Page 351 - Crisis in Higher Education

Framing and Implementing a Practical Solution • 321

toward state government on issues related to higher education gives this
group a unified and strong message.

15.3.3 Role of Employers, Graduate Schools, and
Agencies Offering Licensure and Certification
The third group of customers does not make direct payments for services
to institutions of higher learning, but they do have an important stake in
the process because they depend on the output of colleges and univer-
sities. Employers can have input to both institutions and governments.
Employers should interact with programs, colleges, and institutional lead-
ership, including the board of trustees, to make sure that programs edu-
cate high-quality graduates while keeping costs low and improving access.
As economic development engines that need top-quality employees and
that pay local, state, and federal taxes, these organizations can offer
important insights on why change must take place. Graduate schools and
agencies that offer licensure and certification also depend on the quality
of graduates. Even though these entities may be unlikely to contact politi-
cians or institutions of higher learning directly, they can issue reports and
provide information on the qualifications of graduate school applicants
and how graduates are performing on licensure exams.

15.4 FINAL WORD
For years, higher education has been a competitive advantage for the
United States that enabled it to achieve a standard of living and an envi-
ronment for business success that attracts millions of immigrants each
year. Given that manual labor is being reduced by robotics, automation,
and computer-based decision support systems, it is vital for the United
States to have the best educated workforce in the world. This is more than
having a handful of universities that lead the world in research; it means
having the best education system from kindergarten through postdoctor-
ate learning. This is not achieved by opening the checkbook and spend-
ing whatever it takes to fund higher education. Experience indicates that
adding on subsidies increases complacency, ensures the status quo, and
takes performance improvements off the table. As shown in Figure 5.1
in Chapter 5 as well as Figure 15.1, improving higher education requires