Deputy Director, Higher Ed Policy @ThirdWayEDU. Formerly @McBeeIHE @FSU_HE @UGA_SPIA. Views my own.
Washington, D.C.
Joined August 2009
- Tweets1.1K
- Following791
- Followers587
- Likes3.6K
Ben Cecil retweeted
We strongly disagree with the Beacon Coalition’s endorsement of Rogers. We had no knowledge of these plans and are not funding this work. We have been clear since the end of the Democratic primary and said it repeatedly: we believe El-Sayed must win this race because Donald Trump cannot have another rubber stamp in the Senate. Third Way stands united behind our Senate Democratic nominees. A Democratic Senate majority is an essential check on Trump, and we are counting on El-Sayed to hand Mike Rogers his second defeat.
Ben Cecil retweeted
Regional public universities serve 70% of undergraduates, yet these students are often overlooked in conversations about higher ed. @BenCecil and Dr. Cecilia Orphan explore who these students are, the challenges they face, and why their experiences matter in The Well News.
If you judged American college students solely by the headlines, you’d assume they’re overwhelmingly young leftists at elite Ivy League colleges relying on mom and dad to pay a six-figure tuition bill and skipping class for sit-ins.
hubs.li/Q04B41850
The new student loan rules set a basic test: Do graduates earn more than people without the same level of degree? If not, students may be getting exploited to pay a college’s bills rather than earning a degree that pays off.
Well said, @KelseyTuoc!
theargumentmag.com/p/trumps-…
Ben Cecil retweeted
.@mattyglesias is right. The new student loan rules are good. Enough of the taxpayer funded degrees that mire students in debt, line the pockets of crummy schools, and don't deliver future income streams to graduates. tinyurl.com/2sn7hf54
Ben Cecil retweeted
Plot twist—the new college earnings test isn’t designed to shut down programs in fields like teaching or counseling. It sets a low bar: graduates simply need to earn more than the typical high school graduate. Our latest Fast Facts breaks it down. ⬇️ thirdway.org/blog/fast-facts…
Genuinely curious about the rationale for increasing costs for those parking + riding in from the suburbs. At these potential prices, it's cheaper to park at my office, daily, than take Metro each way plus park. What's the incentive to take Metro? It certainly isn't cost.
BREAKING-Metro considering possible fare increase for the first time since 2024. Fares could jump by 11.1% going from today’s range of $2.25-$6.75, to $2.50-$7.50. Late night fares could also be impacted. Earliest the changes could take effect is July #wmata @nbcwashington
Ben Cecil retweeted
Trump new student loan rule is weaker in some ways than the Biden rule it’s replacing, but tougher in others.
Either way, art history majors are safe.
slowboring.com/p/trumps-new-…
Ben Cecil retweeted
For all that higher ed providers have whined about various efforts to regulate student loan eligibility none of the three administration who’ve tried this have asked them to demonstrate any evidence of *causal* benefits whatsoever.
slowboring.com/p/trumps-new-…
The new accountability rules build on what Obama and Biden started years ago. Nearly all bachelor's degree programs will pass.
As @mattyglesias aptly notes: "Normal programs at normal schools are safe. Don’t be a useful idiot for cosmetology scams."
slowboring.com/p/trumps-new-…
Let’s clear up what the new earnings test actually does.
The federal government isn’t deciding that social workers, teachers, or artists don’t make enough—or which careers are worth pursuing.
The reality is much more straightforward. 🧵
Trump is banning students majoring in degrees that don’t make enough money from taking out college loans. Degrees for social work, art, religious studies, teaching aides, and music will be hit the hardest. trib.al/NmmAzhf
4/As a Democrat, I think we should pay attention to what voters are saying:
74% support the earnings threshold, including 64% of Democrats. And 97% of Dems agree that college graduates should be able to earn more than high school grads
Voters want to see colleges deliver!
Correct--the bar here is *incredibly* low, and over half of programs that may fail have a passing alternative at the same school! In a poll we commissioned earlier this year, 97% of Dems agree that college grads should get a job that pays more than a high school grad.
Same poll: 57% of Dems agree that "Too many Americans are held back for years, even decades, because of mounting student debt....This law protects students by making sure they don’t end up in programs that saddle them with debt without providing a realistic path to pay it off."
Ben Cecil retweeted
More data means better-informed college decisions. In an op-ed for @thehill, @BenCecil (Third Way) and @PrestonCooper93 (@AEIeducation) make the case for the College Transparency Act. Students deserve clear data to make informed choices.
Read more: thehill.com/sponsor-content/…
