Page 365 - Crisis in Higher Education

Appendix B: Summary,

Impacts of the Elements

of the Solution on the

Underlying Problems

Chapters 6 through 14 describe the elements in the solution, and at the
end of each chapter, a list of recommendations for that element is pro-
vided. A compilation of these recommendations is given in Appendix A.
To offer the reader more insights on how the elements affect the under-
lying problems, a summary of these impacts is organized around the
problems. Because the solution is comprehensive and integrated, some
recommendations impact more than one problem. Low graduation rates
and long completion times are combined because they have many of the
same causes.

B.1 IMPACTS OF THE SOLUTION ON HIGH COSTS

Cost reduction is a pivotal part of the solution because high cost impacts
the other underlying problems. When costs are high, there are fewer funds
to spend on improving quality, access for students from low- and moder-
ate-income students is reduced, students are more likely to drop out or
take longer to complete their degree, and they may not be able to put in
the time to get the grades they need for the jobs they would want. There
are nine elements in the solution and all but one, Chapter 8: Bridges to
Potential Employers, has a direct impact of cost. Each of the remaining
elements has multiple recommendations to reduce costs, which are listed
by chapter in the following subsections.

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