Month: May 2014

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Higher Education – 2016 Presidential Debate Topic Without Question

by Kyle Purchase

The next presidential debate is in two years and likely runners such as Jeb Bush (kin to Presidents 41 & 43) as well as Hillary Clinton, want to express how crucial higher education is and how important it is for it to be affordable.

“Higher education in America has a growing affordability problem while billions in the developing world struggle with accessibility. Exporting U.S. post-secondary education and global consumers at scale can help really resolve both issues simultaneously”

Bush said. “Expanding access through technology can bring down the cost of delivery at home and abroad.” Jeb Bush is pushing the fact that connecting the two issues together might be able to solve one another.

Mrs. Clinton had this to add:

“…that we’re closing the doors to higher education in our own country so this great model that we’ve had that has meant so much to so many is becoming further and further away from too many.”

If we don’t solve this problem now, nobody might not want to go to college due to the fear of debt or a lack of jobs available in the their degree field. Normally in a presidential election candidates will talk about the economy or foreign policy and education, higher education especially, isn’t mentioned a great deal. If the economy is being talked about, they need to make sure they say something about higher education.

http://news.yahoo.com/jeb-bush-hillary-clinton-promote-higher-education-172843290–election.html

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STATE SEN. ANDY DINNIMAN: Higher Education in Pa. must Change with the Times

By Gary Masino

Pennsylvania State Senator Andy Dinniman recently wrote a column discussing the difficulties faced by the Commonwealth’s State System of Higher Education. He stated that fiscal and demographic problems in the state will have to be resolved or the system will collapse.

At the Senate Appropriations hearing, the State System Chancellor explained that the system needs $61 million more than the governor budgeted and will certainly have a 3 percent tuition increase and even more if that money is not provided.

He stresses that the PA Constitution requires that the first legislative budget obligation is to fund the k-12 public schools, and that every dollar taken away from k-12 will increase local schools property taxes.

About three years ago, after the first budget cuts, Gov. Corbett appointed an Advisory Commission on Higher Education. A year later, their report was issued. That report lays gathering dust on endless desks in Harrisburg because no one wants to deal with fiscal demographic and change realities.

 The report bluntly stated: “In recognition of an overall decline in the rate of growth of post secondary institutions, competition for funding, potential duplication of services and geographically underserved areas, efforts must be focused on the efficient and effective delivery of services and the sustainability of our post secondary system into the future.”

 Read More:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/opinion/20140410/state-sen-andy-dinniman-higher-education-in-pa-must-change-with-the-times