In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, Independent Institute Executive Director Dr. Graham H. Walker interviews Dr. Richard K. Vedder, Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute and author of the Independent book, "Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in America." Dr. Vedder discusses government's extensive involvement in colleges and universities and offers his solutions to the rising costs, mediocre academic performance, and declining payoff of American higher education. Will many colleges and universities fail and how can reducing government's pervasive involvement end the many serious problems in higher education?

Richard K. Vedder is Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute and Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Economics at Ohio University; and he is the Founding Director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity in Washington, D.C. He is also author of numerous other books including the Independent Institute books, "Out of Work: Unemployment and Government in Twentieth-Century America" (with Lowell Gallaway), and "Can Teachers Own Their Own Schools? New Strategies for Educational Excellence."