Re-Claiming an Old Social Contract: 'College for Low-Income Students'
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| Title: | Re-Claiming an Old Social Contract: 'College for Low-Income Students' |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Adam, Michelle |
| Source: | Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review. Mar 2007 72(7):60-66. |
| Availability: | Prakken Publications. 832 Phoenix Drive, P.O. Box 8623, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Tel: 734-975-2800; Fax: 734-975-2787; Web site: http://www.eddigest.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 7 |
| Publication Date: | 2007 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Higher Education |
| Descriptors: | Higher Education, Low Income Groups, College Students, Paying for College, Academic Standards, Community Colleges, Graduation Rate, Student Financial Aid, Documentaries, Faculty Workload, Student Motivation, Minority Groups, High Risk Students, Social Change, Grades (Scholastic), Access to Education |
| Geographic Terms: | Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, United States |
| ISSN: | 0013-127X |
| Abstract: | John Merrow, president of Learning Matters, Inc., has been reporting on K-12 education since 1974, but only recently has he begun to draw attention to higher education. This award-winning broadcaster is shedding light on the underbelly of higher education--and is arguing that something must be done before it's too late. This article presents the results of Merrow's documentary special which explores higher education. Entitled "Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk", the documentary set out to answer whether the reality of higher education measures up to the dreams of millions of individuals and the educational needs of the country. The overarching answer that appears to result from three years of investigating colleges is "no." Although, "Declining by Degrees" provides windows of hope, it seems that students are paying a high price for a second-rate education. The documentary focuses on four very different college campuses across the country--a private liberal arts college, a major state university, a regional public university, and a community college--in an effort to provide viewers with an in-depth look at the promise and peril of higher education today. The message Merrow leaves with his viewers is one of urgency. It's time to commit, once again, to the social contract that began decades ago in order to make sure that students are provided with true education and financial support--especially the least fortunate--so that they don't fall through the cracks. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2007 |
| Access URL: | https://www.eddigest.com/index.php |
| Accession Number: | EJ769488 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwGRj_QXp5XZMXGe7fWghFxrAAAA4jCB3wYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHRMIHOAgEAMIHIBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDFyWBKyixLZfqsVHhQIBEICBmk8aSsjBcRvTXn7kbAFt8AVSGX8SohqAnpYiGUEHmSJkeZymoA6TK6kZ5-2PiE0XOdHlJBUBii0QCl-HcUdwMbae2Ouelt6sFgsInqoCecm_Ztv18hO-iCa7fNT9EAKHlpR5KcdB-9iWNI05GOdzsXzs2bnfWF2GPcG8U-mhvWIAJaQ9D0xCv5q3xVKehawAIwNryymGoH-lG5M= Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0025057117;edd01mar.07;2007May17.14:33;v2.2.460</anid> <title id="AN0025057117-1">Re-Claiming an Old Social Contract: College for Low-Income Students </title> <p>JOHN Merrow, president of Learning Matters, Inc., has been reporting on K-12 education since 1974, but only recently has he begun to draw attention to higher education. This award-winning broadcaster is shedding light on the underbelly of higher education--and is urging us to do something about it before it's too late.</p> <p>"I spent most of my professional life reporting on K-12, yet when I would meet young people that I hired, I found that they weren't very curious," said Merrow. "I have three children of my own, and I wanted to know how good this crown jewel [higher education] of American education was. I heard people complain about college graduates, and I felt it was time to find out what's going on."</p> <p>Merrow began his career in the mid-1970s with National Public Radio (NPR), followed by the MacNeill/ Lehrer News Hour and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS). His weekly NPR series received more than two-dozen broadcasting awards, and his award-winning Merrow Report became well known for its in-depth reports on education.</p> <p>In 1995, he established Learning Matters, a not-for-profit corporation that produces television and radio/web programs and directs an effort to train youth to create public-service messages. Three years ago, via Learning Matters, Merrow set out on his exploration of higher education, producing a riveting documentary special which was aired last June.</p> <cn>Not Working</cn> <p>Entitled Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk, the documentary set out to answer whether the reality of higher education measures up to the dreams of millions of individuals and the educational needs of this country. The overarching answer that appears to result from three years of investigating colleges is "no."</p> <p>Although Declining by Degrees provides windows of hope, it seems that students are paying a high price for a second-rate education. The documentary focuses on four very different college campuses across the country--a private liberal arts college, a major state university, a regional public university, and a community college--in an effort to provide viewers with an in-depth look at the promise and peril of higher education today.</p> <p>The documentary begins with scenes of students on these campuses and emphasizes that about 14 million undergraduate students arrive on college campuses every year as part of the American dream. After all, with higher education, doors of opportunity are expected to open for those fortunate enough to achieve a degree.