2008 Woodie Awards
Higher education appears to be declining by degrees
Jerri Manley
Issue date: 3/22/06 Section: News
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"American higher education is, in many ways, 'declining by degrees'," is an all too common thought expressed by the PBS special, "Declining by Degrees." Every student should have the opportunity to go to college, but throughout the years these opportunities have weakened.
Nearly half of all undergraduates attend a community college. This statistic may be due to the inflated tuition costs all throughout the U.S.
Tuition is a major source of revenue for many colleges. Without it, certain colleges wouldn't have funds to manage their schools.
Every year, states give their colleges fewer dollars per student. This causes colleges to tighten their budgets. Because the funds have to be allocated elsewhere, things have to be increased, which means the first raise is in the tuition.
Along with trying to balance their budgets after these cuts, colleges have to hire part-time teachers, some times even hiring the graduate students to teach the class.
About half of all teachers working at a college of higher education are part-time, up from 22 percent in 1970.
Many people have many reasons why they leave college. David Fredericksen, Professor of Astronomy at GCC, gave three main reasons why he thinks students leave college without acquiring a degree.
"They could just be lazy and think, 'you mean I really have to work to get my grades.' Other things could be that they are working part time and offered a full-time job that pays good money, so they decide to drop out. Another case may be that at this point in time they can't go to college, which is unfortunate."
Two out of every three community college students leave without a degree. The main reason may be because of lack of funds.
Many students have to work throughout college to support themselves, and the first thing to go, if need is elsewhere, is their college education. About 20 percent of college students work full-time and attend school full-time.
Ruth Micsunescu, 20, sophomore at GCC, says, "The students I know that have dropped out, did so because of financial strain."
Nearly half of all undergraduates attend a community college. This statistic may be due to the inflated tuition costs all throughout the U.S.
Tuition is a major source of revenue for many colleges. Without it, certain colleges wouldn't have funds to manage their schools.
Every year, states give their colleges fewer dollars per student. This causes colleges to tighten their budgets. Because the funds have to be allocated elsewhere, things have to be increased, which means the first raise is in the tuition.
Along with trying to balance their budgets after these cuts, colleges have to hire part-time teachers, some times even hiring the graduate students to teach the class.
About half of all teachers working at a college of higher education are part-time, up from 22 percent in 1970.
Many people have many reasons why they leave college. David Fredericksen, Professor of Astronomy at GCC, gave three main reasons why he thinks students leave college without acquiring a degree.
"They could just be lazy and think, 'you mean I really have to work to get my grades.' Other things could be that they are working part time and offered a full-time job that pays good money, so they decide to drop out. Another case may be that at this point in time they can't go to college, which is unfortunate."
Two out of every three community college students leave without a degree. The main reason may be because of lack of funds.
Many students have to work throughout college to support themselves, and the first thing to go, if need is elsewhere, is their college education. About 20 percent of college students work full-time and attend school full-time.
Ruth Micsunescu, 20, sophomore at GCC, says, "The students I know that have dropped out, did so because of financial strain."
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