Personal Philosophy of

Higher Education in the USA

Yianni Vassiliou

Florida Atlantic University

December 6, 2008

Purpose of higher education?

• Historically to train:

– the clergy

– the elite

– the men that would occupy positions of power • system evolved as the needs of the society were changing

• the need to react to certain situations was evident

• taking appropriate action was deemed necessary (Thelin - “A History of American Higher Education, 2004”)

• Department of Education was created in 1867

– collect information on schools

– teaching to establish effective school systems

– agency's name & location within Executive Branch changed past 130 yrs.

– early emphasis on getting information on what works in education to teachers and education policymakers continues to

the present day

History of higher education• Second Morrill Act in 1890

– gave the Office of Education responsibility for administering support for the original system of land-grant colleges and universities

• Smith-Hughes Act in 1917 - Vocational education became the next major area of federal aid to schools

• George-Barden Act in 1946 - agricultural, industrial, & home economics training for high school students

• World War II led to a significant expansion of federal support for education– Lanham Act in 1941

– Impact Aid laws of 1950 • eased the burden on communities affected by the presence of military and

other federal installations by making payments to school districts

• "GI Bill" in 1944 authorized postsecondary education assistance– nearly 8 million World War II veterans to college

History of higher education

• Cold War stimulated the first example of comprehensive federal education legislation– National Defense Education Act (NDEA) in 1958 in response to the Soviet

launch of Sputnik• ensure that highly trained individuals would be available to help America

compete with the Soviet Union in scientific and technical fields • loans to college students & graduate fellowships • Seeking improvement

– science – Mathematics – foreign language & area studies instruction in elementary & secondary schools

• vocational-technical training

History of higher education

Anti-poverty & civil rights laws of the 1960s & 1970semergence of the Department's equal access mission

Laws :

– Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

– Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

– Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prohibited discrimination based on race, sex, and disability, respectively made civil rights enforcement a fundamental and long-lasting focus of the Department of Education

– Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965 launched a comprehensive set of programs• including the Title I program of Federal aid to disadvantaged children to

address the problems of poor urban and rural areas • Higher Education Act authorized assistance for postsecondary education,

including financial aid programs for needy college students

History of higher education

• In 1980, Congress established the Department of Education as a Cabinet level agency – Today, ED operates programs that touch on every

area and level of education

– Department's elementary and secondary programs annually serve more than 14,000 school districts and some 56 million students attending more than 97,000 public schools and 28,000 private schools

– Department programs also provide grant, loan, and work-study assistance to nearly 11 million postsecondary students.

Personal ideology and philosophy of the purpose of higher education in the USA

• equal opportunities for all individuals who are prepared to enter such level of education

• necessary training they need in order to adequately perform in their chosen career fields & positions

• network and socialize with other individuals

• enhance critical and creative thinking skills

• assist in the development, expansion, & sustainability of a strong economy

• contribute in the formation, & sustainability of a democratic system – all are treated equally

– all given equal opportunities for advancement & success

Personal ideology and philosophy

Higher education is above & beyond the high school level curriculum

• two-year institutions as well as four-year institutions are higher education institutions – freshmen and sophomores AA Degree seeking enrolled in the

exact same coursework at a 2-yr and at a 4-yr institution

• high school graduates need to be college-ready academically – not needing remediation – skills should have been attained during high school

Higher education’s role in forming and sustaining a democracy

Higher education provides individuals with skills and experiences essential for the formation and sustainability of a democratic system

• critical thinking skills– analyze, and decide on a variety of social issues– think objectively

• communication skills (both verbal and written)

• exposure and experiences, particularly instructional experiences– allow the individual to formulate his/her own opinions – make his/her own decisions – Both essential in a democratic environment

• social interaction within a multicultural environment provide individuals– understand diversity and effectively function within a diverse and multicultural

environment with a common goal in mind

• freedom of speech and expression – encouraged and supported in the U.S. – rights as opposed to privileges necessary for democratic participation in every day

events

Access to Higher Education

• All individuals who are adequately prepared academically/college-ready – equal access and equal opportunities