</p> <p>However, within minutes of the video's start, threats to this American dream are revealed: 39% of students on campuses admit to binge drinking; 68% of all students work at least 15 hours a Week; 20% hold down full-time jobs; 44% of faculty are part time; research is often a priority over teaching; almost half of students at four-year colleges leave without graduating; and businesses are expressing dissatisfaction with the skills of those who do graduate.</p> <cn>Knew the Rumors</cn> <p>Merrow admits that he knew little about the state of college campuses before embarking on this project. But, he was aware of the usual binge drinking and overall social environment which are often prevalent in higher education.</p> <p>"What surprised me is the extent to which this country has turned its back on its social contract. It used to be if you were smart and determined, American society said it was to our advantage that they were educated, and so let's help. But that's not the case anymore," said Merrow.</p> <p>"There's a huge shift from grants to loans. Today, someone who borrows graduates with $20,000 or more in debt. What that does is that students end up saying, 'Maybe I'd better not be a teacher, a nurse, or a social worker.' And so higher education becomes a commodity, something we buy. We then decide, 'Should I buy a degree, or should I buy a BMW?' That changes the way we think about higher education."</p> <p>That higher education has increasingly become a big commodity might be of little surprise. However, Merrow's point--made both in his documentary and in person-has more to do with the little education students are actually getting relative to the high cost of this commodity.</p> <cn>Not Much Needed</cn> <p>"We were surprised to see how little work one is required to do to get by. It's part of this non-aggression pact. The professor doesn't ask much of the student, and the students don't ask much of the professor. Everybody wins, supposedly. Kids get good grades, and teachers hold on to their jobs. But, of course, in the end, everybody loses," he said. "It surprised me that you could float through usually in a sea of alcohol."</p> <p>Following 30 students and teachers at Western Kentucky University, Amherst College, the Community College of Denver, and the University of Arizona, Merrow interviewed numerous teachers who admitted to this "unspoken" agreement to inflate grades in order to keep students enrolled in their schools. An English professor confessed openly in the documentary that a C has become the equivalent of what would actually be a D or F, and that this is due to the college's heavy focus on retention. The reason: Maintaining their school budget is based on the number of students retained.</p> <cn>High Grades Easy</cn> <p>On the other side of this "unspoken contract," students said they were making high grades while often studying only last minute and rarely reading and preparing for class as asked by the teacher. In one class centered around discussions, only one to two students had read the material required to have a discussion, while the rest just sat there, shamelessly unprepared and zoning out in class. The unspoken social contract was described by one person in the documentary as "You don't ask much of me, and I won't ask much of you."</p> <p>Of the 900,000 undergraduates surveyed in the video, 20% agreed that they were "sleepwalking" their way through college, learning to get by with as little effort and with as much socializing and partying as possible. They had learned to work the system, and for many in large institutions, they could get through four years without even writing much of anything. "We've taught people how to tread water" was how one person in the documentary described it.</p> <p>For another student who was eager to learn and more self-motivated, learning in classes of 100 to 200 students made her feel lost and uncertain as to her purpose there.</p> <p>Many teachers trying to reach these kinds of students, and truly interested in their well-being, end up reeling torn between research requirements and teaching. In order for them to receive tenure and increases in salaries, they have to focus on research. This is because schools place tremendous emphasis on research and little importance on teaching as a measure for tenure and salary increases.</p> <p>One teacher said he was spread very thin and had little time left to truly be innovative in the classroom because he was busy focusing his attention on research. Another said she wasn't interested in abandoning her purely lecture method of teaching 100 to 200 students at a time because she was underpaid and didn't have the time or energy to give that much to students.</p> <p>Another professor showed a glimmer of hope. Through technology and creative means, he used technology to engage students in active learning in large lecture halls. He was able to devote his time to effectively reach students because he had chosen not to seek tenure. The multiple examples on tape of students sleeping in large lecture halls was absent in this professor's classroom. But he wouldn't receive much in raises or receive true job security.</p> <p>These examples of commitment to teaching provided a sense of hope within a documentary that pointed toward a larger system in need of serious repair. "We are not arguing that we need to go back to the 'good old days,'" said Merrow. "We are saying we need to do better."</p> <p>The quality of education--or the lack thereof--took center stage within the documentary. Yet Sharing the limelight was the topic of students' struggles to afford higher education, remain in school, and hopefully attend schools that provide a decent quality education.