DailyDirt: Higher Education, Not So High-Minded Anymore?

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Going to college used to be a reliable education path to a well-paying career -- as well as a way to create a society of engaged and informed citizens. The workforce has changed a bit over the last few decades, and college degrees aren't necessarily the best indicators of employee performance anymore. Sure, everyone still needs an education, but being able to learn on your own and pick up skills years after you've been handed a diploma are far more important than where that diploma was printed. Considering that student loans are rarely ever forgiven, people might want to choose their institution of higher learning with a bit more deliberation.

• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker almost removed the Wisconsin Idea from the mission of the University of Wisconsin system. Instead of a statement that commanded the university to "search for truth" and "improve the human condition" -- a draft of the budget proposal for the university system would have required an education that "meets the state's workforce needs." [url]
• State universities don't actually need to change their mission or mottos in order to fundamentally shift their philosophies. Ohio State University hasn't changed its motto, but the way it's doing business is more modern now -- selling off anything it can for short term cash, e.g., getting millions for its campus soft drink rights to Coca-Cola and leasing its parking lots to an Australian investment firm for 50 years. [url]
• Universities in Australia have several strategic options available to them in the future. However, the "old model" of broad-based teaching and research might not be a viable direction. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.

Filed Under: college, degrees, education, mooc, teaching, university, wisconsin idea
Companies: osu