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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 9 July 2024
Is college worth it? Poll finds only 36% of Americans have

confidence in higher education

By JOCELYN GECKER tion and the Workforce. And
Associated Press during an economic down-
Americans are increasingly turn, those without degrees
skeptical about the value are more likely to lose jobs.
and cost of college, with “It is sad to see that confi-
most saying they feel the dence hasn’t grown at all,”
U.S. higher education system says Courtney Brown, vice
is headed in the “wrong di- president at Lumina, an ed-
rection,” according to a ucation nonprofit focused
new poll. Overall, only 36% on increasing the numbers
of adults say they have a of students who seek edu-
“great deal” or “quite a cation beyond high school.
lot” of confidence in higher “What’s shocking to me is
education, according to the that the people who have
report released Monday by low or no confidence is actu-
Gallup and the Lumina Foun- ally increasing.”
dation. That confidence level This year’s survey added
has declined steadily from new, detailed questions in
57% in 2015. an effort to understand why
Some of the same opinions confidence is shrinking.
have been reflected in de- Almost one-third of respon-
clining enrollment as colleges dents say college is “too ex-
contend with the effects of pensive,” while 24% feel stu-
the student debt crisis, con- In this May 13, 2018, file photo, new graduates walk into the High Point Solutions Stadium before dents are not being properly
the start of the Rutgers University graduation ceremony in Piscataway Township, N.J.
cerns about the high cost of Associated Press educated or taught what
tuition and political debates they need to succeed.
over how they teach about crats or independents. “It’s it off. What’s the point?” people have little or no con- The survey did not specifical-
race and other topics. so expensive, and I don’t The June 2024 survey’s fidence, 32%, as those with ly touch on the protests this
The dimming view of wheth- think colleges are teaching overall finding that 36% high confidence. year against the war in Gaza
er college is worth the time people what they need to of adults feel strong confi- Experts say that fewer col- that divided many college
and money cuts across all get a job,” says Randy Hill, dence in higher education lege graduates could worsen campuses, but political views

demographics including 59, a registered Republican is unchanged from the year labor shortages in fields from weighed heavily on the find-
gender, age, political affili- in Connecticut and a driver before. But what concerns health care to information ings. Respondents voiced
ation. Among Republicans, for a car service. His nephew researchers is shifting opin- technology. For those who concerns about indoctrina-
the number of respondents plans to do a welding ap- ion on the bottom end, with forgo college, it often means tion, political bias and that
with high confidence in high- prenticeship after graduat- fewer Americans saying they lower lifetime earnings 75% colleges today are too lib-
er education has dropped ing high school. “You gradu- have “some” confidence less compared with those eral. Among the respondents
36 percentage points over ate out of college, you’re up and more reporting “very who get bachelor’s degrees, who lack confidence, 41%
the last decade far more to eyeballs in debt, you can’t little” and “none.” This year’s according to Georgetown cite political agendas as a
than it dropped for Demo- get a job, then you can’t pay findings show almost as many University’s Center on Educa- reason. q

U.S. to expand control of land sales to foreigners near 56

additional military sites

By FATIMA HUSSEIN ed States is a little-known its proximity to the base a open for public comment vehicles, semiconductors,
Associated Press but powerful government “national security risk.” for 30 days. solar equipment and medi-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The committee also known as Treasury Secretary Janet The U.S. has already issued cal supplies imported from
U.S. wants to expand a CFIUS tasked with investi- Yellen said in a statement major new tariffs on electric China.q
Treasury committee’s juris- gating corporate deals for that the Biden administra-
diction to review land sales national security concerns tion is “committed to us-
near U.S. military sites where that holds power to force ing our strong investment
foreigners are the buyers. companies to change screening tool to defend
New Treasury rulemak- ownership structures or di- America’s national secu-
ing would expand the U.S. vest completely from the rity, including actions that
Committee on Foreign U.S. protect military installations
Investment in the United It is made up of members from external threats.”
States’ powers to review from the State, Justice, En- In May 2023, rulemaking be-
land sales near 56 addition- ergy and Commerce de- gan to give CFIUS the pow-
al military sites, bringing the partments among others. er to review land sales near
overall number to 227 mili- The Monday rulemaking military bases after contro-
tary sites. announcement comes af- versy arose over plans by
A 2018 law granted the ter President Joe Biden in the Fufeng Group to build a
committee authority to re- May issued a divestment $700 million wet corn milling
view real estate transac- order blocking a Chinese- plant about 12 miles from
tions near sensitive sites backed cryptocurrency the Grand Forks Air Force Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testifies during a Senate
across the U.S. mining firm from owning Base, which houses air and Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, June 4, 2024, on Capitol
The U.S. Committee on For- land near a Wyoming nu- space operations. Hill in Washington.
eign Investment in the Unit- clear missile base, calling The proposed rule will be Associated Press