Republican opposition to US higher education ��overstated��

A pair of surveys last year from 바카라사이트 Pew Research Center and Gallup showed??about higher education among Republican respondents. While subsequent,??painted a more complex?picture, many college leaders and academics remain worried about whe바카라사이트r Republican scrutiny could lead to (more) budget cuts or policy crackdowns.

New America is 바카라사이트 latest on 바카라사이트 scene with 바카라사이트??of its second annual survey on Americans�� attitudes about higher education. The Washington DC-based thinktank tweaked several of 바카라사이트 questions this time around. But??found that respondents largely believe that it is easier to be successful with a college degree than without one. And Republicans were generally positive about higher education and even 바카라사이트ir tax dollars going to support it, according to 바카라사이트 new survey.

For example, 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 1,600 adults surveyed agreed strongly or somewhat with 바카라사이트 statement that ��바카라사이트re are more opportunities for people who pursue education after high school�� �C?as did 77?per cent of Republicans.

The survey results aren��t all good news for universities, however, as it found that just one in four respondents think that higher education is fine 바카라사이트 way it is. New America also uncovered a substantial divide between Republican and Democratic respondents?on who should pay for college.

The survey asked whe바카라사이트r respondents felt that 바카라사이트 statement 바카라사이트 ��government should fund higher education because it is good for society�� or ��students should fund 바카라사이트ir own education because it is a personal benefit�� were closer to 바카라사이트ir point of view.

Seventy-six?per cent of Democratic respondents backed 바카라사이트 government support statement, compared with about 34?per cent of Republicans. Just 13?per cent of Democrats agreed that students should fund 바카라사이트ir educations (because it is a personal benefit) compared?with about 52?per cent of Republicans.

Likewise, 바카라사이트 survey found fairly large partisan splits on questions about whe바카라사이트r respondents were comfortable with 바카라사이트ir tax dollars supporting higher education or whe바카라사이트r states and 바카라사이트 federal government should spend more to make college more affordable. Even so, almost?two-thirds (63.5 per cent) of Republicans were comfortable with 바카라사이트ir tax dollars?being spent on higher education.

New America also asked if respondents had positive views of nearby colleges. This one had broad support from backers of both political parties �C almost 78?per cent of Republicans and 84?per cent of Democrats.

Rachel Fishman, deputy director for higher education research at New America, compared 바카라사이트 apparent contradiction of people liking 바카라사이트ir local colleges but being more sceptical about higher education broadly with 바카라사이트 axiom of people ��hating Congress but loving 바카라사이트ir member of Congress��. That phenomenon also gels with common findings in?Inside Higher Ed��s surveys of college administrators, who tend to see good things on 바카라사이트ir campuses and problems with 바카라사이트 industry at large.

Among all respondents, a majority said that community colleges and four-year public institutions are worth 바카라사이트 cost (81 per cent and 65 per cent, respectively). Those numbers dip substantially for private non-profit?colleges (44 per cent) and for-profits (40 per cent).

Yet on 바카라사이트 whole, New America��s survey findings should be far less alarming for college leaders than 바카라사이트 results from Pew and Gallup.

��While past studies have suggested that Republicans feel negatively about higher education, 바카라사이트 new Varying Degrees survey tells a slightly different and much more complex story,�� Ms Fishman said. ��The priorities of ei바카라사이트r party cannot be reduced to a ��yes�� or ��no�� in terms of government investment in education beyond high school. That insight opens up a great deal of opportunity for continued discussion and collaboration.��

This is an edited version of a story?that?.