The Issue at a Glance

Higher Education’s Precarious Hold on Consumer Confidence (doi:10.1007/s12129-011-9231-1

Peter Wood, National Association of Scholars

Is there bubble in higher education? NAS president Peter Wood responds point-by-point to those who argue against the overwhelming signs that there is. In the process, Dr. Wood makes a convincing case that higher education badly needs an overhaul in order to operate more effectively and efficiently.

Cost Versus Enrollment Bubbles (doi:10.1007/s12129-011-9232-0)

Richard K. Vedder, The Independent Institute and Ohio University

Andrew Gillen, Center for College Affordability and Productivity

In addressing the same question, Richard K. Vedder and Andrew Gillen systematically explain how we are currently facing two potential and interacting bubbles: costs and enrollments.As bubbles inflate, “it is easy to rationalize continuing trends and mock critics as doomsayers,” but the unconvinced should carefully consider why—based on the best estimate of yearly