Photo: Reuters

Faith in the economic value of a college degree has fallen steadily in the United States over the past decade. At the same time, concerns about high tuitions and student debt obscure consensus on nonmaterial benefits of college to individuals and societies.

A study published this week by New America shows that more than 70 percent of Americans think that higher education leads to “greater civic engagement, lower unemployment, and better public health within their communities.”

Illustration: The Chronicle

Faculty members and administrators are reporting their latest obstacle to a clean inbox: emails marketing new AI tools. Ever since ChatGPT’s arrival last November, companies have been racing to capitalize on the AI hype—or, perhaps, to stay competitive as the tech industry continues to bet big on artificial intelligence. 

And a target market, it appears, is higher education.

Photo: Valerie Plesh

The number of people studying for careers in education has been declining for years. At the same time, schools are struggling to hold on to new teachers: Studies indicate that about 44 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first five years.

Then the pandemic came along, hammering teachers and the profession as a whole. In this interview, new teachers reveal the difficulties they face—and whether they see themselves teaching for the long term.