This post will be a letdown compared to the engrossing conversations of the immediate past, but for those following the battles over proprietary colleges, here’s an update. On February 7, the Chronicle of Higher Education featured for-profit colleges, with four articles ranging from an overview of the market to a profile of a struggling student (accessible by subscription only).

The articles’ positive spin was a little surprising since the Chronicle tends to reflect academic leanings (which are decidedly opposed). But these schools now enroll close to 10 percent of all college students, so it’s an important segment of higher ed. (And they advertise a lot.)

Stephen Burd of Higher Education Watch (the group that constantly complains about college loans) denounced the series. Why? The article didn’t bring up all the sins of for-profits, past and present. “In a package of stories that runs nearly 7,000 words, the federal government’s concerns about many of these institutions certainly merit attention,” he writes.

Although I agree that the series was a little soft, his condemnation is like saying that every time the Chronicle quotes Gordon Gee, it should bring up his lavish pay package.

By the way, the Chronicle editor, Jeffrey Selingo, responds in the comments to Higher Education Watch.