Reflection of Higher Education and Analysis of a Video Presentation

In the essay “The Day the Purpose of College Changed,” Dan Berrett continuously insists how higher education has shifted from the fixation on liberal education to business and economics and utilizing other critic’s opinions on the ever growing career-based education. During the time of “economic ruin” (Berrett 64), Ronald Reagan suggested that “certain intellectual luxuries” (Berrett 65) could be cut from the budget due to his belief that the sole purpose of college should prepare students for jobs and the real world, rather than just sheer amusement (Berrett 65). Berrett as well acknowledged the views of liberals, such as Thomas Jefferson, who believed that liberal education would “strengthen democracy” (Berrett 66) while adhering to the opinion

Higher education has been known by many Americans as a luxury for only those who can afford it if not being forever in debt with student loans. The price of higher education has been in debate for many years but it still has not ceased to come into an agreement. Should higher education lower its price or is it worth paying for it? As Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus argue in their article “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?” there are colleges worth mentioning about how successful their financial management has been correlated with their students success. The issue has also come into attention for Sanford J. Ungar, as he explains in his article “The New Liberal Arts,” although liberal arts education may be have its misconceptions, it does pay for its price. Hence, higher education (whether from a regular university or a liberal arts college) is worth the price, as it prepares individuals for the real world more than any other kind of education, it is an unique time were students are allowed to explore and put their abilities into test and it is the opportunity for many to overcome the many obstacles life has to offer.

The topic of this paper is the states’ decreasing financial support of higher education, the reaction and response from institutions who have lost funding, and the creative ways public institutions are locating additional streams of revenue. States have been the primary backer of public institutions, but since the recession states have shown less commitment financially while still heavily regulating higher education. As a result some institutions have had to change their practices while others have challenged their state’s regulations all together. Many have speculated that state funding may never return to its former highs. Rather than make an enemy of the state, some schools have discovered new and unconvential ways of raising funds for their institution.

Universities used to be a privilege for most academic students to attend and it was very affordable, but currently the price per year to attend college has drastically increased. For instance, in the “1970’s the average cost was 10,000 dollars a year and today the average cost is 30,000 dollars a year” (CQ Researcher). This is a triple increase in the price per year to attend college. Allowing this increase on college tuition has impacted the student’s attendance rate. This is a significant financial burden for college students and their family. Some believe that college shouldn’t be free because we are risking the value of college education, while others think it should be free because we are trying to avoid having our upcoming generation

To discuss the value of liberal education, there should be a mutual understanding that investing in college means to invest in oneself. Furthermore, while some consider this investment to be a critical stepping stone to success, others dismiss it, explaining that school simply cannot prepare someone for the “real world.” Sanford J. Ungar and Robert Reich explore both of these subjective values in their essays “The New Liberal Arts” and “College is a Ludicrous Waste of Money.” Ungar, the president of Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, discusses why a liberal education should be sought after; he does so by introducing common misconceptions about liberal arts and, using argumentative persuasion, proves their insignificance. On the other hand, Reich, the former secretary of labor, argues against the conventional belief of college being the only road to financial wellbeing; rather, he explains why a two-year education may better accommodate many college students, especially those in need of immediate work or those that simply cannot afford a four-year education. In all, although both Reich and Ungar generally discuss liberal education, their perspectives differ when it comes to its practicality in the current economy. Also, to express their different views about liberal arts, the authors use contrasting tones to present their ideas to different intended audiences.

Since the first GI Bill was passed after World War II universities have been steadily increasing. Currently there are more than 4000 college like institutions in the United States. Public policy has been making higher education more reachable for example by creating federal student loan programs so everyone has a chance to attend college. But recently we have seen the cost of a four year degree drastically increase because Americans are seeing college as an obligation. “On “Real Education”” Robert T. Perry argues that we need more university and community college graduates. “Is College for Everyone” Pharinet is

As a recent analysis, America’s colleges and universities are quietly shifting the burden of their big tuition increases onto low-income students, while many higher-income families are seeing their college costs rise more slowly, or even fall” (Eskow). Though education is the basic human right, most of the people in the U.S. are not being able to gain it as because of its rising cost. Since the 1970s, tuition and fees at public institutions have increased by more than 350 percent, while pay for working- and middle-class households has stagnated. As a result, the cost of a public-college education now accounts for almost 15 percent of the average family's annual income; 40 years ago it was about 4 percent (Kenneth W. Warren and Samir Sonti). The tuition and fees are increasing in such a way that the young Americans aren’t as educated as the young citizens of many other developed countries. The U.S. ranks 14th in the world in the percentage of 25-34 year-olds with higher education (42%).” When all adults of working age are considered, the US is still one of the highest-educated countries in the world. But when this age group is considered, we are falling behind (Richard Eskow). That’s the personal loss for the young people of the U.S. Education is not a privilege of the rich and well-to-do; it is the inalienable right of every people. It is a powerful tool by which people can lift

