RR: There are many voices inside and outside education calling for more innovation in higher ed, including more alternatives to traditional four-year degrees. Do you think that it’s time to rethink the traditional model of college?
JK: I actually think the traditional model does work quite well. A four-year college degree has very substantial benefits for those who earn one, economically and beyond. I don’t think there is something broken in the concept of a four year degree at all. I do think that there are a lot of very high-quality career programs — some are two-year degrees, some are certificate programs — which do not always have the resources or, honestly, the respect that they need. So elevating those programs is important.
There’s also no question that educational technology is going to be a driving force in where higher education is going. There are a lot of online universities that are doing some really interesting things in terms of reaching adults, in particular. And I think there’s a lot of potential in that. What’s really important, from our perspective, is to make sure that students are getting what they need out of those programs.
RR: What about elite institutions? A growing criticism of the country’s most prestigious schools is that they’re not using the enormous resources they have to serve the public interest. Do you think that university endowments should be taxed? And if not, what should those institutions be doing to help more students who could benefit from what they have to offer?
JK: Our country is very, very lucky to have these institutions, particularly research universities with large endowments. They make many contributions as drivers of research and innovation, which is the only route to long-term increases in living standards. If you were interested in future-proofing your city, it’s hard to think of a better investment you could make than a major research university. At the same time, I think that they could work harder to be more inclusive. One thing that I’ve talked to some of these presidents about is whether they could accept more transfer students from community college, who tend to be more diverse. The data suggest they do as well as [other] students. We know that 80% of community college students want a four-year degree, but only 14% get them. I think admitting more of these students would have a really powerful impact not only on those whom the universities are able to enroll, but also as a signal to all of higher education.
RR: In many ways, the challenges that colleges face can’t be solved without looking at the country’s education system as a whole. What can be done to connect the K-12 system with higher education to make sure students have the tools necessary to succeed in college and beyond?
JK: We had a meeting a couple of years ago where we invited communities to participate. And I remember distinctly that in some of these metropolitan areas, the K-12 schools’ superintendent, the community college president and the four-year college president had never been in the same room together. So there’s clearly a need for them to work more closely together. I think that the tremendous diversity of our post-secondary system is a great strength. But it’s very difficult for a student to understand what her options are and where she might be well served. For a student leaving high school, we don’t know, by and large, where she is likely to succeed in college and where she’s not. We don’t know if a particular community college is doing a good job helping their students go on to four-year degrees or not. And those are questions that we should be able to answer.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.