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

Chicago

Partner Newsroom

WBEZ is Chicago’s National Public Radio Station.

Local Reporter

Lisa Kurian Philip covers higher education. Email her at lphilip@wbez.org.

Posted inChicago

Students at Illinois for-profit colleges often leave worse off than they started

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZ, Amy Qin, and Esther Yoon-Ji KangJune 27, 2024June 27, 2024

Students are frequently saddled with debt and jobs with low wages, a WBEZ investigation finds. Recruitment targets Black, brown and low-income students.

Posted inHigher Ed in Prisons

Problems calculating sentence credits prompt hunger strikes at Illinois prison

By Charlotte WestJune 26, 2024June 26, 2024

The hunger strikers at Robinson prison in Illinois succeeded in getting officials to review their cases, two months after we reported on the sentence credit issue.

Posted inChicago

UChicago decision to withhold protesters’ degrees leaves students stuck in limbo

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZJune 12, 2024June 21, 2024

Some faculty say the punishment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators goes against the school’s commitment to free speech. Others say the encampment was uniquely disruptive.

Posted inChicago

Northwestern president grilled by Republicans about deal with pro-Palestinian protesters

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMay 23, 2024May 23, 2024

President Michael Schill is one of three university leaders to face harsh questions and criticism from House Republicans today.

Posted inChicago

Northwestern ended its encampment without cops or violence. Why is Congress upset?

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMay 15, 2024March 10, 2025

Northwestern University President Michael Schill is expected to be grilled by lawmakers next week for his decision to negotiate with students.

Posted inChicago

How the FAFSA debacle is playing out in one college counselor’s office

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMay 3, 2024May 6, 2024

A breakdown in the financial aid process means students are making one of the biggest purchases of their lives without knowing how much it will cost.

Posted inChicago

Some Chicagoans have mixed feelings about new student debt relief proposed by Biden

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZApril 15, 2024April 15, 2024

“I just feel like I’m going to die paying off my student loans,” said one high school counselor in Southeast Chicago this week after the president introduced a plan to aid nearly 25 million more student loan borrowers.

Posted inChicago

She called the number on her syllabus offering counseling. No one picked up.

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMarch 21, 2024March 21, 2024

Like a lot of students, Isabelle Dizon was looking for mental health support. Her college promised to help but never came through.

Posted inChicago

Ambitious plan unveiled to boost college spending in Illinois — and more fairly distribute money

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZMarch 7, 2024March 13, 2024

The plan would increase spending at Illinois four-year campuses by $1.4 billion over the next 10 or 15 years and drive money to schools with higher need students.

Posted inChicago

An unresolved glitch keeps students with immigrant parents out of the new FAFSA

By Lisa Kurian Philip, WBEZFebruary 16, 2024February 16, 2024

College hopefuls with undocumented parents worry the issue threatens their ability to afford school.

Posts pagination

Newer posts 1 … 6 7 8 9 10 … 12 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?