Higher education has become a staple of American society. With over 20 million students attending over 4,500 degree granting institutions, the role that higher education has played on larger society is paramount (Thelin, 2017). However, despite the popularity of higher education institutions, the exact purpose of higher education has changed from century to century and may serve different purposes depending on who is asked. Higher education today is arguably both a public and private good. While state and federal governments have invested in a variety of higher education initiatives, as well as assisted thousands of students with attending college through loans and scholarships in hopes that students use their acquired skills and

President Barack Obama introduced his America’s College Promise proposal to make community college tuition-free for students in January, but Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) President Barbara Risser did not bring it up with the collegewide governance body until October. She did not endorse it; she only asked the approximately 20 members to think about what it would mean for the school. No one responded. Mr. Obama says his proposal would expand the reach of higher education, a goal that fits with liberal ideology. Given that academics tend to lean left (Jaschik, 2012), the lack of enthusiasm for a seemingly liberal proposal on a college campus might seem unusual. This essay will review the tenets of conservatism and liberalism and explore their usefulness in predicting the impact of American’s College Promise and who might take sides for or against it. It will show the president’s proposal cannot be categorized neatly into one of the two dominant ideological camps. Wilson’s cost-benefit typology proves a more meaningful way to consider the potential ramifications of the policy and how that information could be used to refine it.

America’s education system has been in a state of distress for the past decade, but garnished headlines recently as the student loan debt crisis reached over a trillion dollars. In conjunction with that, tuition is no longer the only obstacle a student faces when considering their future. As generations come and go, universities have slowly, but surely, been angling their education in a way to favor profit over knowledge. Because of the new direction higher education models are taking, Magdalena Kay questions her readers, “is there a problem with students, with teachers, with administrators, or maybe

What the writer is basically talking about in this article is the importance of change in certain aspects in the education system that could help improve higher education in the U.S. He starts with identifying the problems and outline certain solutions. He has aimed it towards both students and the U.S government, to try and raise awareness. This would be done by recognizing the concerns of students and making the government aware of them. His purpose of writing this article is to initiate or lay the roots to possible change in the system. He identifies flaws in the system, relating them to actual problems faced by students and finally trying to make the government aware, so they could take particular action. The writer identifies the government’s plans to improve higher education by helping students pay for their loans, however he believes that focus should change to finding cost effective ways of educating. He supports his statement by giving solutions, like the adaption of new technologies to make education less costly. ‘To this day institutions have taken technology as an added cost, rather than means to increase productivity and reduce costs’. Another solution the writer puts forward is specialization, meaning that universities should only specialize in particular fields

Now all types of institutions - public and private, two year and four year, non-profit and for-profit-are vying for the same pool of students, public funding, research grants, and prestige. In the process they are creating a fierce competition that is slowly chipping away at higher education’s commitment to servicing public needs. (Couturier, 2005, p. 87)

Now, the educator’s perspective will be reviewed. The world of university and school collaboration seems to be gradually entering a new phase, with both new opportunities and some unfamiliar challenges. A major stimulus for change stems from the rapid and sustained rise of the standards movement in American education. There was broad agreement that the priority for school improvement was deciding what should be taught and the levels of

U.S. schools and colleges vary from numerous points of view. Some are open, others are independently employed individual; some are huge urban colleges, some are two-yr. group universities, others little rustic grounds. Some offer alumna and expert political stage, others point of convergence basically on undergrad instruction. Each of our more than 3, 000 schools and colleges has its particular and dissimilar mission. This aggregate differing qualities around organizations is one of the extraordinary strength of America's higher instruction framework, and has helped make it the best in the people. Protecting that assorted qualities is key on the off chance that we plan to serve the needs of our just social order.

Twenty-one million students are anticipated to attend some sort of higher education (Barrow et al.). And tuition costs are reaching all-time highs; about high as the salary an average American makes in a year (Kay 36). This is a drastic change in the higher education system in America. Colleges used to be mainly religious institutions hundreds of years ago and were based on moral training and proper conduct. Overall, making better people for society. In the present day, American colleges are helping aid students in getting jobs while building up the student’s values. Many have pondered over if the value of higher education that is taught is worth the price being paid. Some have said that the costs are too high for anyone besides the upper class, but people are still enrolling with increased rates each year. Higher education is worth the price because it provides lifelong benefits to the people who graduate with a degree. People who obtain a degree attain life skills that everyone should learn, get paid more money in their lifetime, and gain a quality education.