A study conducted by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education projects that by the year 2020, minority students will comprise nearly 45 percent of public high school graduates nationwide, marking a decline in white and black students, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. The report, which contains the commission's national, regional and state-specific projections for both private and public high school graduates until the 2027-2028 school year, predicts that the number of high school graduates will decrease in the coming years, following a 20-year long increase in the number of prospective college students. Despite these regional variations, the commission recommended that every state re-examine its college recruitment methods in order to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student body.
A survey conducted by Moody's Investor Service concluded that economic factors hinder the ability of lesser-known universities to profit, Inside Higher Ed reported. One-third of colleges nationwide project that their net tuition revenue will decline or increase at a rate less than inflation for the 2013 fiscal year, which could lead to budget cuts and downsizing for tuition-dependent schools. Moody's attributed the drop in revenue to decreased family incomes and enrollment pressures as universities lower tuition costs to attract stronger candidates. Tuition-dependent schools with smaller endowments allotted for financial aid packages and greater regional draw have seen smaller enrollments. Over the past four years, traditional sources of university revenue have been reduced and may continue to dwindle amidst federal budget cuts, new health care regulations and changes in federal aid policies.
Statistics gathered by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that approximately 57 percent of Vermont residents and 43 percent of New Hampshire residents using public water systems have access to fluoridated water, as compared to nearly 75 percent of Americans in 2010, the Valley News reported. Health officials claim fluoridation aids residents with lower incomes or without dental coverage to receive dental protection, although anti-fluoride activists insist that overexposure can cause bone weakening, brain damage and cancer. Six towns in the Upper Valley Hanover, Lebanon, Norwich, Randolph, Newbury and Springfield currently add fluoride to their drinking water. Bradford, Vt., terminated its water fluoridation program in October in order to cut costs of roughly $1,300 annually. Health officials claim the lack of water fluoridation can affect the local economy and public health, such as more emergency room visits for dental conditions, decreased workplace productivity and long-term health consequences.
