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American Higher Education History Tells us That American Students Will be Penalized During The Economic Recession.

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It has been widely acknowledged throughout United States history that higher education must help to drive the economy and American democracy.

Now America is once again entrenched in an economic downturn, with rising unemployment and businesses going bust.

This is the 11th recession since the Second World War, and as a result Government and industries will be forced to squeeze their budgets and bleed the American public dry.

Colleges and universities will be no different as American higher education history suggests they will look to cut costs and offer students less value for money.

Average tuition fees at public colleges and universities have risen steeply during each of the last three recessions, by nearly 25 percent, whilst enrollment has fallen in two of these recessions.

With the increasing need for students to gain a better education in order to prepare themselves for skilled employment, higher education has become less attainable for families during times of recession.

Richard Vedder, an Ohio University professor has been one of many to criticize how education institutions are funded.

Vedder says that tuition increases have rapidly outpaced inflation and that productivity in higher education has fallen or remained stagnant.

Another issue is that third-party tuition payments from government or private sources have shielded students from having to cover the full cost of their education, allowing costs to rise more rapidly.

We now have a highly competitive technology-based economy, which requires large numbers of workers with education and training beyond high school.

But the system does not support this as, demographers say, a large proportion of these workers will come increasingly from those minority and low-income groups that cannot afford the tuition fees.

Following the period of the G.I. Bill after the Second World War, there was a massive rise in enrollment to higher education institutions.

American higher education history shows the numbers rising from 1.5 million in 1940, to 2.7 million in 1950, to more than 17 million students now.

On the face of it, these figures suggest higher education is in good shape, but the truth is fewer young people and adults have enrolled in higher education and training today than ten years ago.

There is also a big gap in racial groups attending college, with 47 percent of whites enrolling compared to 41 percent of African Americans and only 35 percent of Hispanics.

American higher education history should show that in a financial crisis, administrators must make sure there is accessible and affordable undergraduate education for everyone.

Sadly American higher education history suggests to us that the people making the decisions are only interested in making money, or funding research programs not education programs.

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Funding Priorities

States must review their budgets during a recession, as any organization would.

However, they should view higher education as a priority and not disproportionately cut funds compared to other services.

They must not bleed students dry in making up their deficits with huge increases in tuition fees.

Colleges and universities must also ensure that every eligible student can enroll.

Sharing resources would be a feasible way of doing this, as will prioritizing resources to proper curricula rather than expensive research programs.

They must also make financial need the biggest priority for student aid funds.

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Students Taught Not to Think for Themselves

Recent American higher education history has seen teachers veering away from teaching facts.

Classes are now filled with political claptrap, where students are force fed the thinking of their professors.

As such these teachers, who hold a massive position of responsibility, are abusing the trust of the parents.

Students should be able to formulate their own opinions based on the facts they have read about. In a democratic society they should be encouraged to openly debate with one another.

In the current climate, Government and administrators collectively oppress any free thinking.

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Accreditation Process Needs to Change

The process for accrediting universities in America is a complete sham. Accreditation agencies are essentially Government controlled, albeit not on a day to day basis.

It is very easy for universities to sign a piece of paper and give a small bribe to the agency to gain accreditation.

The accreditation has no authority to tell universities what to do, meaning there are a lot of scams out there.

There is no law stating they have to get accreditation, but schools not accredited are not eligible for funding aid.

Some choose not to gain accreditation because they do not want to be forced to teach what the Government tells them to.

See our Debt to Success System review of what you must relearn in order to live free.

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