</p> <p>According to the documentary, students received more financial support 60 years ago, when the Pell Grant was first enacted. Federal government support provided a highway for GIs and others to reach the middle class. In 1970, Pell Grants were extended to the lowest class, and with about 95% of the cost of education covered, the middle class grew.</p> <cn>No Social Benefit?</cn> <p>All this changed when Ronald Reagan came into office as President and decided that, if so many people were benefiting from education, then they should pay the majority of its costs. Education was no longer seen as a social benefit but rather as an individual one for which each person should pay.</p> <p>Today the Pell Grant pays only about half the price of education, and the average student debt of about $10,000 has doubled compared to the same figure 10 years ago. For 65% of all college students, going into debt has become an everyday reality.</p> <p>As a consequence of the high cost of education, and low state and federal assistance, a growing number of students are attending community colleges. This is especially true for Hispanics--an issue that greatly concerns Merrow.</p> <p>"One of the things that is threatening the fabric of this country is the emergence of a second-class education system. A lot of Hispanics end up in community colleges-and these are second-class colleges. They are heroic, but they are still second class. And the success rate of community colleges is abysmal," said Merrow, who recently completed his newest documentary, on the state of community colleges today.</p> <p>"They say, 'Come to community colleges,' but they don't deliver. For every public university student, for example, in the state of California, the state gives $17,000 to each university. For a state college like those of the California State University system, the state gives $13,000; and for K-12 students, about $ 7,000. Community colleges, on the other hand, receive $3,500.</p> <cn>What Chances?</cn> <p>"If that is where the brown kids and the black kids are going, and even the tuition is low, what are their chances of success? Well, the success rate in California for those who have either transferred to a four-year college, earned an A.A. degree, or received some kind of certification, is 24%. You can't say this dropout rate is because they are ignorant!"</p> <p>Low levels of funding yet increased numbers of students attending community colleges--and state schools in general--have negatively impacted students' education. At the Community College of Denver, the state reduced funding to the school, yet the number of students enrolling has increased.</p> <p>Beyond community colleges, Kentucky State University has also seen a decrease in state funds, while its costs have increased 70% since 1999, and enrollment, 28%. The University of Arizona has also witnessed a 30% decrease in state money, which has impacted faculty salaries and their morale.</p> <p>One community college professor who was followed within the documentary worked part time, teaching 11 courses in one semester. A normal load, which he had once worked, is four courses a semester. He was 63 years old and earned the same as he had as a full-time professor 20 years ago. His stressful schedule and low pay made it impossible for him ever to consider retiring. (According to the documentary, two-thirds of all community college faculty are part time).</p> <cn>Feeling the Results</cn> <p>While professors are feeling the financial pinch of a society that has slowly decreased its financial support to higher education, students are the ones experiencing the results. Part-time faculty members aren't able to be innovative and cater to students' needs because they don't have the luxury of time to do so. Students who can't afford to attend private or higher-level universities remain with community colleges as their final option--yet society provides little support for students to receive a quality education, according to the documentary.</p> <p>There is something else which adds to what Merrow describes as a second-class education. This is the fact that many students at community colleges also have to balance education with jobs and with sustaining their lives.</p> <p>The documentary followed the lives of mothers, who ended up dropping out because they couldn't afford to get an education and raise their children, and young students, who dreamed of going to New York University but didn't have the money or capacity to take on huge debts to go there.</p> <cn>Too Little Time</cn> <p>Another featured student attended the University of Arizona and was working more than 40 hours a week while attending school. She was so exhausted in her effort to juggle work and school that ultimately she had to move closer to home and transfer to a community college.</p> <p>Universities and colleges have sought solutions to limited state and federal funds by seeking private money, raising tuition, and investing in new buildings, student amenities, and sports in an effort to increase the attractiveness and marketing potential of their schools. The result, according to the documentary, has been that schools place more attention on image and sports--all areas that have nothing to do with the original mission of higher education--than education.</p> <p>In Merrow's own words, written in this past May and in June's Change magazine, "Teaching and learning are declining in importance relative to getting a degree because higher education is generally seen as a commodity to be purchased. Institutions' presidents and admissions offices spend a lot of energy chasing money or prestige or both."</p> <p>While some students can afford to enjoy college while drinking away these years, many lower-income students struggle to afford and survive the lowest levels of higher education--community colleges. Many don't make it, according to the documentary, and those who do make it are often unprepared for the work force.