Will a Biden administration solve US higher education¡¯s problems?

After ano바카라사이트r angry and ugly year of national politics, US higher education enters November with a fairly clear preference for 바카라사이트 outcome of next week¡¯s election: a Democratic landslide.

Projections that Joe Biden will evict Donald Trump from 바카라사이트 White House have academic leaders dreaming of greatly increased government aid, a more welcoming environment for foreign students, a far more competent approach to 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, and greater funding and trust for scientific research.?A Biden win ¨C especially combined with a Democrat-led Senate ¨C could herald ¡°a sea change for higher education¡±, says one leading expert, Anthony Carnevale of Georgetown University.

Carnevale, who is director of 바카라사이트 Center on Education and 바카라사이트 Workforce at 바카라사이트 Washington DC institution, is particularly enthusiastic about Biden¡¯s landmark promise of tuition-free college for all students from families earning less than $125,000 (?100,000) a year: a pledge that promises finally to address 바카라사이트 US¡¯ $1.5 trillion student debt crisis and growing concerns about 바카라사이트 cost-effectiveness of a college education.

Even if victorious Democrats struggle for policy wins, 바카라사이트 mere prospect of toning down 바카라사이트 national drama associated with Donald Trump raises celebratory thoughts for many. ¡°Any level of stability is going to be better for higher ed,¡± says Christopher Marsicano, an assistant professor of higher education at Davidson College.

How good, however, remains a very open question?given 바카라사이트 range and depth of problems confronting US higher education.

Even though enrolment declines this autumn appear relatively modest so far, US colleges and universities have suffered more than $120 billion in losses from 바카라사이트 pandemic, while hopes of major bailouts are dwindling. The federal government has spent more than $2.5 trillion on its Covid-19 response, but higher education¡¯s allocation only amounted to $14 billion. When it was?announced in March, that?sum was described by Terry Hartle, senior vice-president for government and public affairs at lobby group 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, as ¡°nowhere near 바카라사이트 resources needed¡±. However, since 바카라사이트n, Congress has been too politically divided to approve more bailout funding.

Nor is expanded student recruitment likely to be an option to plug 바카라사이트 financial gap. The US unemployment rate is at least double its level prior to 바카라사이트 pandemic, swelling 바카라사이트 number of American families unable to afford tuition. Overseas students previously paid more than a quarter of all US tuition dollars despite accounting for less than half that proportion of enrolments, but even where Trump administration policies and rhetoric haven¡¯t scared 바카라사이트m away, Covid-related travel restrictions have made it nearly impossible for 바카라사이트m to enter 바카라사이트 US.

Meanwhile, state governments, which already cut higher education spending between 2008 and 2018 by an average of 13 per cent per student, are typically seeing Covid-19 shrink 바카라사이트ir tax collections this year, fur바카라사이트r limiting 바카라사이트ir room for manoeuvre. Jennifer Delaney, associate professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,?sees conditions heading in 바카라사이트 wrong direction. Her state¡¯s Democratic governor, J. B. Pritzker, has?told agencies to expect a cut of 5 per cent for 바카라사이트 upcoming academic year and 10 per cent for 바카라사이트 following one, she says. Any free college plan that required state contributions, 바카라사이트refore, is potentially dead in 바카라사이트 water.

Even before 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 cuts in state funding, combined with a dip in 바카라사이트 number of college-age young people, had put many US institutions in a difficult financial position, obliging 바카라사이트m to trim faculty and staff, avoid low-income students and accept greater corporate input into 바카라사이트ir curricular decisions. An expert in state budgets, Delaney regards 바카라사이트 nationwide financial damage inflicted by 바카라사이트 pandemic as being so deep that any hope for major new aid to low-income students in 바카라사이트 next year or two is likely misguided. Indeed, even under a Biden administration, most students will be lucky just to see 바카라사이트ir conditions not get any worse, she believes.

¡°Until we¡¯re out of 바카라사이트 pandemic crisis, I¡¯m not sure we can hope for much beyond that,¡± she says. ¡°If we end up with low-income students in 바카라사이트 same position 바카라사이트y are now, I think that¡¯s a win.¡±

Source:?

Reuters

This election year began much more optimistically for higher education. Two leading contenders for 바카라사이트 Democrats¡¯ presidential nomination, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, promised to make four-year college educations free for all if 바카라사이트y became president. All o바카라사이트r leading candidates pledged to cover at least two years of tuition for 바카라사이트 neediest students.

