Ronald Brownstein accurately documents the catastrophic loss of public confidence in American higher education, but the causes may be more wide-ranging than he suggests.
The past several decades have seen a marked deterioration in academic quality due to overspecialization and the unravelling of core curricula. Over the last few years, we’ve witnessed a crisis of free speech and academic freedom on college campuses that has occasionally spilled over into outright violence at places like Middlebury and Berkeley. Against this backdrop, tuition has steadily increased—in large measure to fund expansive university bureaucracies—which has contributed to a staggering $1.5 trillion in student debt.
It’s no wonder that states are questioning whether tax dollars are being effectively spent. For public higher education to flourish, universities will need to regain the trust of the communities they serve through a renewed focus on academic quality, viewpoint diversity, and reigning in spiraling costs.
With recent research from the Institute for Higher Education Policy showing that college is unaffordable for as many as 70% of working- and middle-class students, concerns about college costs are mounting. The cost of operating an institution of higher education, with very few exceptions, is reflected in the price of attendance that students, their families, […]
SPRINGFIELD, IL—Illinois’ public universities find themselves on a unsustainable course as tuition increases spiral out of control and quality falls short in crucial regards, according to a new report card. The study of higher education in the Prairie State was released today by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni and the Illinois Policy Institute […]
ACTA president Anne Neal participates in the “Complete College Ohio Conference” in Columbus on November 13th for the Ohio Board of Regents, a conference featuring state and national experts and focusing on “practical solutions to improve college readiness and keep students on track to attain a degree in a timely way while providing incentives to […]
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