The cost of higher education has long been the subject of public debate, but the recent outcry over soaring tuition rates—often coupled with politicians’ claims that public higher education is straining state budgets—has reached almost a fever pitch. Hypotheses about why college costs so much seem as numerous as the critics themselves. The solution that’s often proposed to these problems is to “stop trying to be all things to all people.”

Not Just a No-Show: Understanding Faculty Absence at Graduation
Each spring, university campuses are spruced up: Lawns are mowed and stages assembled, and rows of chairs fill the arena. Graduation is a time-honored tradition, celebrating students’ hard work and


