“Challenging Trends Facing Higher Education”

ATHENS, GA--“Your level of educational attainment has a dramatic and positive effect on your socioeconomic status. The U.S. is the only place in the world where the currency for the economy is knowledge. This means we must invest in higher education,” said Molly Corbett Broad, the president of the American Council on Education.

Broad was the distinguished speaker at The University of Georgia’s Louise McBee Lecture on Friday, Nov. 14. A crowd of over 125 people listened to Broad speak about the challenging trends facing higher education—the global economy, demographic and educational disparities, nontraditional students, revenue expenditures and the public goodwill.

Broad began discussing how global economies are changing—some countries faster then others. China has the largest economy in the world and it is predicted to have twice the GDP of North and South American combined in the next 30 years.

Whole industries and economies are being transformed because of technology. Broad described this change as the “hallowing out of the middle class.” She believes that individual’s financial access to college is the greatest differentiator of their future income. She noted that in 1967, 70 percent of people in the middle class only had a high school education, now only 50 percent have a high school education. The other 20 percent dropped into the lower income bracket.

Broad believes as a college education becomes a greater financial burden, people are trickling down from the middle to lower class and jobs for lower skilled workers are becoming scarce. In 1973, 65 percent of jobs were for lower skilled workers, but in 2007, 65 percent of jobs were for higher skilled workers who all have high educational degrees.

“We need to do what I call a “Stealth Attack” on policy and standards for high education. We need to effectively provide a vehicle that helps students get ready, both academically and financially, for a post secondary education,” said Broad.

The educational disparities, along with other demographic factors, are also influencing higher education. Broad believes that there is a “browning and graying of the U.S.” taking place. The “graying” is the increase in elderly and decrease both the amount of people supporting them, and their financial status. The “browning” is the increase in different ethnicities in the U.S. schools and the need to appropriately adjust to the new eclectic influences.

Other ethnicities, as well as returning veterans, immigrants and those who need financial assistance, are nontraditional types of students universities need to be willing to help.

“The U.S. is number one in the world in education for people 55 and older, but number ten for people ages 18-24. We need to do more to help all young people, even the non-traditional type of students, receive a higher education,” said Broad.

According to Broad, college students are paying more then ever to attend college and university’s revenue expenditures need to be changed to help them. This change would need to be smaller class sizes, more professors, more money going to each student, and an increase in financial aid programs.

Even with the increase in costs, the U.S. public trust in universities is extremely high. Broad stressed the importance of having the public’s goodwill on the university’s side, and that they should do whatever it takes to keep it.

“Universities need to maintain goodwill with the public. We need to focus on teaching, valuing, and mentoring our students. We will challenge leaders, remain adaptable, and remain resourceful, to keep our trust with the people,” said Broad.

Weather it is maintaining the goodwill, or dealing with demographic influences, no matter the challenging trend facing higher education, Broad promised that she, as well as the rest of the American Council on Education, would attack it and find solutions.

“Thank God someone is thinking about all these issues facing the educational system today. The trends she identified were extremely relevant and she hit the nail on the head saying the future of higher education really depends on preparing and finding ways for young adults to go to college,” said Athens Clark County local resident, Heather Cummings.