Higher Education

Higher education, along with K-12 public education, should be a main priority in the United States. Although many consider K-12 education crucial ,being able to enter a college or university and successfully attaining a college degree should be a priority in educational agendas. As discussed in the article by Joseph Burke, accountability is an important factor that must be addressed within institutions of higher learning. Unlike K-12 schooling where accountability tends to fall on administrators and teachers, universities and colleges have more freedom in deciding where their efforts will be placed and any consequences are dealt with internally. Burke mentions that “to many beleaguered leaders in colleges and universities,accountability appears two-faced, with sponsors and stakeholders demanding more services while supplying less support” in comparison to outsiders who feel that higher learning institutions want more autonomy. Despite the varying perspectives, it is important to understand that colleges and universities function very differently from K-12 schools, and this different aspect of its functioning dictates the services provided to the students. After all, they are institutions designed and mediated by money. The influx or scarcity of capital is so important that it affects students directly. Accountability should be most important when finances within the college or university aren’t being handled properly and are negatively affecting the educational institution. This is specially important in public colleges or universities such as CUNY. With the current economic crisis, public colleges have taken a direct hit from the state budget cuts consequently forcing those institutions to raise tuition fees. Although it is understandable that colleges must make the decision to increase tuition, it should be the state’s responsibility to provide quality education at an affordable rate. Many students find that public colleges, such as CUNY, are an affordable alternative to attaining a college degree. Most of these students join the workforce and contribute to the State; if many of them are shut out because of rising costs, then the State will be losing out. It is extremely important that the government and the states find a budgeting plan that will keep benefiting hard working students, otherwise the U.S. will become internationally incompetent. Education is a costly investment, in regards to finance and effort. However, those in power need to realize that current economic downfalls are impacting every aspect of our society,and most important out of all, education.