"Broad Speaks On Issues Facing Higher Education

ATHENS – The President of the American Council of Education addressed university faculty and students on a rainy Friday morning about issues providing challenges for higher education in the United States.

Molly Corbett Broad provided a variety of viewpoints on issues that are plaguing the higher education system in the United States in front of a crowd of approximately 125 people in the University of Georgia Chapel for the 20th annual Louise McBee Lecture.

Broad, a former president of the University of North Carolina, claimed that many issues are reasons for worry, but she ended her lecture on a high note: public goodwill. Broad claimed that although universities have more students and fewer resources, they still have the public’s trust.

“While America is at a crossroads,” Broad said,” we continue to stand tall among Americans’ (opinions).”

She also cited a study where they surveyed Americans to see if they thought Universities were in a better, same, or worse state than they were 10 years ago, and 75 percent of respondents said that they believed it was at least the same or better.

Although Broad ended on a good note, she left room for a good amount of worry by highlighting many problems facing the universities in America today, many of which tied into the state of the U.S. economy. She noted that times are hard, with the unemployment rate higher than usual, and with foreign economies growing faster than the U.S. economy. She also mentioned that because of other growing economies, many universities are building overseas now instead of in the U.S. She said that because of these reasons and more, the “American dream” could be at risk

“We are approaching a tipping point of the American dream,” Broad said, “where each generation is no longer better off than the previous one.”

This was just what some audience members suspected, and raised apprehension in some.

“I’m looking at the future for my grandchildren.” Joyce Placek, a retired faculty member from the University said, “ It makes me want to go tell them to study harder and for myself to start saving more for them.”

Along with the economy, Broad also noted that many people’s savings for college aren’t what they used to be worth due to the financial crisis that is plaguing the United States. She hopes that people will begin to save more and be wise, because it is of crucial importance.

“The most important thing you can do for yourself and your nation is to get higher education,” Broad said.

After ending on the note of public goodwill, Broad fielded a few questions from the audience before the lecture was concluded. Notable guests were present at the lecture, including University of Georgia President Michael Adams and Louise McBee, the former GA House Representative for whom the lecture was named. The Louise McBee Lecture is an annual event that is sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education (IHE) and the College of Education at the University of Georgia. It is one of a few lecture series that focuses primarily on the topic of higher education.