By Lennard J. Davis. Today, many colleges pride themselves on being accommodating to all students — but in fact, far from aiding the cause of Americans with disabilities, colleges have been instrumental in blocking those rights. More...

By Steven M. Cahn. In a recent article, the dean of the faculty at Skidmore College is quoted as saying that the college should have a faculty that mirrors the community, and that when professors say they want to appoint the most qualified candidate, the dean is thereby provided with a teachable moment (“A Liberal-Arts College Intervenes to Diversify Its Faculty,” The Chronicle, July 24). More...

By George L. Hanbury II. Student-loan debt is of great concern to me as a president, as I am sure it is to all presidents. At Nova Southeastern University we do everything to keep tuition as low as possible and offer the quality education expected of a private selective research university of nearly 26,000 students, 80 percent, or approximately 21,000 of which are graduate and professional students. More...

By James L. Doti. The outcry over the growing burden of Stafford student loans is loud and getting louder. A recent Wall Street Journal article characterized it as "a hot issue in the 2016 presidential race as contenders float proposals that rethink what college should cost and who should foot the bill." More...

By Nathan Bennett. This is a challenging time for higher education. Securing funds for operations continues to be daunting. Public universities are continually reminded that there is little appetite among state legislatures for increased budgets. More...

By Jonathan A. Kaplan. As president of Walden University, I read with interest an opinion article in The Chronicle about a new analysis from the Center for American Progress that found that, in 2013-14, graduate students enrolled at 20 universities received more than $6.5 billion of federal student loans. More...

By Tom Stern. I teach an undergraduate class on Nietzsche, a philosopher who has a reputation for captivating young minds. After one class, a student came to see me. There was something bothering her. "Is it OK to be changed by reading a philosopher?" she asked. "I mean, do you get inspired by Nietzsche? Do you use him in your life?" More...

By Meg Bernhard. While scholars around the world have occasionally faced political persecution because of their academic work, in recent years a "staggering" number of them have been physically threatened, imprisoned, or otherwise intimidated. More...

By Ian Wilhelm. The nuclear accord announced on Tuesday among Iran, the United States, and five other countries faces political hurdles before becoming a done deal. But the possibility of a warmer relationship between America and Iran after more than 30 years of animosity will very likely benefit fledgling efforts to develop links in higher education. More...

By Paul Basken. After decades of legal victories by smokers over tobacco companies, some recent lawsuits are being undermined by a new round of medical experts — some with university ties — who have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars to dispute plaintiffs’ claims, according to a study published on Friday. More...