If I could change just one thing about higher education in the U.S. it would be the way that it is funded. A somewhat cynical colleague of mine is also ways quick to say, “it is all about the money in higher education.” However, there is some truth to her comment. Intuitions of higher education is often beholden to financial supporters. From top to bottom unpopular decisions are made to please grant holders, donors, and federal agencies. These decisions are made in part because the research/program could not exist without outside financial support.
The University of South Florida recently closed all undergraduate programs in its College of Education due to budget cuts (Flaherty, 2020). The announcement was conveyed in a department email by Interim Dean Ponticell (Flaherty, 2020). Had it not been for the pandemic, I might have paused on that note for sometime. However, as COVID-19 is our daily existence, email may have been the most effective method of communication.
Though the closing of undergraduate programs is tragic and students and faculty will likely be displaced, it is the founding piece that I wish it focused on today. It should be unthinkable that the fourth largest university in the State of Florida would not be able to afford to keep its school of education operable (History | University of South Florida, n.d.). Yet, the university is closing the program citing reductions in enrollment as one of the primary reasons (Flaherty, 2020).
Low enrollment in university programs is important for one reason, lack of interest leads to reduction in funding. Tuition makes up an average of 46 % of operating cost for universities in the United States (Quinton, 2018). This is of course an overwhelming problem as if even the loss of a few hundred students can have a great impact on the universities gross financial income. Thus, reduction in enrollment numbers can easily result in closing programs, departments, or even entire universities. These means that Universities are beholden to every dollar that they can get to try and sustain themselves.
Now that the problem has been established, I may discuss the high level solution. Universities must change the way that they are funded. The Ideal candidate for increased support is the federal government. I come from a state without as much as an income tax, so I can imagine the backlash that I am about to receive. Nonetheless the answer is more tax payer dollars must be allocated to higher education in the United States. Whether that means raising taxes on those above a certain income bracket or realigning the federal budget to compensate for need. Public institutions of higher education should not be reduced to just another charity begging for money to stay open another year.
References
Flaherty, C. (2020, October 28). Teacher education programs continue to suffer “death
continue-suffer-death-thousand-cut
History | University of South Florida. (n.d.). Www.Usf.Edu. Retrieved November 7, 2020,
Quinton, S. (2018, March 29). Tuition Overtakes State Money as Funding Source for Public Colleges. Pew.org. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and- analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/03/29/tuition-overtakes-state-money-as-funding- source-for-public-colleges