There’s a ton of Obama buzz in the air today (rightly so!) and I was inspired by Insider Higher Ed’s write up. Even though higher education didn’t get elevated as a major issue during the presidential race, it’s certainly on our minds.
Here’s a brief look at what we might expect out of the Obama White House, in regards to higher education:
College Access- Obama and many others (like in Enrollment Management!) are worried about families being able to pay for college. He wants to offer a tax credit for the first $4,000 in college costs. That amount should cover two years’ tuition at a community college. What I love about this is the 100 hour public service requirement that goes along with it. He also hopes to simplify federal aid applications and increase Pell Grant maximums to match inflation.
Community Colleges – Obama wants to give community colleges grants to research what types of skills are really in demand from students and local industry and adjust new degree programs accordingly. He has proposed a reward system for institutions that graduate more students and transfer their graduates to four-year institutions. While we don’t really know the impact on the college funds of many high school students yet, many are predicting that spending the first two years at a community college will become a popular option. And while there has been history of four-year institutions reaching out to community college graduates to boost the class, it will be interesting to incentivize the two year school to push their students to further their learning.
Affirmative Action- Ah, the debate continues. Obama’s particular views on this topic have been called “intriguing but vague” (Boston Globe). He doesn’t want affirmative action eliminated but suggests incorporating class as a factor, as well as race. One thing we know for sure, he is insistent that gaps in circumstance (economic, educational, etc) between minority individuals are real and need attention.
Discriminatory Bans on ROTC- Obama opposes the military’s policies against gay people, which trickle down onto college campuses through the Reserve Officer Training Corps programs. It does seem conflicted that ROTC’s stance on homosexuality in the military is not at all in accordance with university policies on discrimination.
Costly College Textbooks- At a roundtable at the University of Texas-Pan American, Obama called the practice of professors assigning their own, outrageously expensive books, a big scam. He cited his own teaching experience at the University of Chicago law school, saying the professors there made a mint.
As much as I agree with Obama’s statement that textbooks are a racket, I don’t foresee any government issued policy changes dealing with this issue. Now, investing in science and technology is another story…What are the issues in higher education that you hope come to the forefront?
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