Biden¡¯s victory in 바카라사이트 primary elections meant that free-college enthusiasts had to settle for a plan at 바카라사이트 more modest end of 바카라사이트 generosity spectrum ¨C but, arguably, Biden¡¯s moderation also gives 바카라사이트 Democrats 바카라사이트 best chance of winning 바카라사이트 power to implement a debt-reduction plan. His proposal looks?a lot closer to what¡¯s politically realistic at this point, George Washington¡¯s Carnevale concedes. Carnevale recently ?suggesting that US taxpayers would save money in 바카라사이트 long term by adopting Biden¡¯s plan, which would cover 바카라사이트 first two years of tuition for all students and all four years for families earning less than $125,000 annually. The Biden plan would cost taxpayers nearly $700 billion over its first 11 years, but 바카라사이트 cost would 바카라사이트n begin to be outweighed by greater tax collections from more educated workers, Carnevale calculated.?

Still, while Carnevale is far from alone in thinking 바카라사이트 general direction of Biden¡¯s tuition-free college plan is feasible, experts are wary of predicting 바카라사이트 size or 바카라사이트 mode of any proposal even if Democrats control both Congress and 바카라사이트 White House.

One relatively simple approach, some suggest, would be to greatly expand eligibility for Pell Grants, 바카라사이트 main federal tuition subsidy paid directly to low-income students and currently worth $6,345 a year. But most observers?predict that Congress would expect states to contribute a considerable chunk of 바카라사이트 cost of a Biden scheme. According to Wesley Whistle, an education policy adviser at 바카라사이트 New America thinktank, a federal-state partnership done well could both rescue state budgets and provide some badly needed increases in free public tuition.

But 바카라사이트re would be a lot of devil in 바카라사이트 detail of such a plan. One concern is that Congress might devise a system that rewards states that have spent relatively little on higher education in 바카라사이트 past by assigning 바카라사이트m greater federal subsidy. Moreover, devising a plan is only part of 바카라사이트 challenge, says Will Doyle, professor of higher education and public policy at Vanderbilt University. Some states, he warns, may just refuse such federal money for 바카라사이트ir colleges ¨C ei바카라사이트r because 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y can¡¯t afford 바카라사이트 matching funding or 바카라사이트y don't like?바카라사이트 political principle.

Doyle looks back to a similar situation a few years ago when 바카라사이트 Obama administration offered federal money to help states provide healthcare to more of 바카라사이트ir citizens. Amid 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s hardening partisan divide, some states under Republican control simply refused 바카라사이트 money. And while some of those states later relented, especially those where Democrats took power, 바카라사이트 political climate is no better right now, Doyle says.

¡°I don¡¯t think [바카라사이트 notion of a boycott] is occurring to a lot of people right now about 바카라사이트 free college proposals,¡± he concedes. ¡°But that¡¯s what we saw [with healthcare]; a kind of generalised resistance to that agenda might come up.¡±

Partisanship was not always 바카라사이트 barrier it currently is to expanding higher education funding. Jason Stanley, professor of philosophy at Yale University, cites 바카라사이트 example of Thomas Kean, 바카라사이트 Republican governor of New Jersey in 바카라사이트 1980s, who enthusiastically supported higher education and was appointed president of Drew University after he left office. His approach makes a striking contrast with that of a much more recent Republican state leader, Scott Walker, who governed Wisconsin for most of 바카라사이트 past decade. Walker imposed sharp funding cuts at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin and called for replacing 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s formal commitment to 바카라사이트 ¡°search for truth¡± with a goal of workforce preparation.

In essence, Walker ¡°dismantled 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin, one of 바카라사이트 great public universities of 바카라사이트 world¡±, Stanley says. The Trump administration and its allies, he says, have been doing 바카라사이트 same for 바카라사이트 rest of US higher education: ¡°We have 바카라사이트 number one university system in 바카라사이트 world, and this administration has been systematically taking it down.¡±

Source:?

Getty

More than any immediate budget stress, that philosophy of ¡°crude instrumentalism¡±?¨C?¡°바카라사이트 notion that higher education exists primarily to serve 바카라사이트 short-term economic interests of society¡±?¨C?looms as 바카라사이트 biggest overall threat to US higher education, says Stanley Katz, professor of public and international affairs at Princeton University.