• financial means – allow all to receive the benefits of higher education

Responsibility for providing access

All constituencies involved Pre-K and K-12 academic journey– parents – teachers – teacher’s aids – administrators at all levels – local community governance state and federal guidance and assistance,

including financial assistance – middle school and high school College Assistance Program (CAP) advisors

and teachers – several factors should be addressed

Appropriate, effective, and efficient methods need to be: • explored • developed • implemented • assessed on a regular basis (accountability)

Improving Higher Education

Restructuring of the K-12 system• essential and necessary • systems’ curriculum is not aligned with the curriculum of higher

education • approximately 78% of students attending Community Colleges & 10% of

students attending four-year institutions need remedial education in one or more subject areas (reading, language skills, and/or mathematics)

(Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability, April 2006)

Philosophy elementary & middle-school curriculum • curriculums should be aligned with one another • ensures student’s smooth transitions from one level to the next • acquired all necessary skills and knowledge needed to be prepared &

also successful at the next level • alignment of curriculums between levels of education is necessary • creation of effective and efficient curriculum is essential • rigid curriculum (no electives) is needed at each of these levels to ensure

that students don’t skip exposure & knowledge of necessary skills & education that will enhance their ability to succeed at the next level

Improving Higher Education

Necessary skills & education to enhance ability to succeed ---- to be taken through K-12 system

• Mathematics (Arithmetic, Algebra, Statistics)• English language skills (mastery & literacy skills in the English

language) • Philosophy• World Religion• Domestic & World Geography• Political Science • Physics • Chemistry • Foreign/modern language • Social and Environmental Science • Arts & Humanities • Computers/Technology • Physical Education

National Entrance Exams

Who should take it:• all students during their junior and senior high school

years

Which way to go?• assessed learning outcomes achieved in the subject areas

of “new curriculum”

• assessed performance based on those two exams

• determine if they will pursue higher education credentials (i.e., AA, BA, BS, MS, Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.)

or better suited for:– Associates of Science track

– Associates of Applied Science track

– Vocational training and certificate • offered at local community colleges and community adult basic education schools

2 Tracks - National Entrance ExamsLiberal Arts Track National Exams:

• English, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension(via History), Social Science or Humanities, Modern Language

STEM Track National Exams:

• English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Modern Language

• essay type of questions in each of the subject areas

• instead of the traditional “multiple-choice” questionnaire format of current exams (SATs & ACTs)

• essay type of questions requires knowledge of the subject matter in order to answer them, while multiple-choice type of questions, do not necessarily test the knowledge of the individual in that subject matter.

• rigid curriculum (Common Core) & national “higher education entrance exams” will ensure: – equity for all students regardless of which high school they attended

• public and private high schools will be expected to teach the same curriculum in the subject areas of the “new national curriculum”

• all students nation-wide would be assessed via the same exact “higher education entrance exam”

National Entrance Exams

Competencies of national entrance exams:

• Aligned with “national high school curriculum”

• provide students with solid foundation

• prepare them to be successful at the higher education level – Only 50% of students who enter higher education institutions to pursue a

baccalaureate degree, either through two- or four-year institutions, manage to graduate

• structured approach will enhance student’s ability to graduate

• ensure college-readiness for all accessing a higher education institution, and prior to them beginning their post-secondary education

Who should have access to higher education?

“Nobody to Waste” (McCabe, 2000)

• nobody should be wasted – but rather channeled where they can be successful

• students entering a higher education institution (2-year or 4-year) will be prepared to succeed

• all students will have access to higher education institutions (community colleges)

– pursue an Associates of Arts and a Baccalaureate Degree subsequently

– pursue an Associates of Science or Applied Science degree and/or a Vocational/Credit Certificate

– learn a trade that would allow them to:

• earn a living

• contribute to society

Who should have access to higher education?

