Resources for Media

Finney earned her bachelor’s degree at Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, her master’s degree at Bowling Green State University and her Ph.D. at the Pennsylvania State University.

email: [email protected]

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In the News

"Faultlines" Shaping Higher Education Policy and Opportunity in California

Penn GSE (12/17/2020): Cal. higher ed hampered by outdated policies that limit opportunity, Penn GSE report finds

A Generational Challenge: State Postsecondary Education Policies to Support Economic Recovery and Individual Opportunity

Inside Higher Ed (06/26/20): Report: Focus Funding on Colleges Best Able to Help Unemployed


Other Media

Penn GSE News (6/25/2020): A Generational Challenge: State Postsecondary Education Policies to Support Economic Recovery and Individual Opportunity

Inside Higher Education (8/13/18): Needed: A Public/Private Compact for Higher Education.

The Journal Times (1/22/18): Parkside working to meet new metrics in outcomes-based funding model

The Times Higher Education (1/8/18): US proposals ‘could shut poorest students out of universities’

Philadelphia Inquirer (12/8/17): Local Colleges Blast GOP Endowment Tax Proposal

The Times Higher Education (11/20/17):  US tax proposals show support for higher education ‘may be over’

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (7/17/17): Chancellor of Pa. State System announces retirement  

The Philadelphia Inquirer (7/14/17): School report draws criticism, praise  

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (7/12/17):Report urges overhaul of troubled State System universities  

New York Times (6/22/16): College Unaffordable Even in Higher Income Brackets.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (6/11/17): Financial pressures on Pa.’s state university system could force an historic restructuring  

The Chronicle of Higher Education (10/26/16): In Pennsylvania, the Strike Is Over, but the Challenges Remain  

(6/23/16) Advice for presidents, success at MSIs, at New York Times forum

[VIDEO] On the Agenda: (6/21/16) The Next President's Education Policy

(1/11/15) GSE's Joni Finney comments on President Obama's Proposal for free community college education for all

(12/19/14) Podcast on The Academic Minute with Joni Finney commenting on new research findings on college completion

Currents Magazine (Fall, 2014): Talking Points: State of Attainment (30 days only!)

The Penn GSE Alumni Magazine (Fall, 2014): Can American Higher Education Make the Grade?

U.S. News & World Report (11/19/14): UC System to Hike Tuition After 3-Year Freeze

The EvoLLLution (10/9/14): Culture and Past Success Blocking Efficiency-Minded Changes

Philadelphia Magazine (9/4/14)Which Philadelphia Colleges Will Survive?

SF Gate (8/21/14): California must revise Master Plan for Higher Education

The EvoLLLution (8/8/14): Turning the Focus from Enrollment to Retention

Business Officer Magazine (8/1/14): Funding Outcomes

Inside Higher Ed (8/1/14): The 31 Million NonDegreed

InsideSources (7/27/14): Why State Leadership Matters for Improving Access to Higher Education

The Main Public Broadcasting Network (3/26/14): Maine Lawmaker Proposes to Temporarily Halt UMaine System Cuts

Newsworks New Jersey (4/19/12): Two unbiased views: Still don't like the Rutgers-Rowan merger

Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane (WHYY) (2/16/12): College cuts: Pennsylvania's higher ed on the chopping block

Inside Higher Ed (2/2/12): No Money Down!


California Case Study 2014

Huffington Post: The Blog (5/14/14)Higher Education Is Messy in California

Capital Public Radio (4/29/14)California University Leaders Dismiss Report that University System Failing

Central Valley Business Times (4/29/14): California’s public higher education system faulted

Los Angeles Times blog (4/28/14)Report calls for reform in state's higher education master plan


Georgia Brief 2012

WABE Atlanta (NPR) (5/16/2012): Report: State policies put up barriers for low-income and minority college students 

Chattanooga Times Free Press (5/12/2012): Georgia's higher education policies cause ethnic and income disparities, report finds

Market Watch (5/10/2012): Georgia higher education policies hurt Blacks, Hispanics, and Poor, Penn study finds 

The Chronicle (5/10/12): Minority students' higher education performance lags in Georgia


Texas Brief 2012

Star Telegram (5/28/12): Trowbridge: Texas legislators neglect low-income and minority students

Washington Monthly (4/20/12): Texas: The Wrong Solution

KGNB Radio (4/19/12): Increased tuition rates having negative effect on Texas higher education

San Antonio Express-News (4/18/12): Rising tuitions threaten Texans

The Texas Tribune (4/18/12): New report questions Texas' higher-ed priorities

Houston Business Journal BizBlogReport findings clash with Texas' and Houston's higher ed. policy

Houston Business Journal (4/18/12): Report: Texas' higher ed. policy puts economy at risk