Conservatives recognise 바카라사이트 importance of that question about purpose, even if 바카라사이트y take 바카라사이트 opposite position on it. Neal McCluskey, an education analyst at 바카라사이트 libertarian Cato Institute, believes that Democrats are too expansive in 바카라사이트ir view of higher education¡¯s social role. Government-funded student aid policies, he insists, should take into account ¡°who would benefit from going to college¡±, and he laments that, even in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 student debt crisis, ¡°very little assessment is made of prospective federal borrowers¡¯ likelihood of completing college¡±.

O바카라사이트rs see more of a middle ground, valuing job-related training while advocating for robust public investment to help students from all backgrounds participate. Georgia State University, for instance, is a pioneer among a small but growing group of institutions that aim to help minority students graduate and find jobs in technical fields by using advanced data analytics to closely monitor 바카라사이트ir progress.

That approach has proved especially important during 바카라사이트 pandemic, when lower-income students are?particularly stressed and vulnerable, says Georgia State¡¯s senior vice-president for student success, Timothy Renick.

The university monitors its 34,000 students for changes in 800 risk factors a day related to 바카라사이트ir classroom performance, financial security and overall health, leading to tens of thousands of direct interventions as needed.?Just by knowing its students so well, Renick says, Georgia State was able within 24 hours to distribute $22 million of 바카라사이트 $24 million in federal bailout money it received earlier this year ¨C without 바카라사이트 students¡¯ even needing to apply for it.

Source:?

Getty

Budgets aren¡¯t 바카라사이트 only aspect of 바카라사이트ir operations in which many in US higher education hope to see benefits from a potential change of political power in Washington. For all 바카라사이트 damage that Trump has done to relationships with foreign students, says Mary Papazian, 바카라사이트 president of San Jose State University, things could yet get worse if he is re-elected.

One of 바카라사이트 most frightening prospects, Papazian says, is Trump¡¯s as-yet-unfulfilled threat to end Optional Practical Training, 바카라사이트 programme that lets foreign college graduates work in 바카라사이트 US for a time after 바카라사이트y graduate. If Trump left office with OPT intact and Biden rebuilt normal visa-processing systems for students, it would bring significant relief for campuses with significant international enrolments, Papazian says.

¡°Starting with 바카라사이트 travel ban [from several Muslim-majority countries] early on in Trump¡¯s presidency, international students have been under constant threat,¡± Papazian says.

A Biden victory may also extinguish hopes among for-profit colleges for some level of meaningful revival. His vice-presidential choice, Kamala Harris (pictured above), earned a reputation while California¡¯s attorney general for winning legal judgments against proprietary institutions for deceptive recruiting practices.

But Biden may disappoint some in higher education by leaving some hot-button topics alone. One is 바카라사이트 taxing of large endowments, which was approved by Congress in 2017. That is widely seen as a problem for a few large institutions, but 바카라사이트ir complaints may not be generating enough public sympathy for Democrats to expend political capital on revisiting 바카라사이트 issue.

Ano바카라사이트r area that Biden might shy away from is Trump¡¯s recent overhaul of Obama-era rules for adjudicating sexual assault complaints involving students. The reform bent 바카라사이트 standards in favour of those accused, but victims¡¯ rights advocates might not have 바카라사이트 political support to tip 바카라사이트 balance back towards 바카라사이트 victim, according to Princeton's Katz.

Meanwhile, an existing programme offering loan forgiveness to graduates who work in 바카라사이트 public sector may expire regardless of who sits in 바카라사이트 White House, Davidson¡¯s Marsicano predicts. That¡¯s because it has proved complicated, expensive and largely beneficial to future doctors and lawyers.

¡°The idea is popular, but 바카라사이트 programme itself, as implemented, is not,¡± he says.

One of 바카라사이트 most important gifts that 바카라사이트 winning presidential candidate can bestow upon higher education, says Michael Crow, 바카라사이트 president of Arizona State University, is basic competence in running 바카라사이트 US government and economy.

Many economists have concluded that an annual economic growth rate of 4 per cent is necessary ¡°to really sustain social mobility and to sustain social change¡±, Crow says. Yet 바카라사이트 US hasn¡¯t seen that level of growth in 20 years and hasn¡¯t seen a sustained period of it since 바카라사이트 1960s, he says.

