Another good idea from The Atlantic: Shine a light into the dark recesses of the Ivory Tower.
The conventional wisdom is that you get what you pay for—that the larger the price tag, the better the product. But that’s not true in higher education. Tuition has been skyrocketing for years, with little evidence that education has improved. Universities typically favor research and publishing over teaching. And influential college rankings like the one published by U.S. News & World Report measure mostly wealth and status (alumni giving rates, school reputation, incoming students’ SAT scores); they reveal next to nothing about what students learn....
The Obama administration could be a catalyst for change. The stimulus package includes $30 billion in tuition aid, at a time when colleges are starving for money. That gives the government leverage—it should push for systematic public information on the quality of undergraduate learning, school by school. This would not only serve students; over time, it would improve the quality of our workforce and the prospects for our entire economy.
That stimulus bill certainly stimulated some thought at the Atlantic. We can hope it has the same impact elsewhere.
1 comment:
This was quite the issue in school. 1. Apply for government aid. 2. "You get $8000 in 'grants.'" 3. Go see Financial Aid office. 4. "[You are not eligible]". 5. I don't really need it.
I'm going to make a lure called the 'control-G,' which will resemble the Apple bell.
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