Between rising student debts, a dysfunctional employment market, and a sharp leftward shift in the ideological climate on campus, America’s university system is in peril of alienating the taxpaying public that sustains its basic operations. Using the tools of economic analysis, this lecture will examine what went wrong with American higher education and how we might correct the course.
Phil Magness is an economic historian whose work focuses on the United States and the broader Atlantic world. His research explores the intersection of history and political economy, including the 19th century as well as longer term trends in the macroeconomy such as taxation, trade, and economic inequality. He also works on the political economy and business ethics of higher education.