Raleigh, NC — A new policy brief, From Empty Classrooms to Efficient Campuses: A Market-Based Approach to University Facilities, exposes the widespread inefficiencies in how colleges and universities utilize their buildings and offers bold reforms to reduce waste and improve resource allocation.

Authored by economist Richard Vedder, the brief highlights how many university facilities—classrooms, offices, dormitories, and even entire buildings—sit underutilized for significant portions of the year. Despite declining enrollments and financial challenges, institutions continue to expand their physical footprints, exacerbating budgetary pressures and diverting resources from their core academic mission.

“Too many college campuses resemble ghost towns for months at a time, while students and taxpayers foot the bill for unnecessary construction and maintenance,” said Vedder. “Market-driven solutions—such as internal space pricing, facility leasing, and private-sector partnerships—could dramatically improve efficiency, lower costs, and ensure that universities focus on education rather than real estate management.”

The policy brief identifies key inefficiencies, including:

• Severe underutilization of buildings—many campuses are deserted on weekends, during summers, and even on Fridays.
• Perverse incentives that encourage expansion over optimization.
• Regulatory burdens that inflate construction costs at public universities.
• Misplaced priorities—from extravagant student amenities to neglected maintenance.

To address these issues, the report proposes several reforms, including creating internal markets for space utilization, shifting non-academic facilities to private management, and budgeting for maintenance as part of construction costs.

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As enrollment rates continue to decline, driven by the upcoming “demographic cliff”—a steep drop in the college-age population—many small liberal arts colleges and public institutions are facing existential threats. The report emphasizes the importance of universities remaining true to their missions while responding effectively to marketplace demands.

Key recommendations include:

• Conducting academic program reviews that prioritize enrollment, mission, and cost-effectiveness.
• Consolidating administrative functions and merging under-enrolled institutions.
• Eliminating underperforming programs that do not align with institutional missions.
• Offering faculty retirement incentives and reforming tenure policies to address financial challenges.
• Leveraging successful models from institutions such as Belmont Abbey College and the University System of Georgia.

The report highlights the urgent need for university systems to act decisively to ensure their long-term viability in a changing educational landscape.

“This demographic cliff presents an opportunity for colleges to refocus on their core missions and make tough but necessary decisions to remain financially sustainable,” said Jenna A. Robinson, president of the Martin Center. “The institutions that survive will be the ones that embrace reform and make the changes needed to thrive in a competitive and shrinking market.”

The full report is available online here. For more information, please contact Shannon Watkins at swatkins@jamesgmartin.center.

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Raleigh, NC, October 4, 2024 — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal has signed in support of an amicus brief in the case Reges v. Cauce. This is a case that arose at the University of Washington (UW), where Reges is a professor. After UW officials suggested that faculty members include on their syllabi a “land acknowledgement” statement to the effect that the campus sits on land that rightfully belongs to a native tribe, Reges chose to write his own statement, parodying the university’s pointless groveling. UW officials were so upset at his mockery that they decided to punish him.

The trial court sided with UW, so the case is now on appeal to the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The amicus brief argues forcefully that the legal precedents are against allowing public employers to retaliate against employees, especially faculty members, for expressing unpopular ideas. Although UW claims that Reges’ conduct was “disruptive” and therefore not protected, the briefs point out that free speech would be terribly burdened if employers were allowed to punish speech they dislike merely by labeling it “disruptive.”

George Leef, the Martin Center’s director of external relations, said, “The district court’s decision in Reges must be overturned; otherwise, college officials will have free rein to punish faculty members who dissent from leftist orthodoxy. The amicus briefs show the appellate court the correct way to resolve the case – by upholding the free speech rights of Professor Reges.”

About the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization dedicated to excellence in higher education. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Martin Center advocates for responsible governance, viewpoint diversity, academic quality, cost-effective education solutions, and innovative market-based reforms. We study and report on critical issues in higher education and recommend policies that can create meaningful change at the state and local levels.

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Robinson wrote, “This legislation is an essential step in restoring the fundamental purpose of higher education: to foster free inquiry and equip students to think critically and independently.”

The full letter is below.

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Contact:
George Leef
georgeleef@jamesgmartin.center
919-828-1400

Raleigh, NC, September 3, 2024 — Today, the James G. Martin Center announces its support for an amicus curiae brief filed by Advancing American Freedom (AAF) in support of the State of Tennessee in its lawsuit against Miguel Cardona, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuit seeks to prevent the implementation of the Department’s revision of Title IX regulations regarding sexual discrimination.

As written by Congress in 1972, Title IX makes it illegal for educational institutions that receive federal funds to discriminate on the basis of sex. The intention was to ensure equal treatment between men and women. The Department now wants to revise it to cover “gender identity.” Tennessee is suing in federal court to block enforcement of the new rule. AAF argues that the Education Department has no authority to make this change in the law, shifting from the law’s distinction between men and women to the vague and problematic concept of “gender identity,” and that such a change would create severe difficulties for women in sports and also for freedom of speech.

George Leef, the Center’s Director of External Relations, said, “This is yet another instance of federal bureaucrats rewriting laws to suit their ideological proclivities. Only Congress has the constitutional authority to make our laws and Congress has not and probably never will revise Title IX to include gender identity.”

Leef added, “AAF’s brief shows very well the Orwellian, reality-denying nature of the Department’s unlawful regulation.”

About the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization dedicated to excellence in higher education. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Martin Center advocates for responsible governance, viewpoint diversity, academic quality, cost-effective education solutions, and innovative market-based reforms. We study and report on critical issues in higher education and recommend policies that can create meaningful change at the state and local levels.

