DIVERSE ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION — Among the myriad of issues impacting Americans, higher education does not rank high on the list, says one of the nation’s most influential pollsters. The cost of living, COVID-19, immigration, crime and climate issues continue to occupy the attention of most Americans, said Kristen Soltis Anderson, who is the author of The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America (And How Republicans Can Keep Up). Anderson delivered her remarks at the annual meeting of the American Council on Education held in San Diego. While “not necessarily a top issue, higher ed plugs into so many other issues,” said Anderson, who engaged in a lively conversation on Sunday with Sylvia Burwell, the president of American University. DACA, the push for carbon-free institutions, climate issues and inflation are issues that are deeply linked to higher education, she said. While concerns over the rising cost of tuition is nothing new, a common refrain from parents and students alike is that the cost of a college degree is rising faster than inflation.