Should higher education be “restricted” to the few?– Absolutely NOT

• It’s a matter of adequately:– preparing

– educating

– training all students during their K-12 experience nation-wide

– guide them towards a higher education pursuit that is appropriate for each individual

• Currently and as we hide behind the equity and accessibility blanket:– we mislead individuals by letting them believe that can all make it at any level, even when

are unprepared/underprepared

• Our current system does a disservice to our students and to our society

• Can we still provide equity, accessibility, and affordability for all?– Yes, by revamping the system and with an approach like the one proposed

Who should teach and what should be taught?

Qualified individual holding appropriate credentials– degree in the appropriate area (at least a baccalaureate

degree)– having demonstrated successful work experience in the sector– he/she is teaching (hands-on experience) – professors with a Masters Degree should be teaching students

at the Community Colleges and above the baccalaureate level – professors with a Doctorate Degree should be teaching

students seeking their Master’s and/or Ph.D. degrees

Professors doing research• great initiative when it does not interfere with the professor’s

primary responsibility, which is to teach • research can be done at the same time a professor teaches • does such research demands the professor’s full attention? • does the institution believe that such research is of a value to the

higher education arena? – professor should be granted paid time in order to conduct his/her research

Benefits to higher education of a restructured K-12 curriculum

• Students will be better prepared to meet the demands of higher education

• Institutions can focus their curriculum towards specific areas/programs of study through out the four-years and not only during the last two– (during the first two we currently teach K-12 level skills and subjects)

• General education courses at a higher education institution will now focus on specific subject area & a program of study a student has chosen– (instead of remedial/developmental education & general education)

• English language skills & communication skills curriculum– speech courses

– business writing

– can substitute for English language skills developmental courses

– mathematics (unless if the chosen program of study is in a STEM concentration and there is a need for higher level mathematics and sciences such as physics & Chemistry),

– humanities, etc.

Areas of Concern• Remedial/Developmental Education

• English as a Second Language (ESL) education – we live in a very diverse environment and we need to assist all individuals in having equal

access to higher education

• many of the students of the two groups above will eventually transition into higher education

• concentrate & continue addressing issues at the higher education level until such areas have been addressed via the K-12 system effectively and efficiently

• developmental education needs to take place at the K-12 system

• ESL education and mastery of the English language skills should be acquired prior to enrollment into a higher education program of study – it is going to take time to re-structure the K-12 curriculum & eliminate the need for

developmental education beyond high school

• community colleges still need to continue assisting individuals in acquiring the skills they are lacking in the subject areas of:– reading comprehension

– English language skills

– mathematics

• to successfully transition into higher education & eventually earn a degree/academic credentials

“Middle Level”?

• “middle level” for both groups (Dev Ed & ESL) before they can enroll into college level courses (during summer following HS graduation and prior to the start of the Fall semester)

• investigating & offering multiple approaches & opportunities such as: – on-line assistance & instruction

– short term intensive instruction

– hybrid courses

– “multiple and flexible instructional approach for all subject areas at a higher education institution

• today’s learners are quite different than the learners of a few years ago and a “one-shoe fits all” approach is no longer effective

– perhaps this is one of the reasons a very high percentage of students who enroll into a higher education institutions never graduate (40-50%)

Curriculum and governmental involvement

• Faculty is in charge of the actual curriculum of each subject matter– however, standardized curriculum (Common Core Standards) for all subject areas, needs to be

offered through out the US education system, K-12, & institutions of higher education

• Governmental involvement both state and federal is needed– ensuring that individuals across the country acquire certain skills & knowledge will reduce the

possibility of the nation reacting to situations & possible threats, like “we need to train more scientists because the Soviets were able to send Sputnik onto space”

• If training will be happening consistently and through out the nation, shortages that our society is experiencing in nurses, teachers, etc., will not be an issue