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In today’s rapidly changing society, where disciplinary specialization dominates, general education stands as a crucial counterbalance, fostering a shared cultural and intellectual foundation. However, as the publication outlines, many current general education programs are falling short. They often lack structure and content, focusing instead on generic skills, which can lead to fragmented and inadequate student learning experiences.

Blueprint for Reform: General Education challenges this status quo by presenting a model curriculum designed to equip students with essential knowledge in history, literature, philosophy, civics, and science. The publication advocates for a return to a liberal arts-focused general education that deeply engages students with the key ideas, events, and cultural traditions that have shaped Western civilization, particularly the United States.

“General education, when done right, is more than just a series of courses; it is the intellectual backbone of higher education,” said Jenna Robinson, President of the Martin Center. “Our blueprint provides clear and actionable recommendations to ensure that general education programs fulfill their vital role in preparing students for the responsibilities of citizenship and the challenges of the modern world.”

The publication includes practical steps for policymakers, university boards, and faculty committees to reform general education programs. These recommendations include:

• Implementing a university-wide policy adopting a liberal arts-focused general education curriculum.
• Limiting the number of courses that count toward general education requirements to ensure a coherent education.
• Eliminating courses based on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) or “critical race theory” (CRT) as general education requirements.

Blueprint for Reform: General Education is now available for download here. For more information or to schedule an interview with one of the authors, please contact Shannon Watkins at 919-828-1400 or swatkins@jamesgmartin.center.

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Contact:
Jenna Robinson
jarobinson@jamesgmartin.center
919-828-1400

Raleigh, NC, June 14, 2024 — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal is proud to endorse the newly developed Franklin Standards, a model for K-12 state science standards. These standards, crafted by the National Association of Scholars (NAS), offer a rigorous, content-rich alternative to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and promise to elevate science education across the United States.

The Franklin Standards build upon the highly-rated state science standards of New York (1996) and Massachusetts (2006), incorporating their best aspects to create a comprehensive and adaptable framework for science education. These standards are designed to provide clear and robust guidance to educators, ensuring that all students, regardless of background, receive a high-quality science education that prepares them for college, careers, and responsible citizenship.

Key elements of the Franklin Standards include:

• Focus on Scientific Inquiry: Emphasizes the scientific method and critical evaluation of theories, teaching science as a dynamic discovery process.
• Content-Rich Curriculum: Ensures a comprehensive and rigorous science education, promoting equal opportunities for all students.
• Political Neutrality: Removes activism and focuses solely on scientific content and methodology.
• Promotes Scientific Character: Encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a humble approach to scientific discovery.

“The Franklin Standards represent a significant step forward in restoring the integrity and quality of science education in America,” said Jenna Robinson, President of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. “We believe these standards will prepare students to pursue science education beyond K-12. For that reason, the Franklin Standards are essential to college readiness”

The Franklin Standards are available for adoption by states, school districts, charter schools, private schools, home schools, and textbook publishers. Educational leaders and policymakers should consider these standards as a superior alternative to existing models, ensuring that all students have access to the highest quality science education.

For more information about the Franklin Standards, please visit the National Association of Scholars’ website at https://www.nas.org/reports/the-franklin-standards.

About the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization dedicated to excellence in higher education. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Martin Center advocates for responsible governance, viewpoint diversity, academic quality, cost-effective education solutions, and innovative market-based reforms. We study and report on critical issues in higher education and recommend policies that can create meaningful change at the state and local levels.

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The letter was written by faculty members at UNC-Chapel Hill but is open for anyone to sign. It reads, in part:

Recent campus protests have tested our university community as it seeks the proper balance between freedom of expression and the right to protest versus the need for the university to function and protect the safety, rights, and freedoms of all UNC community members. UNC leadership took great pains to allow protesters to share their message. However, the protesters’ actions violated the law and University policy, including removal of the American flag from University property.

We strongly support free speech. But free speech has limits, including reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. Additionally, conduct that violates the law is not protected. These rules must be followed so that the University can be a place where everyone can go about teaching, learning, and exercising their own free speech rights, without interruption, interference, or intimidation. Importantly, all policies and laws must be applied uniformly to all actors, without prejudice and without regard to the strength of convictions.

The letter comes in response to an ongoing pro-Hamas encampment and protest on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus that has violated several of the university’s rules regarding free speech and campus facilities use.

“Free speech is essential, especially on college campuses,” said Robinson. “But protestors’ actions at UNC last week crossed several lines. I fully support Interim Chancellor Roberts’s decision to restore order on campus, as well as Provost Clemens’s pledge to ‘support sanctions’ for professors who refuse to submit final grades as a protest action.”

The full letter can be found here.

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Robinson wrote, “The ‘Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act’ is essential because it reaffirms and protects the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, particularly on college campuses where the free exchange of ideas should be most vigorously upheld.”

The full letter is below.

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“Trustees should understand their options when looking for a new accreditor. This report will help them know what to look for,” said Jenna A. Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.

The brief identifies nationally recognized accreditors with a track record of interfering with the governance processes of higher education institutions. The authors, Adam Kissel, senior fellow of the Cardinal Institute, and Jenna A. Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center, provide criteria to university trustees and senior administrators for choosing an accreditor suited to reviewing their institution.

Criteria include examining the diversity, equity, and inclusion practices of an accreditor, analyzing the costs and benefits they provide, and inquiring into the accreditor’s flexibility with educational innovation.

“West Virginia is one of the leaders in letting any college choose any recognized accreditor. With this report, institutional leaders now have criteria to help them choose the best one for their institution’s unique circumstances,” said Adam Kissel, senior fellow for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy.

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