College Towns

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The Dashboard That Cried Wolf
Trump's new higher ed foreign gift dashboard is an overpromised, contextless mess.
 • Ryan M Allen
Waymo Hits a Kid Walking to School: Crash Analysis
I visit the site where a self-driving car made international headlines for not being a tragedy.
 • Ryan M Allen
The Education and Urbanism of Breaking Away
From limestone quarries to the National Championship: How this 1979 film captures the evolution of Indiana University, Bloomington, and the classic…
 • Ryan M Allen
Why Parents Tolerate Terrible School Car Pickup Lines
A tragedy strikes the my own community. We failed this boy and his family by placating drivers over everything else.
 • Ryan M Allen
Happy 1st Birthday to College Towns
I reflect on a year of weekly writing, running an academic Substack, and the future of the site.
 • Ryan M Allen
No, International Students Are Not Stealing Spots from American Undergraduates
Trump's Compact and other statements have exaggerated concerns over international students at American universities.
 • Ryan M Allen
Why Finland, Norway, & Sweden Are the Least Happiest Countries in this Ranking
Arbitrary indicators, dubious choices, random weights, overstated studies, biased presentation—this essay shows how rankings are not science.
 • Ryan M Allen
Impact of $100K H-1B Fee on International Students and US Higher Ed
There is a lot of confusion about the new $100,000 Trump imposed on H-1B. I discuss the impact through the lens of international students and higher ed.
 • Ryan M Allen
Too Much Money in College Football? It’s Always Been America's Favorite Big Business
There are a lot of complaints about the money and changes happening in college football, but these same complaints could be heard throughout every era.
 • Ryan M Allen
US Higher Ed is in the Age of Conquest
Everyone is focused on the recent shrinkage, cuts, and closures but the backdrop of American higher ed has long been competition and expansion.
 • Ryan M Allen
The Education of the 'King of the Hill' Reboot
Hank, Bobby, and the gang are back and have a lot to say about the trajectory of our society. Part II covers education.
 • Ryan M Allen
The Urbanism of the 'King of the Hill' Reboot
The cartoon show about a family in a small Texas town has a lot to say about the urbanism of our society, especially after a 15 year hiatus. Part I.
 • Ryan M Allen
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