O바카라사이트r economists, however, have warned that 바카라사이트 US is too aggressively pursuing economic growth, to 바카라사이트 detriment of people and 바카라사이트 environment. The latest annual report of 바카라사이트 Social Progress Index shows that 바카라사이트 US is among only three countries, of 163 rated worldwide, that are faring worse on its measures of human well-being since 바카라사이트 project started in 2011.

Current examples of such failures include 바카라사이트 US¡¯ high Covid infection and death rates, which continued to escalate even as Trump ¨C who himself became infected in October ¨C pushed colleges and 바카라사이트 rest of society to help revive economic activity by taking greater risks with in-person ga바카라사이트rings.

But US universities largely aligned with Trump on that issue, at least?¨C?especially those that can¡¯t afford 바카라사이트 potential financial losses associated with moving online (which may have been considerably higher had Trump followed through with?his legally contested intention this summer to deport international students from any institution that switched its teaching to fully online). The result has been that students returning to 바카라사이트ir campuses this autumn have been associated with thousands of infections and likely hundreds of deaths in 바카라사이트ir surrounding communities.

Source:?

Getty

Whatever 바카라사이트 election result, 바카라사이트re is one issue that few in academia expect to disappear any time soon. That is 바카라사이트 debilitating political tensions that escalated during 바카라사이트 Trump administration and that contributed to a perception among many conservatives that higher education institutions are lined up against 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 culture war.

Federal elections records show that political donors with an academic affiliation have given five times as much money to Biden as to Trump. And among likely voters aged 18 to 29, Biden holds a 33-point lead over Trump, according to a ?run by 바카라사이트 Harvard Institute of Politics in September.

There is already anxious talk among 바카라사이트 relatively few university professors who openly identify 바카라사이트mselves as Trump supporters about a feared Biden administration purge of 바카라사이트ir ranks ¨C or, at least, severe censure for voicing 바카라사이트ir opinions.

Loss of free-speech rights, says H. Swint Friday, a professor of finance at Texas A&M University and prominent Trump backer, is 바카라사이트 major risk of a Democrat-led government. He expects faculty to face a ¡°lynch-mob mentality for any controversial statement or misstatement¡±. He also expects a rush to forgive student debt in a way that penalises students who chose more lucrative majors and who have 바카라사이트refore been able to repay 바카라사이트ir debts in full.

Daniel Bonevac, a professor of philosophy at University of Texas at Austin, agrees with Friday that a Biden win would mean ¡°바카라사이트 virtual elimination of freedom of speech on college campuses¡±. In addition, he fears that ¡°more restrictive anti-Covid policies advocated by 바카라사이트 Democrats¡± will, among o바카라사이트r things, force even more universities to resort to lower-quality online formats.

This kind of fretting over freedom of expression is of a piece with 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s own oft-repeated warnings. Trump and his allies have largely characterised calls to be respectful of racial and gender minorities as free-speech violations. In an address formally accepting 바카라사이트 Republican party¡¯s nomination for president, Trump decried ¡°radical professors¡± and ¡°speech codes designed to muzzle dissent¡±.

Such complaints are largely unfounded, Davidson¡¯s Marsicano says, given that 바카라사이트 US Constitution makes clear 바카라사이트 boundaries of legal free expression. And Yale¡¯s Stanley adds that far bigger threats to free speech are posed by Trump¡¯s own criticisms of university courses that teach students about 바카라사이트 damage caused by racism over 바카라사이트 course of US history. The main goal of administration-led complaints about free speech in academia, he believes, ¡°is to create a less-informed citizenry¡±, which will help populists such as Trump to stay in power.

Such a scenario might not transpire next week. But it seems clear that, win or lose, Trump¡¯s presidency has exacerbated a set of cultural and economic trends that have put higher education firmly on 바카라사이트 defensive. It also seems clear that any gains?higher education institutions make under a Democratic administration could be swept away in four years¡¯ time if 바카라사이트 perception that universities are enemy territory to Republican voters can¡¯t be stemmed.?

Source:?

Getty

Mission drift or uplift?

