Dani Rodrik gives
the NYT a slap on the wrist today for its article
saying that foreign students "added to the economy" to the tune of
$14.5 billion last year. The article was based on a press
release from the Institute of International Education; the offending figure
comes in the 12th of 12 paragraphs.
The obvious question, then, is why the NYT led with the rather fuzzy and meaningless
$14.5 billion number, rather than the much more germane news, headlined in the
release, that foreign enrollment in US universities is finally rising again
after falling for some time. I can’t say I can think of any good reason: can
you?