Quarter-Century Project

    12/10/2025

    The Quarter-Century Project

    As 2025 comes to a close, higher education is at an inflection point. Political pressure, rising costs, and the dizzying pace of technological change are putting new stress on an already beleaguered system. It’s tempting at a time like this to obsess over the precarious present, but it’s worth pausing for a moment to consider the past. With the benefit of hindsight, what trends and developments of the past 25 years have proved to be the most consequential for higher education? More simply put: How in the heck did we get here? Related Reading Explore the Quarter-Century Project (The Chronicle) A Year of Challenges and Uncertainty, as Told Through Data (The Chronicle)  Behold, the Decade of Monsters and Men (The Chronicle)  U. of Richmond Leader Pushes City to Face Its Slave History (The Chronicle) Guests Edward L. Ayers, professor of the humanities and president emeritus at the U. of Richmond  Sarah Brown, senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education  Andy Thomason, assistant managing editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education

    48 min
  7. The Year in Teaching Was …

    12/03/2025

    The Year in Teaching Was …

    It’s been a pivotal year for higher education, and that’s particularly true for college professors. The ubiquity of artificial intelligence, the enormity of political pressure, and the severity of financial constraints on many college campuses have conspired to create learning environments of profound unease and uncertainty. At the same time, many faculty members look at 2025 as a year when the promise of new technologies became more clear, and the strength of collegial communities became more crucial. Can a year like this be summed up in a single word? We’ll find out.   Related Reading:  Sign up to receive The Chronicle’s Teaching newsletter AI Has Joined the Faculty (The Chronicle)  How to Restore Joy in the Classroom (The Chronicle)   Grading is Broken (The Chronicle)  Guest:  Beth McMurtrie, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education Beckie Supiano, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education  For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

    41 min
  8. Using AI Without (Really) Cheating

    11/19/2025

    Using AI Without (Really) Cheating

    Nearly three years after ChatGPT first came on the scene, college students are using generative AI to help with myriad tasks. Outlining and brainstorming are a breeze. A tough concept, skimmed over by a professor during a lecture, can probably be explained succinctly by a chatbot. This kind of AI use is happening on college campuses across the country, and much of it wouldn’t be considered unethical. But the line between efficiency and academic dishonesty is blurry, and some experts are concerned that an AI-infused education could essentially rewire students’ brains. So, how do colleges weigh the promise of AI against its much-discussed perils?Related Reading: These Students Use AI a Lot — but Not to Cheat (The Chronicle)   The Cheating Vibe Shift (College Matters: Apple / Spotify)  Should College Graduates Be AI Literate? (The Chronicle)  Guest:Beth McMurtrie, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher  Education For more on today’s episode, visit chronicle.com/collegematters. We aim to make transcripts available within a day of an episode’s publication.

    39 min
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Higher education is at the center of the biggest stories in the country today, and College Matters is here to make sense of it all. This podcast is a production of The Chronicle of Higher Education, the nation's leading independent newsroom covering colleges.

Information

  • Creator
    The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • Show Website
    College Matters from The Chronicle

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