• At the higher education level, there should be flexibility as well among institutions regarding “elective” curriculum/relevant programs of study, i.e., – Gateway State College in Lake City, FL offers Associates in Science degree in Forestry not many

other institutions offer that kind of training and degree because LCCC is located in an area that needs knowledgeable and credentialed individuals to deal with the forests in that part of the state

– Institutions of Higher Education in the Miami, FL area for example make sense to offer degrees geared towards Hospitality and Tourism instead of forestry LCCC offers

– This will ensure that Community Colleges and 4-year institutions are addressing the needs of the local communities and contributing to the training of employees and the growth of local economy

Role of government in financing higher education• Government (federal, state, local) – Full Time Student

– Finance ($6,500) one’s Higher Education pursuit, regardless of their economic & financial status

• individual’s choice to pursue his/her higher education endeavors via a private institution– the government should provide that individual with the same amount of financial

assistance anyone else receives ($6,500 annually for full time study / total of 30 credits)

– the individual student and/or the institution is responsible for the remaining cost of attendance at that particular institution

– Institutions should use endowments and/or revenues (i.e., from College Athletics) to supplement the difference (required for Public 4-year institutions, & optional for private 4-year institutions)

• financial assistance provided by the government should not need to be paid back by the student if student meets specific parameters

• parameters need to be in place in order to ensure tax payers moneys are not wasted, but rather invested– Example (FT student):

• a student enters a higher education institution immediately after his/her High School graduation • up on return from military service (should they choose to enlist after high school)• complete all classes with a “C” or better and on their first attempt,• student repays the tuition and fees cost of any unsuccessful attempt in any course (D, F, W, U grades), unless

there is a documented emergency situation that has caused such failure• student pays out-of-pocket to repeat a course (unsuccessfully attempted)• must maintain a 2.5 GPA• Completes an Associates in Arts Degree in 2 years, an Associates in Science or Applied Science Degree in 3

years or less, a Certificate in 1 year, and/or a Baccalaureate Degree in 4 years

Role of government in financing Higher Education• Government (federal, state, local) – Part Time Student

– Finance ($3,250) one’s higher education pursuit, regardless of their economic & financial status

• individual’s choice to pursue his/her higher education endeavors via a private institution– the government should provide that individual with the same amount of financial

assistance anyone else receives ($3,250 annually for part time study / total of 18-21 credits)

– the individual student and/or the institution is responsible for the remaining cost of attendance at that particular institution

– Institutions should use endowments and/or revenues (i.e., from College Athletics) to supplement the difference (required for Public 4-year institutions, & optional for private 4-year institutions)

• financial assistance provided by the government should not need to be paid back by the student if student meets specific parameters

• parameters need to be in place in order to ensure tax payers moneys are not wasted, but rather invested– Example (PT student):

• a student enters a higher education institution immediately after his/her High School graduation or at anytime thereafter

• up on return from military service (should they choose to enlist after high school) or anytime thereafter• complete all classes with a “C” or better and on their first attempt,• student repays the tuition and fees cost of any unsuccessful attempt in any course (D, F, W, U grades), unless

there is a documented emergency situation that has caused such failure• student pays out-of-pocket to repeat a course (unsuccessfully attempted)• must maintain a 2.5 GPA• Completes an Associates in Arts Degree in 4 years, an Associates in Science or Applied Science Degree in 4

years or less, a Certificate in 1.5 year, and/or a Baccalaureate Degree in 6 years

Trends in College Pricing 2013 For detailed data, visit: trends.collegeboard.org.

Average Published Charges for Full-Time Undergraduates by Type and Control of Institution, 2013-14 (Enrollment-Weighted)

SOURCE: The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2013, Table 1A.

Trends in College Pricing 2013 For detailed data, visit: trends.collegeboard.org.

SOURCE: The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2013, Table 1A.

