We are facing a challenging situation in Higher Education. There are a series of “forces” at work, which under the guise of Educational Reform, are creating an opportunity for causing major long term impacts in our Nation’s Culture, the abilities of our citizens to be successful, and the growth and development of our Future leaders. Simply put, a mounting number of individuals and organizations, driven by self interest, short range vision, and selfish purpose are raising the question, “What’s the point of college?” In striving to prove their worth, leaders in education, and opportunistic private companies, are setting forth a seductive solution driven by costs stemming from current economic stress levels within our country. The new buzz word is: “Adaptive learning technologies,” another word for online courses being supplied by the surging number of for-profit education entrepreneurs. In times of economic stress, it’s entirely reasonable students and their families demand evidence that paying for college makes sense. The Rig Risk in this thinking, and indeed among many business and educational leaders today who are thinking this way, is losing the opportunity and environment where young women and men can learn the self-confidence and intellectual curiosity that launches them on their journey to becoming Tomorrow’s Leaders.
