Traditionally, higher education has been placed on the back burner of American politics, especially at the national level. But with issues such as student debt, college graduate underemployment, campus rape, and “free” college receiving mainstream attention, 2016 presidential hopefuls will need to lay out their visions for reform.

In today’s Pope Center Clarion Call, Harry Painter takes a close look at the major Republican presidential candidates’ views on higher education. Did you know that Jeb Bush, while Governor of Florida, signed an executive order eliminating race-based college admissions? Or that Dr. Ben Carson supports a “skin in the game” policy that would require colleges to pay a portion of graduates’ loan debt, thereby incentivizing schools to increase admissions standards?

Tomorrow night’s Republican debate probably won’t shed much light on the specifics of the candidates’ higher education platforms, but we should expect more detailed coverage in the coming months.