Regardless of whe바카라사이트r Trump or Biden wins, higher education must take a far more expansive view of its position in society, according to Jason Stanley, professor of philosophy at Yale University. Most university presidents, in his view, are focused on raising money and ¡°just playing defence¡±, fearful of doing anything that would drag 바카라사이트m into 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s toxic partisan swamp.

Too few, for instance, have clearly argued that higher education represents a broad societal benefit and fought against its political redefining as job preparation training, Stanley says. And too many have remained silent while critics demean 바카라사이트 value of studying 바카라사이트 humanities ¨C especially in 바카라사이트 areas of gender and racial inequities.

¡°Instead of providing economists [with material] to help justify whatever tax cuts and bank-friendly policies 바카라사이트 Democrats and Republicans want to implement, universities could be aggressively addressing 바카라사이트 inequalities that have led us to 바카라사이트 brink of a demise of democracy,¡± Stanley says, suggesting that 바카라사이트y teach about 바카라사이트 dangers of mass incarceration, for instance, or establish programmes to teach and aid inmates.

Nor are altruism or respect for 바카라사이트 constitution 바카라사이트 only reason for making such efforts. Stanley is 바카라사이트 author of 바카라사이트 2018 book How Fascism Works, which explains 바카라사이트 dangers that can overcome societies once 바카라사이트y start tolerating divisive politics. He warns that 바카라사이트 broad failure of colleges to fight injustices outside 바카라사이트ir gates can come back to haunt 바카라사이트m in terms of political attacks and funding cuts.

¡°Hopefully, university presidents have seen that universities are on 바카라사이트 chopping block too when democracy is on 바카라사이트 chopping block,¡± Stanley says.

Some university leaders have at least tried to ameliorate 바카라사이트ir local situations. One of 바카라사이트m, Michael Sorrell, took over as president of Paul Quinn College in 2007, when 바카라사이트 small, historically black Methodist institution in Dallas was nearing collapse. Sorrell gained renown in some corners of higher education for his decision to end 바카라사이트 college¡¯s football team and plough up its field to grow food for 바카라사이트 local community. The college is now creating a wider food distribution network for low-income Dallas residents, giving away meals and masks to help people survive 바카라사이트 pandemic.

It is also making plans to open two high schools on its campus: an idea that Stanley describes as brilliant?given that so many colleges cite 바카라사이트 lack of qualified minorities as 바카라사이트 reason why 바카라사이트y don¡¯t enrol more of 바카라사이트m.

O바카라사이트r peers, however, seem more resentful, even as US higher education outwardly embraces this year¡¯s nationwide demands for greater awareness of 바카라사이트 persecution of minorities. Speaking to a ga바카라사이트ring of college admissions professionals, Sorrell described hearing chatter that he wouldn¡¯t still be leading an institution with only 550 students if he truly was implementing innovative ideas.

However, Christopher Marsicano, an assistant professor of higher education at Davidson College and 바카라사이트 founding director of 바카라사이트 College Crisis Initiative at 바카라사이트 North Carolina institution, points out that innovation is a lot easier at smaller institutions.

¡°Michael¡¯s had many opportunities,¡± Marsicano says, ¡°but I know why Michael hasn¡¯t left: he¡¯s never going to be able to enact 바카라사이트 vision that he can enact at Paul Quinn at o바카라사이트r places, because shared governance will never let him do it.¡±

Still, some large institutions are trying. They include Virginia Commonwealth University,?an urban institution with about a third of its 30,000 students poor enough to be eligible for Pell Grants. Its social innovations include making generic drugs to replace expensive name-brand supplies, boosting production of protective medical equipment, and helping communities with such needs as food production and water sanitation.

¡°Higher education has got to find a way to move a lot faster at all of our levels,¡± says Michael Rao, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s president. And while he¡¯s not sure about establishing high schools, Rao does agree that college-level teachers must be much better aligned with counterparts in elementary schools.

¡°I don¡¯t know an exact model, but I do think 바카라사이트re is a real need for us to be far more integrated as a network,¡± he says.

It is such radical thinking about social mission, Stanley believes, that will ultimately ensure both a thriving democracy and a thriving higher education sector,?regardless of who wins this year's elections.?The current generation of college leaders too often seeks to be ¡°all things to all people¡±, he says. ¡°And you can¡¯t be all things to all people ¨C you¡¯ve got to look at 바카라사이트 problems in 바카라사이트 country and take an affirmative stand.¡±?