</p> <cn>Samples of Hope</cn> <p>The message Merrow leaves with his viewers is one of urgency. But he also provides samples of hope. He shows us a private school like Amherst College, in Massachusetts, where a large percentage of students from low-income families are offered opportunities to attend college practically free of cost. At the time of the documentary, Amherst had given out about $21 million in aid in its past year.</p> <p>Approximately half of its student body benefited--and it did so because the college receives a huge endowment, and students who can afford its high-priced education help pay the costs The school's attention to low-income, diverse students is an example of a commitment to the social contract to which Merrow claims fewer and fewer schools and government officials are tending.</p> <p>Other examples of hope within the documentary were evident in the creation of learning communities centered around dorms--and alternative ways in which schools are providing support for students to learn. But support systems such as these are few and far between, according to the documentary.</p> <cn>Other Countries Do It</cn> <p>Asked what needs to be done about a system that appears to be failing students, Merrow said it's time to commit, once again, to the social contract that this country began decades ago. It isn't about returning to the past, said Merrow, but about making sure we provide a true education and financial support to assure that students--and especially the least fortunate-don't fall through the cracks. This commitment, according to Merrow, will allow our nation to remain competitive in an international scene that is increasingly providing the education to its citizens that we once provided to ours.</p> <p>"What strikes me is that people aren't mad as hell about this," he said. "We have, though, had wonderful responses to the piece. Many thanked us for telling the truth. And colleges are taking this question very seriously--that is, 'What value do we really have?'"</p> <aug> <p>By Michelle Adam</p> <p></p> <p>Michelle Adam is a Contributing Editor for The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. Condensed from The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 17 (December 18, 2006), 16-18. Published at 210 Route 4 East, Suite 310, Paramus, NJ 07652.</p> </aug> |
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This award-winning broadcaster is shedding light on the underbelly of higher education--and is arguing that something must be done before it's too late. This article presents the results of Merrow's documentary special which explores higher education. Entitled "Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk", the documentary set out to answer whether the reality of higher education measures up to the dreams of millions of individuals and the educational needs of the country. The overarching answer that appears to result from three years of investigating colleges is "no." Although, "Declining by Degrees" provides windows of hope, it seems that students are paying a high price for a second-rate education. The documentary focuses on four very different college campuses across the country--a private liberal arts college, a major state university, a regional public university, and a community college--in an effort to provide viewers with an in-depth look at the promise and peril of higher education today. The message Merrow leaves with his viewers is one of urgency. It's time to commit, once again, to the social contract that began decades ago in order to make sure that students are provided with true education and financial support--especially the least fortunate--so that they don't fall through the cracks. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: ERIC – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2007 – Name: URL Label: Access URL Group: URL Data: <link linkTarget="URL" linkTerm="https://www.eddigest.com/index.php" linkWindow="_blank">http://www.eddigest.com/index.php</link> – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ769488 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 7 StartPage: 60 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Higher Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Low Income Groups Type: general – SubjectFull: College Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Paying for College Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic Standards Type: general – SubjectFull: Community Colleges Type: general – SubjectFull: Graduation Rate Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Financial Aid Type: general – SubjectFull: Documentaries Type: general – SubjectFull: Faculty Workload Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Motivation Type: general – SubjectFull: Minority Groups Type: general – SubjectFull: High Risk Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Change Type: general – SubjectFull: Grades (Scholastic) Type: general – SubjectFull: Access to Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Arizona Type: general – SubjectFull: California Type: general – SubjectFull: Colorado Type: general – SubjectFull: Kentucky Type: general – SubjectFull: United States Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Re-Claiming an Old Social Contract: 'College for Low-Income Students' Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Adam, Michelle IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Type: published Y: 2007 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0013-127X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 72 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review Type: main |
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