The Coalition for College, a membership organization founded in 2015 to promote college access, has a new CEO: Liz Cheron, former assistant vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions at Northeastern University. 

In this interview, Cheron describes the importance of innovation in college admissions, what often works against it, and why she wants to lead a high-profile organization that competes with the Common Application during an era of great uncertainty for enrollment leaders.

Soaring college costs, higher enrollment, changes to the federal lending system, labor market demand for credentials, and paltry wage growth have all contributed to the $1.6 trillion in outstanding federal student debt. This does not include debt originated in the private market.

The federal lending system, which originates the vast majority of student loans, is complex. There are many moving parts and many people whose lives it touches. Here’s how student loan debt shakes out in America.

The U.S. Department of Education recently convened a group of higher education stakeholders to begin negotiated rulemaking, a process that the department uses to review, discuss, and hopefully reach consensus on proposed regulatory changes. 

This round of negotiated rulemaking covers a wide range of higher education programs, institutions, and oversight structures, but the central focus zeroes in on students and their ability to access high-quality postsecondary education.