Featured Post from University of Delaware

Study reveals how race-evasive coverage of student loans fuels policy failures

Jun 12, 2025

2 min

For years, news coverage of the student debt crisis has left out a crucial part of the story: race.


A new study in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis analyzed 15 years of student loan reporting in eight major newspapers to reveal that most media outlets avoided mentioning race until just a few years ago (even though disparities existed for all 15 years of the study). While one might assume this shift came after the racial justice uprisings of 2020, the data shows that the turn toward more explicit racial language actually began around 2018.


Dominique Baker, associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development’s School of Education and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware, was the lead researcher.


CaptionResizeWrap TextRemove

“Even when newspapers did eventually address race, they focused primarily on documenting the size of disparities instead of talking about the structural reasons underlying them, like racism,” Baker said. “Other research has shown that when the news media solely focuses on the disparities and not the structural issues, readers are more likely to punish people of color instead of supporting solutions that could help them."


Why does this information matter? Because how the media talks about policy shapes how the public—and policymakers—see the problem. If coverage ignores the racial disparities in student loan burdens, it makes race-neutral, one-size-fits-all solutions seem more logical—even if they fail to address real inequities.


It’s not just about adding a few words. It’s about changing the lens entirely.


Baker has appeared in dozens of national news outlets for her expertise. She is available for interviews on this paper and other topics surrounding higher education. Email mediarelations@udel.edu to contact her. 

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Delaware

1 min

Can AI save our oyster reefs? A team of scientists put it to the test

With global oyster populations having declined by more than 85% from historical levels, restoring and monitoring these critical ecosystems is more urgent than ever. But traditional monitoring methods aren’t cutting it. A team of researchers that included the University of Delaware's Art Trembanis have taken a new approach, testing an AI model designed to recognize live oysters from underwater images. The findings? The AI model, called ODYSSEE, was faster than human experts and non-expert annotators, processing in just 40 seconds what took humans up to 4.5 hours. But it wasn’t yet as accurate. In fact, the tool misidentified more live oysters than both groups of human annotators. Still, the team found that ODYSEE has real potential to monitor reefs in real time. Why does this matter? As climate change, pollution and overharvesting continue to pressure coastal environments, more precise and non-invasive monitoring tools like ODYSSEE could become essential to restoration efforts and environmental policy. Trembanis can discuss this new tool and its ability to identify live oysters without disturbing the reef. His expertise in oceanography, engineering and robotics expertise was key to the team's work. The results, published in the journal Frontiers, offer both caution and hope in the race to improve ocean monitoring with emerging technologies. To set up an interview with Trembanis, visit his profile and click on the contact button.

2 min

A path to fair minerals trade: Researcher champions global trust model

As the world races to build cleaner energy systems and powerful AI technologies, the demand for critical minerals—like lithium, cobalt, and rare earths—is soaring. But with this demand comes rising global tension over who controls these resources. University of Delaware Professor Saleem Ali, an international expert in environmental policy and chair of UD's Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences, is suggesting a new way forward. In a new article published in Science, along with a United Nations policy brief, Ali and his coauthors propose the creation of a Global Minerals Trust. The article notes how the international plan would help countries work together to manage and share critical minerals fairly and sustainably—avoiding political fights, price shocks and environmental damage. “Without a shared framework, we risk deepening global inequalities, triggering unnecessary resource conflicts and undermining our ability to deliver on climate goals,” says Ali, who also leads the Critical Minerals and Inclusive Energy Transition program at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. The proposed Trust would use independent checks—similar to those used in nuclear safety—to make sure countries are meeting environmental and social standards. Each nation would keep control of its own resources but agree to prioritize sales of those minerals at market prices so that they can be used for clean energy infrastructure. The article builds on a TED Talk that Ali gave last year as part of the Rockefeller Foundation's "Big Bets" initiative. Ali is available for interviews on the topic and can be reached by clicking on his profile.

1 min

Will AI undermine or support writing and critical thinking?

As artificial intelligence reshapes the way we write and think, a central question emerges: Is AI helping or hindering our ability to engage in independent, critical thought? Joshua Wilson, professor of education at the University of Delaware, investigates this topic in a new paper that examines the risks of AI dependency and discusses the need for AI literacy in education. Wilson explores how AI impacts cognitive development through writing — highlighting both the promise and peril of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT. His expertise centers on how these tools interact with foundational models of writing and learning and what that means for education, workforce readiness and civic engagement. In his new paper, Wilson warns that while AI can support higher-order thinking by automating basic writing mechanics, it also risks eroding critical thinking if students and professionals come to rely on it uncritically. He is a leading advocate for AI literacy in education – training individuals not just to use AI, but to think with it. Wilson is available for interviews with reporters, particularly those covering the intersection of AI, education and society and investigating the risks of cognitive offloading in an AI-saturated world. To reach Wilson directly, visit his profile and click on the contact button.

View all posts
Powered by