On Monday, Inside Higher Ed ran a story about a speech by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. It was entitled Obama’s Higher Ed Home Stretch, thus provoking my ambivalence. We are reminded that we are entering the final 18 months of Obama. That might lead to optimistic, “light at the end of the tunnel” thoughts, but just as well to gloomy “Now we’re really in for it,” thoughts.
Duncan didn’t say anything out of the ordinary. “Student debt is a burden for too many students, but most ultimately repay their loans, and for those who get their degree, college proves an excellent investment.” Naturally, the chief spokesman for the administration ignores the crucial fact that huge numbers of students who do have degrees are nevertheless unemployed or working in jobs that call for nothing more than basic skills and some training. I suppose that to acknowledge that fact would be tantamount to admitting that we have oversold higher education. No Democrat (and few Republicans) dare say that.
We also hear that “the system fails far too many students,” but as many professors will candidly tell you, the problem is that we admit throngs of students who just aren’t ready for or interested in anything vaguely resembling true college education. Once such students (but an economics prof I know says “tuitioners” is a more apt term for them) are enrolled, the institutions accommodate their desire for “education” that is easy and fun because most of them would drop out or transfer to a school more to their liking if they had to take any rigorous courses.
I can’t be very optimistic that the next president will improve much on Obama’s sorry record, but perhaps things won’t get any worse.