Here are a few noteworthy headlines from the past few days of higher education news:
- that would hold tuition rates stable for 鈥渉igh-skill, high-wage, high-demand鈥� degree programs for at least three years.听 Most STEM degrees made the list of majors recommended for this tuition freeze, while core Humanities disciplines (such as history) did not.听 The Governor-commissioned task force responsible for the proposal said, 鈥淭he theory is that students in 鈥榥on-strategic majors,鈥� by paying higher tuition, will help subsidize students in the 鈥榮trategic鈥� majors, thus creating a greater demand for the targeted programs and more graduates from these programs, as well.鈥澨� Supporters feel such an approach will provide taxpayers with the maximum return on their investment and 鈥渋mprove the university system overall.鈥� 听听However, the opposition, championed by a number of history professors, argues the strategy would detract from the university鈥檚 prestige and lead to a less 鈥渞ichly educated鈥� workforce.听 Over 1,300 faculty from Florida and beyond have petitioned Florida Governor Rick Scott to seek faculty input for future decisions regarding Florida鈥檚 higher education system.听听This particular form of differential tuition contrasts with the more typical, cost-driven approach, under which students in majors that cost the university more to provide (such as STEM fields) are charged higher tuition than students studying less expensive subjects (like history).
- to 鈥済enerate the kind of attention and urgency that the circumstances demanded for the nation to keep its competitive edge.鈥� 听The commission鈥檚 mandate would be to address the many challenges confronting higher education (cost, access, etc.) and help policy makers determine its future.听 Given the drastic demographic, technological, and economic changes already occurring in higher ed, Mr. Gregorian believes now is the appropriate time to discuss nation-wide reform.
- as a means of bridging the disconnect between what students learn in college and what their future employers actually want them to know. 听听Several Harvard professors, inspired by Germany鈥檚 鈥渄ual system鈥� of providing students with practical job-related skills and theoretical instruction, are working with six states to establish apprenticeship programs.