Category: My Family

Newspapers and colleges are suffering. Is there a connection?

Well, what we can say is both are losing ‘subscribers’ for — I suspect — some of the very same reasons. In my humble opinion, both have lost their way, forgotten who they serve and the lesson that people ‘expect a prize for playing this game.’ When what was once promised is not delivered, folks find an alternative.

You can write off or explain away the demise of newspapers by the growth of the internet or the high cost of a newspaper. Costs are relative, after all, cable is much more expensive and it has few issues… as it delivers what it promises. If newspapers were viewed as an important contributor to someone’s daily life, love would find a way. Colleges — sadly — have also been losing their luster…. much of it self-inflicted.

Btw, where have all the men gone? You won’t find them in school. In California, one California university sports 80 % female students and this isn’t a ‘historically female institution.” The trend is everywhere, universities have limited appeal to men and this is not good for society. In addition, institutions and individuals are shifting their focus away from colleges as the hope for a better life that universities represented has proven less valid. Recently the  American Association of University Professors wrote:

“just over 10 percent of the colleges laid off employees ( Survey completed 1/09), and another 26 percent were considering layoffs. More than 40 percent said they had imposed partial freezes on faculty hiring, and nearly 60 percent had imposed freezes on their hiring. About 6 percent said they had reduced benefits, and 18 percent of the remainder considering doing so. Half of all respondents said they had postponed or canceled building projects or were planning to do so.

Public institutions reported being affected by cuts imposed by statewide mandates, while private colleges are suffering — and anticipating more suffering — as a result of more families being able to afford the full costs of college. nearly 60 percent of all colleges said they were already seeing a decline in donations.”

Rather than face the challenge honestly, many universities point to the high cost of education as the sole hindrance and barrier to entry and — secondarily –our troubling economy as the cause of their suffering. The sad truth is that folks won’t buy what you are selling if it doesn’t deliver. As Ba’al says,”no flash No photo.” ( I like the way he says it) It’s all about delivering measurable results ( like jobs) and many academicians don’t undestand that… yet.

Laura, Karen and I have had some great discussions on the value of the practical and the theoretical in academia. They have some great ideas and I hope that others are thinking about how to reinvigorate, reenergize and reshape the university experience to contribute real value to our society and the world.

Roger Freberg

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