Houston Chronicle (4/18/12): Study: Texas faces "hard choices" in higher education

Star-Telegram (4/18/21): Study: Texas not making the grade in higher education

Inside Higher Ed (4/18/12): Report finds mismatched priorities in Texas

Reuters (4/18/12): Texas higher education must confront hard choices, Penn study finds

KETK NBC (4/18/12): Texas faces hard choice in higher education

BlogoWogo (4/18/12): Texas higher education plan nearly flunks study

Topix (4/18/12): Texas higher education must confront hard choices, Penn study finds


Washington Brief 2012

Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal (3/3/14): Penn study criticizes Washington higher ed plans

The Seattle Times (3/26/12): Report: College enrollment growing too slowly

Free Speech Radio News (2/17/12): In Washington, access to higher education still and obstacle for many

Six Presidents: An Unprecedented Conversation on Higher Education Funding in Washington

The Daily Pennsylvanian (1/23/12): GSE Professors find Washington Higher Ed Pitfalls

Yakima Herald (1/21/12): Will State's Leaders Work to Champion Universities?

The Seattle Times (1/16/12): Governor Had Solid Agenda, But...

The Seattle Times (1/13/12): UPenn Report Confirms State Officials Failed Leadership on Higher Education

The Wenatchee World (1/13/12): Higher Education Can't Keep Up

The News Tribune (1/12/12): Washington's Leaders Flunk the Higher Education Test

Yakima Herald (1/11/12): Higher Ed Answers Not Easy to Find   

Puget Sound Business Journal (1/10/12): Study Comes Down Hard on Wash. Politicians for State of Higher Education

The Bellingham Herald (1/10/12): Report: Washington State Higher Education in Crisis

Crosscut (1/10/12): Midday Scan: Legislators Killing Higher Ed

Inside Higher Ed (1/10/12): Report Criticizes Higher Ed Policy Making in Washington State

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News (1/9/12):

The Seattle Times (1/9/12): Report: Washington Falls Short in Higher Education

The Seattle Times (1/9/12): Higher-ed Woes Tied to State 'Leadership Vacuum'

Seattle Post-Intelligencer (1/9/12): Report: Washington Falls Short in Higher Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education (1/9/12): 'Leadership Vacuum' Undermines Higher Education in Washington State, Study Finds

The Bellingham Herald (1/9/12): REPORT: Washington Falling Short in College Education


Illinois Brief 2011

Chicago Tribune (8/27/18): After years of watching top students leave for other states, U. of I. and lawmakers begin to respond

NPR Illinois (5/30/18): Higher Ed Gets A Bipartisan Push

Education Week (4/17/17): Can Requiring a Post-Graduation Plan Motivate Students? Chicago Thinks So.

Chicago Tribune (4/7/17): Governor, start fixing higher ed in Illinois: How to pour more spending into classrooms and labs

Chicago Tribune (2/13/17): How Illinois pols enable failure at Chicago State

NPR (3/28/12): In Illinois, College can be a legislative favor 

Penn Current (1/19/12): Public Higher Ed Troubles in Illinois

Chicago Tribune (12/15/11): Improving Higher Education

Naperville Sun (12/10/11): Illinois Governors Have Harmed Higher Education

Online Degrees Direct (12/6/11): Illinois Higher Education Floundering, Government Corruption Part of the Problem

Chicago Tribune (12/5/11): Study: Quality of Illinois Universities Suffers

The Huffington Post (12/5/11): Illinois Higher Education Floundering, Government Corruption Part of the Problem

Newswire (12/5/11): Illinois Higher Education Floundering

One News Page (12/5/11): Illinois Higher Education Floundering

Chicago Sun-Times (12/4/11)Study Gives Low Marks for Higher Ed's Direction in Illinois 

Yahoo News (12/4/11): Report: Illinois Higher Education System Less Affordable, Successful

Mywebtimes.com (12/1/11): State Affairs: Higher Education Decline Calls for New Options

First Electric Newspaper (11/23/11): Study: Illinois Is No Longer a Model for Higher Education  

Illinois Issues Blog (11/22/11):Study: Illinois Is No Longer a Model for Higher Education

University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100 (11/16/11): Study Documents "Decline in Illinois Higher Education" 

Finney and Perna presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education's Public Policy Pre-Conference Forum, 11/16/11

Inside Higher Ed (11/15/11): Study Documents Decline in Illinois Higher Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education Ticker (11/15/11): Researchers Link Policy Shift in Illinois with Decline in Higher-Education Performance

My Science (11/14/11): Decline of Higher Education Opportunity and Affordability in Illinois

The Performance and State Policies of Higher Education in Illinois: Laura Perna presents at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, 10/13/11 

The Chicago Tribune (10/30/11): Student Debt Looms Large for a Generation