JANUARY 2006

A Lesson in Productivity for Higher Ed

College tuition has increased dramatically over the past decade, yet few think the quality of graduates has kept up.  Decentralizing the administration and privatizing such things as housing and food service would boost productivity, as would ditching tenure and improving teaching.

Do Black Workers Pay Price for Ethnic Names?

One study shows that Kenya and Hakim might have more trouble getting their résumés noticed than Allison and Brad do.  But another study indicates that distinctively African-American names don’t lead to worse economic outcomes in adulthood.

States Fight Predatory Lending

As the laws vary from state to state, so does their impact.  In some states, the high-cost mortgage business appears to have shrunk.  But in other states, the opposite has occurred.