Despite recent pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion among several states, a number of colleges have recently hired presidents based on their commitment to that principle. Several are also coming in as either the first woman or the first of their race or ethnicity to lead their school.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Freedom (FIRE) selected these institutions based on some of their head-scratching decisions such as circumventing a teacher's academic freedom, removing funding from a LGBTQ+ events, instating policies that would streamline firing tenured professors, and others.

Beyond simply wanting the flexibility to earn college credits from home, students feel that online programs meet their personal needs better than traditional face-to-face instruction, especially at the height of the pandemic.

Transit costs and lack of available bus or train service is one component of the high cost of college that is pushing many low-income students out of the state’s higher education systems.