That’s because colleges face the same dilemma as retail stores in large malls; the 21st century has arrived and a retail College environment built in the 15th (???) century needs to adapt.
If most people knew it, wouldn't they cease to patronize the system they know is broken?
Most people I know, including FReepers in my state, are carrying on status quo.
For example, the son of one of my church friends is a freshman at an excellent state university, planning to major in a liberal arts field. His parents are supporting this, even though his older brother, who graduated almost two years ago from another excellent state university, with a degree (double major) in a liberal arts field ... is unemployed, living at home, and what I would call a lousy houseguest, here's your eviction notice, write when you find work.
He'd be on the curb with a cardboard sign saying, "Will do nothing for food then complain about the food."
Middle- to upper-middle-class parents face a massive brainwashing campaign, telling them that, if you love your child, you must do this: pay for him to go away to college for four (five, six) years and support whatever course of study he chooses. My friend's current college-student son was accepted at a prestigious private university, and he tried to persuade his parents that they owed to him to bear any financial burden so he could attend and get the "best education."
You left off #1: “How can colleges turn out better All-Union Leninist Young Communist League members dedicated to The Revolution?”
Usually known as Komsomol, the Young Communist Leage was a political youth organization in the Soviet Union. It is sometimes described as the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, although it was officially independent and referred to as “the helper and the reserve of the CPSU”.
“college administrators and faculty”
The college administrators and faculty SALARIES should be compared for the last 20 / 30 years !!
Like in —how many GENERALS we have in the army and how many grunts compared for the last same 20 30 years .
It’s a good article with good questions. However, my expectation is that universities in general will continue the same trajectory - higher costs, more country-club facilities, less-rigorous standards - indefinitely unless the Federal government money is cut off both from student costs and payments to faculties.
But what about the football team?
/sarc
3 things:
End tenure. (donning asbestos underwear, now)
Make Colleges and universities guarantee student loans in whole or in part
Get as many classes online
I told mine that I would not pay for a hobby degree/major. It had to be degree as a minimum that would stand on it’s own at the bachelors’ level. That meant choose from business to STEM majors excluding biology & economics. If they could arrange it and do a double major then OK. They could minor in whatever but there had to be a foundation degree where they could get a job. My wife & in-laws were all opposed to on this! I was mean & “limiting”. I stood my ground, I ended up right and every now acknowledges it. All now have advanced Science degrees with assorted “hobby” minors & well paying jobs they like.
American universities - bump for later...
How long before 4year colleges offer great coding 2 year degrees?The answer is offering 2 year degrees at a fair price.
The two-word answer to the question behind the questions posed in the article: accreditation bodies. The unasked question: What is standing in the way of colleges asking themselves these questions in order to have a unique selling proposition that would attract & keep students to degree completion with subsequent success in the workforce?
Peak Brick & Mortar Higher Edumacation is rapidly receding in the rear view mirror.
But college administrators and faculty don’t want to face reality.
****************
The admins and faculty created this mess and it was no accident.
The only question colleges are asking is how can they scam more money for less effort and further their leftist indoc mission.
But Ben Sasse has NO questions about collegiate education and ideology?
I find that rather hard to believe because ideology is suffocating critical thinking.
More likely, Atlantic editors said— no you may not include those questions in your article.
Atlantic likes the ideology of universities.