Page 42 - Crisis in Higher Education

The Higher Education Conundrum • 17

3. Governments: Federal, state, and local governments want economic
prosperity and jobs that are facilitated by a well-educated workforce.
4. Companies that hire graduates: They want well-educated employees who
begin working immediately without substantial on-the-job training.
5. Society: It needs people with good jobs and bright futures because
they are more likely to stay out of trouble and contribute to society
in positive ways. Society wants a strong economy, so there are tax
receipts to support government, including helping those who need
assistance.

1.5.2 Customer Confusion Leads to Misaligned Actions

There is a three-way tug of war over curriculum.

1. Students have multiple demands on their time, and they may not fully
appreciate the long-term nature and value of their education. As a
result, they may not be motivated to perform as well as they should.
They may find it difficult to appreciate the importance of learning
some subjects because they do not see how these topics can be useful.
Are students, who pay only a small part of the cost (11%, see Figure 1.2)
while they are pursuing their education, good consumers who seek the
best value and demand to learn more? Do they put pressure on institu-
tions to be more cost conscience, and are they motivated to work hard,
finish early, and perform well in class?
2. Tenured faculty members prefer to focus on theory and concepts,
and they use this perspective to determine what is important. They
want graduates to understand the big ideas and be prepared for a
lifetime of learning. This often leads to aggressive learning objectives
that demand careful thought and substantial amounts of time.
3. Organizations that hire graduates want the “top students” with prac-
tical, hands-on education so their entry-level employees can begin
work immediately.

This narrative indicates that institutions of higher learning face substan-
tial problems as they try to meet the needs of multiple masters. Figure 1.3
shows a contrast between for-profit providers of goods and services and
institutions of higher learning. For-profit organizations begin with clearly
defined and easily measurable end goals such as sales, market share, prof-
its, and return on invested capital. The seller and its customers are closely