Collection
College during 'The Great Recession'
The Great Recession was an economic downturn that ranged from December 2007 to June 2009 and was caused by the global financial crisis and the downturn of the U.S. housing market. In this collection, explore how politics and the economy affected higher education in Minnesota and national. Through this curated archival audio, listen to MPR News reporters as they travel to various higher education institutions to talk to college students about how they feel about the economy, meet with families to discuss their financial hardships, and report on what politicians, including President Barack Obama, had to say about the matter.
(This collection was curated by Shandi Burrows, 2023-2024 Archives Fellow)
26 Collection Items
- Early retirement offered at Minnesota colleges
Minnesota colleges hope to use early retirement as a way to help balance their budgets. Higher education officials say offering retirement incentives to older employees is a better option than laying off younger workers. But some wonder if early retirement has much appeal in these tough economic times. Tim Post reports.
- Recent college graduates are facing the toughest job environment in decades
MPR’s Kerri Miller meets with career counselor Lindsey Pollak and CollegeRecruiter.com founder Steven Rothberg to talk about the struggle recent college graduates are facing with entering into the job market.
- A tough economy makes it hard to save for college
Hard economic times put pressure on many parents hoping to save money to help their kids pay for college. The trends of parents saving or not for their children’s are mixed in Minnesota.
- University and college budget deficiencies
University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Colleges expect big tuition increases.
- What is the value of higher education?
MPR’s Kate Smith is joined by Sandy Baum, Liz Pulliam Weston, and Steven Roy Goodman to discuss if higher education is really worth the cost.
- Internship cutbacks
The ailing economy has taken its toll on summer internships for college students. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Post interview employers who say internships are the first thing to be cut in tough times.
- A time of choices for parents, students, and colleges
MPR’s Tim Post speaks to parents and students about a decision that will need to make soon. He also met with college students and university faculty about how they interact with possible new students.
- College applications rise at public institutions, but fall at private colleges
MPR’s Tim Post reports on application numbers going up at the University of Minnesota and state colleges and universities; however, application numbers are down somewhat at private colleges in the state for fall 2009.
- Tough choices for colleges and students
Many private colleges are admitting more students in 2009 fearing that fewer students will be able to pay tuition to attend their school. MPR’s Kerri Miller finds out what this means to students applying for either a "reach" school or a "safety" school.
- Grant money restrictions
MPR’s Tim Post interviews various students, college administrators, and politicians on how they feel about attendees of private for-profit institutions being restricted from the State Grant Program. such institutions include business schools, truck driving schools, and barber colleges.