Open Campus

We're an independent nonprofit covering higher education as a local story — embedding reporters in communities across America.

Right now

BRIEFINGS Workforce Pell

Practical intelligence for local leaders on the biggest change to financial aid in years.

Sign Up
DATA Certificate Earnings Explorer

See what people earned four years after getting a certificate at 5,600 different programs around the nation.

Explore the data

Journalism

  • Recent Reporting Independent coverage of higher ed across America
  • Community College Project Our new accountability reporting initiative focused on community colleges
  • Partner Newsrooms 20+ local newsrooms we collaborate with to strengthen coverage
  • Newsletters The Dispatch · College Inside · Mile Markers

For Partners and Readers

  • Become a Partner Newsroom Work with us to strengthen local higher ed coverage
  • News About Open Campus Updates on our newsroom, projects, hiring, and partnerships
  • Republish Our Work Guidelines for sharing Open Campus stories with your audience

About

  • About Open Campus Our mission, our model, our approach
  • Funding Our supporters
  • Editorial Independence How we keep coverage decisions separate from revenue
  • Team · Jobs · Contact
Donate
Skip to content
Open Campus

Open Campus

Higher ed is a local story

Donate

Lisa Kurian Philip

WBEZ

Higher education reporter for WBEZ Chicago in partnership with Open Campus.

Contact:
  • twitter
Alana Nii (on left) with fellow first-year University of Chicago students Pavlik Braverman and Sofia Markarian near the entrance to the Hyde Park campus.
Posted inChicago

Selective colleges face pressure to drop admissions policies that help alumni children

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMay 23, 2023May 23, 2023

The Supreme Court is expected to ban race-conscious admissions, raising questions about legacy admissions policies that disadvantage underrepresented students.

Posted inChicago

Obama shares words of advice with a new generation of community organizers

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMay 10, 2023May 11, 2023

Barack Obama credits Lilydale First Baptist Church on the South Side — where he spoke with 30 students — and its pastor for helping him find his way.

Posted inChicago

Graduating senior says Chicago State professors helped her ‘shoot to the moon’

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMay 3, 2023May 3, 2023

“These people were my counselors, my backbone,” Mya Nash said of faculty who went on strike recently. Many students supported their walkout.

Posted inChicago

Can’t make sense of your college financial aid package? Here’s help.

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 24, 2023April 24, 2023

Financial aid letters are notoriously hard to understand. With college decisions due soon, we offer a guide for making sense of your letters.

Posted inChicago

Chicago State University strike suspended after 10 days

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 16, 2023April 18, 2023

Faculty and staff will return to classrooms at the Far South Side campus on Monday after reaching a tentative deal with CSU administrators.

Posted inChicago

Most older college students don’t graduate. Here’s how one Chicago woman is making it.

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 12, 2023April 12, 2023

Stephanie Quintana transferred to Northeastern Illinois University because it is structured to support nontraditional students. Now, graduation is in sight.

Posted inChicago

With enrollment in freefall, faculty at Northeastern Illinois are fighting to preserve their Chicago university

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 10, 2023April 10, 2023

Enrollment is down by half over the last decade. Faculty say the school has failed to recruit and support the nontraditional students it has long served.

Posted inChicago

What’s driving all the faculty strikes at Illinois public universities?

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 7, 2023April 7, 2023

State spending on higher education was cut nearly in half over 20 years after adjusting for inflation, setting the stage for today’s labor strife.

Striking faculty and staff picket at Chicago State University on Monday, April 3. Chicago State is Illinois’ only predominantly Black public university
Posted inChicago

Chicago State University faculty walk off the job over pay and workload

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 3, 2023April 3, 2023

Professors are among the lowest paid in Illinois. The university cites progress in talks, “yet the financial realities at the University remain.“

A file photo of the Chicago State University campus.
Posted inChicago

Chicago State University faculty to go on strike Monday

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 1, 2023April 3, 2023

Professors, lecturers and other personnel at Illinois’ only mostly Black public university will strike over compensation and workload.

Posts pagination

Newer posts 1 … 7 8 9 10 Older posts

A cooperative model for in-depth reporting

Open Campus partners with local newsrooms to deliver expert coverage of higher ed for communities.


Sign up to get our weekly newsletter


Latest local highlights

UTA polling site’s absence raises voting access concerns in central Arlington
Fort Worth

UTA polling site’s absence raises voting access concerns in central Arlington

Scholarship delays hit recently expanded CUNY community college program
New York City

Scholarship delays hit recently expanded CUNY community college program

Most N.C. community college student IDs are not approved for voting in midterms
Community Colleges

Most N.C. community college student IDs are not approved for voting in midterms

Open Campus

Empowering communities with independent information about higher ed.

Get The Dispatch →

Journalism

  • Recent Reporting
  • Local Network
  • Newsletters
  • News About Open Campus

Work With Us

  • Become a Partner Newsroom
  • Community College Project
  • Republish Our Work

Organization

  • About
  • Team
  • Funding
  • Editorial Independence
  • Jobs
  • Contact

© 2026 Open Campus Media. A nonprofit newsroom.

  • Privacy
  • Have a tip?