A study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles found that full-time faculty members are spending less time teaching, Inside Higher Ed reported on Wednesday. The annual Undergraduate Teaching Faculty study based on a survey of 23,824 faculty members found that the percentage of full-time professors at universities teaching nine or more hours each week fell from 56.5 to 43.6 percent in the past 10 years. The percentage of professors working only one to four hours a week has more than doubled from 7 to 15.8 percent during this time, according to the study. The survey also found that women are more likely to use "student-centered" teaching approaches than male faculty, with 78 percent of female professors and 68 percent of male professors utilizing class discussion. In addition, the survey found that over 50 percent of academics now identify as liberal or "far left," with faculty members at private research universities leaning the farthest left. While female professors tend to identify as more liberal than their male colleagues, less than one percent of college professors overall identify as "far right," regardless of type of institution or gender. The Institute's 1998 survey found that less than half of professors interviewed identified as liberal, and over 30 percent considered themselves moderates, according to Inside Higher Ed. Institute Director Sylvia Hurtado said it is unclear what has caused this shift, but she believes the increased average age of full-time professors may play a role, Inside Higher Ed reported.
The average annual increase in tuition and fees for in-state students at public college and for students at private four-year institutions has reached the lowest point in a decade, according to a College Board report. This year's annual increases amounted to 4.8 and 4.2 percent, respectively, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. While about two-thirds of full-time students receive grants, even those paying tuition in its entirety benefit from higher education tax breaks. The report found that public universities are awarding 29 percent of financial aid without considering need, sometimes giving preference to better-performing students, The Chronicle reported. In addition, the report noted that students are generally graduating with lower debt levels than most people realize, given that the trillion dollars in student debt is spread across a high number of students.