Total Number of Undergraduate and Graduate Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loan Borrowers and Average Amount Borrowed in 2012 Dollars, 2002-03 to 2012-13

02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13

Total Number of Borrowers (000s) 5,884 6,492 6,924 7,152 7,288 7,745 8,657 10,177 10,264 10,407 9,960

100.00%

Undergraduate Borrowers 5,003 5,493 5,839 6,017 6,111 6,473 7,290 8,581 8,659 8,798 8,454 84.90%

Graduate Borrowers 881 999 1,085 1,135 1,177 1,272 1,367 1,596 1,604 1,610 1,505 15.10%

02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13

Average per Borrower (2012 Dollars) $7,900 $7,990 $7,980 $7,880 $7,620 $8,020 $8,840 $8,850 $9,010 $8,610 $8,350 83,166,000,000 100%

Average per Undergraduate Borrower $5,910 $5,950 $5,920 $5,820 $5,620 $5,950 $7,070 $7,210 $7,250 $6,920 $6,760 57,149,040,000 68.80%

Average per Graduate Borrower $19,180 $19,190 $19,070 $18,790 $18,060 $18,550 $18,280 $17,680 $18,510 $17,850 $17,230 25,931,150,000 31.20%

NOTE: Dollar values are rounded to the nearest $10.

SOURCE: Trends in Student Aid website (trends.collegeboard.org), Tables 6A and 6B.

This table was prepared in October 2013.

Current Expenditures - CostsNumber of Recipients by Federal Aid Program (with Average Aid Received), 2012-13

2012-13 Recipients (in Millions) 2012-13 Aid per Recipient Total Expenses

Federal Education Tax Benefits 15.2 $1,330 20,216,000,000

Federal Pell Grant 8.8 $3,650 32,120,000,000

Subsidized Direct Loans 7.5 $3,690 27,675,000,000

Unsubsidized Direct Loans 8.6 $6,450 55,470,000,000

FSEOG 1.6 $463 740,800,000

Federal Work-Study 0.697 $1,403 977,891,000

Post-9/11 GI Bill Veterans Benefits 0.711 $13,628 9,689,508,000

Perkins Loan 0.461 $1,857 856,077,000

NOTE: Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for tax benefits, Direct 64,600,276,000

Unsubsidized Loans, Perkins Loans, and Federal Work-Study (FWS). Direct Subsidized Loans Proposed

were available to both groups in 2011-12, but were limited to undergraduates thereafter. 4-Yr - 13,500,000 X $8,500 - 64.3% of students 114,750,000,000

Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) go to 2-Yr - 7,500,000 X $3,500 - 35.7% of students 26,250,000,000

undergraduates only. Data on tax benefits are for 2011-12 (in 2012 dollars) and are estimated or or

based on data for tax year 2011. 21,000,000 X $5,500 - 100% of students Most Equitable 115,500,000,000

or or

FSEOG and FWS amounts represent federal funds only. Institutions provide matching 4-Yr - 13,500,000 X $5,500 72,250,000,000

funds, so the awards students receive under these programs are larger than these federal 2-Yr - 7,500,000 X $3,500 26.250,000,000

aid amounts. Perkins Loans are made from revolving funds on campus consisting of earlier

loans that have been repaid. No new federal outlays were provided in 2012-13, but originally

the funds came partly from federal and partly from institutional sources. Post-9/11 veterans

benefits reported here cover tuition and fees as well as living and other expenses.

SOURCES: Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income ; Annual Publications, U.S.

Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education; unpublished data from

the Veterans Administration.

