William Doyle
Associate Professor of Public Policy and Higher Education | Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN, UNITED STATES
An expert on how geography affects higher education attainment and the state of the financial aid system in America.
Multimedia
Publications:
Documents:
Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Biography
Will Doyle is co-author of College Affordability Diagnosis, a state-by-state look at the cost of higher education. His research includes evaluating the impact of higher education policy at the state level and political behavior as it affects higher education. He examines how geography affects higher education attainment and the impact of a college degree on earnings and civic engagement, including philanthropy and voting. Prior to joining Vanderbilt, he was Senior Policy Analyst at the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Areas of Expertise (18)
borrowing trends
Undergraduate Education
Borrowing for College
College Affordability
Higher Education Access
Higher Education Finances
College Debt
University Rankings
Politics of Higher Education
Higher Education Policy
Student Access and Success in Higher Education
Drop Out Rates
College Affordability by State
Higher Education
Community Colleges
loan aversion
Financial Aid and Scholarships in Higher Education
Financial Aid
Accomplishments (3)
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award for contributions to literature on financial aid (professional)
2014
Scholarly Paper Award, Journal of Education Finance. Article: “State spending on higher education: Testing the balance wheel over time”, co-authored with Jennifer Delaney (professional)
2012
AERA Outstanding Reviewer Award: Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (professional)
2007
Education (4)
Stanford University: Ph.D., Higher Education 2004
Stanford University: M.A., Political Science 2004
Villanova University: B.A., Philosophy 2000
Villanova University: B.A., Liberal Arts 1996
Affiliations (3)
- Association for the Study of Higher Education
- Association for Education Finance and Policy
- NYU Steinhardt Institute for Higher Education Policy Fellow
Links (4)
Selected Media Appearances (10)
Have Americans Actually Lost Faith in Higher Education?
Inside Higher Ed online
2024-09-24
Although his reasons were slightly different from Brickman’s, William Doyle, a professor of higher education and public policy at Vanderbilt University, agreed that “there’s every reason to be concerned about the decline in confidence in higher education.” He noted that the decline in enrollment has been greater than what might be expected strictly as a result of the shrinking population of traditional-aged students.
College Uncovered: Half Off Full Price
The Hechinger Report radio
2024-04-18
As they struggle to fill seats, universities on average dole out more than half of the revenue they collect from tuition in the form of discounts and financial aid. If a private company discounted its products by more than half, it would be out of business. It’s an incredibly self-destructive model, but no one seems willing to be the first to stop doing it.
As enrollment falls and public skepticism grows, some colleges are cutting their prices
The Hechinger Report online
2022-11-25
“There was a time when colleges and universities could price with impunity, when there was always sufficient demand that they could raise what they charged and be sure that people were going to find a way to pay,” said Will Doyle, a professor of higher education and chair of the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development. “But that time appears to be over.”
States Contributing More For Public Colleges—But Will It Last?
Forbes online
2022-06-14
States spent 4.5% more money per student on higher education (after adjusting for inflation) in fiscal 2021 than they did the year prior—pouring $113.2 billion into the sector, according to the report. The uptick in spending stands in stark contrast to past recessions, when public funding for colleges is typically the first thing to go while states balance their budgets. “[During a recession] you would normally have tuition and fees go up at the exact time when students and families can least afford to pay for that,” said Will Doyle, a professor of public policy and higher education at Vanderbilt University.
Public’s Impression of Higher Education Improves (Somewhat)
Inside Higher Ed online
2022-03-13
Will Doyle, a professor of public policy and higher education at Vanderbilt University, has tracked public polling on higher education for nearly 25 years. The data reinforced for him “the overall level of stability in the way the public views higher education,” Doyle said.
Study finds tuition cost increases this year did not keep up with inflation
Marketplace radio
2021-10-28
And usually, during a recession, government spending on schools drops. But according to Vanderbilt education professor Will Doyle, that didn’t happen either. “One of the big reasons for public institutions that the tuition didn’t go up as much as is because the states were able to maintain their support,” he said.
Reshaping the Federal Role in Higher Ed
Inside Higher Ed online
2021-09-17
This week’s episode dissects Congressional legislation that would eliminate tuition at community colleges and alter the relationship between the federal and state governments.
Higher Education’s Nightmare Scenario
The Chronicle of Higher Education online
2020-10-12
Public colleges face two crises: the impact of Covid-19 on their operations and a downturn in state funding brought on by the current recession. And based on what state budget offices are saying, the funding problem for higher education is about to get a lot worse. Without action by the federal government, higher education in most states will be facing severe cuts, very likely larger than those incurred during the recession of 2008-9. There has already been a large contraction in our industry’s work force, and state systems are feeling the pain: In Pennsylvania, for instance, a plan to lay off approximately 350 faculty members has reportedly been expedited. All of that may merely be prelude to a looming, historic decline in the sector. There is time to act, but the window is closing. Academic leaders are planning now for unprecedented cuts.
40 years later, landmark Emory gift remains call to public service
Atlanta Journal-Constitution online
2020-02-22
“It’s really dramatically unequal,” said Will Doyle, a Vanderbilt University higher education professor who’s done research on the topic. “The places that have the most money get the most money.”
‘Tennessee Promise’ offers free community college or technical school education
MSNBC tv
2019-05-23
NBC News’ Anne Thompson reports on a lottery-funded program in Tennessee that offers free community college or technical school tuition to students, regardless of income.
Selected Articles (3)
Patterns and volatility in state funding for higher education, 1951-2006
Teachers College RecordJennifer A Delaney, William R Doyle
2018 Numerous studies have addressed the determinants of higher education appropriations. Extending prior studies that only consider the relationship between higher education and one other state budget category, Delaney and Doyle develop and test an empirical model of the relationship between higher education and all other budget categories.
Does postsecondary education result in civic benefits?
The Journal of Higher EducationWilliam R Doyle, Benjamin T Skinner
2017 Public support for higher education depends in part on the idea that additional postsecondary education results in civic benefits including voting, volunteering, and donating to non-profit causes. We expanded on the literature on civic benefits of higher education by utilizing a rich set of location-based instruments to identify the relationship between additional postsecondary education and civic behaviors.
Impact of community college student debt levels on credit accumulation
The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social ScienceDominique J Baker, William R Doyle
2017 Most community college students do not borrow to pay for their education. However, in recent years more students are borrowing and, when they borrow, accumulating large amounts of debt. To help clarify whether increased debt burdens are aiding community college students or harming them, we explore the impact of borrowing on academic credit hour accumulation.
Social Media