Current Expenditures - CostsNumber of Recipients by Federal Aid Program (with Average Aid Received), 2012-13

2012-13 Recipients (in Millions)2012-13 Aid

per Recipient Total Expenses

Federal Education Tax Benefits 15.2 $1,330 20,216,000,000

Federal Pell Grant 8.8 $3,650 32,120,000,000

Subsidized Direct Loans 7.5 $3,690 27,675,000,000

Unsubsidized Direct Loans 8.6 $6,450 55,470,000,000

FSEOG 1.6 $463 740,800,000

Federal Work-Study 0.697 $1,403 977,891,000

Post-9/11 GI Bill Veterans Benefits 0.711 $13,628 9,689,508,000

Perkins Loan 0.461 $1,857 856,077,000

NOTE: Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for tax benefits, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Perkins Loans, and Federal Work-Study (FWS). Direct Subsidized Loans were available to both groups in 2011-12 but were limited to undergraduates thereafter. 64,600,276,000

but were limited to undergraduates thereafter. Proposed

Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) go to undergraduates only.Data on tax benefits are for 2011-12 (in 2012 dollars) and are estimated based on data for tax year 2011.

4-Yr - 13,500,000 X $8,500 - 64.3% of students 114,750,000,000

2-Yr - 7,500,000 X $3,500 - 35.7% of students 26,250,000,000

or or

21,000,000 X $5,500 - 100% of students Most Equitable 115,500,000,000

or or

FSEOG and FWS amounts represent federal funds only. Institutions provide matching funds, so the awards students receive under these programs 4-Yr - 13,500,000 X $5,500 72,250,000,000

are larger than these federal aid amounts. Perkins Loans are made from 2-Yr - 7,500,000 X $3,500 26.250,000,000

revolving funds on campus consisting of earlier loans that have been

repaid. No new federal outlays were provided in 2012-13, but originally

the funds came partly from federal and partly from institutional sources. Post-9/11 veterans benefits reported here cover tuition and fees as well

as living and other expenses.

SOURCES: Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income; Annual Publications, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary

Education; unpublished data from the Veterans Administration.

Private sector’s role in creating the future

of Higher Education

Extremely important because Higher Education institutions strive to:– train individuals/future and/or current employees

– meet the needs and demands of our society

– enhance our economy

education and supporting mechanisms are costly

Private sector can support Higher Education by:• tuition assistance available for all employees (both FT and PT employees)

• employees receiving tuition assistance benefits commit to work at least 3 more years following graduation with the employer or reimburses expenses paid by the employer

• scholarships for qualified individuals

• donations & gifts

• training opportunities (paid internships) for students

• employment opportunities for graduating students

More Details of the Plan• If student works FT or PT and utilizes employee educational assistance

benefits, does not receive the Access to Higher Education Scholarship

• Utilizes educational assistance employee benefits instead

• If an employee does not have an Associates Degree or have not attended college at all at the time they decide to enroll, they need to complete their first 2 years (FT students) at the local Community/State College (employer pays $6,500 in tuition assistance annually), and then they enroll at the local Public 4-year institution to complete their remaining 2 years (FT students) and employer pays $8,500 annually (avg 4-year public institution tuition, fees, and books).

• If an employee does not have an Associates Degree or have not attended college at all at the time they decide to enroll, they need to complete their first 3 years (PT students) at the local Community/State College (employer pays $3,250 in tuition assistance annually), and then they enroll at the local Public 4-year institution to complete their remaining 3 years (PT students) and employer pays $4,250 annually (avg 4-year public institution tuition, fees, and books).

• Employee receives a $1,000 annual salary increase when they earn an AA, AS, AAS or a Certificate, a $2,000 annual increase when they earn a BS, a $3,000 if they earn a Master’s, and a $4,000 annual increase if they earn a Ph.D. or an Ed.D.

What should be the role of government, families, or individuals?

Role of the government and of the states • ensuring local needs are met by:

– providing appropriate education – financial assistance for institutions to be able to offer such specialized training and programs – financial assistance for the students so they are able to pursue such opportunities

Role of the family• educated & knowledgeable of the benefits of higher education• educated about the choices their children have in pursuing such opportunities • where they need to go/options (institution/s) • what financial means are available in order to assist them and their children in

such academic pursuit

Role of the individual• the individual’s desire • motivation • preparedness • understanding reality and limitations • been informed

Personal Philosophy of

Higher Education in the USA

by

Yianni Vassiliou

Thank You