Apparently, the University of Wisconsin System is not quite making the grade. Recently, the Wausau Daily Herald published an opinion piece that claimed the UW System was doing a disservice to students and taxpayers by not doing a better job of creating affordable education opportunities in the state. Citing a report by the National Center for Public Policy and Education, Wisconsin, along with 43 other states, received an F in what the author described as "the most important aspect [of the study]: making college affordable."
The importance of affordability in higher education is that more expensive educational institutions create financial barriers that prevent potentially qualified applicants from entrance, especially at public universities such as Wisconsin, which usually serve as the breeding grounds for future leaders and provide a large portion of the college-educated work force of the state. Creating a financially accessible institution should be regarded as a necessity by the government.
According to the chairman of the National Center, former North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt, "in such key areas as college access and completion, the United States has made little or no progress while other countries have made substantial gains." This is an important issue for U.S. colleges to consider for several reasons. First, by making college educations more affordable, it would help to curtail the previously mentioned problem while concurrently improving access. Looking at Wisconsin as an example, only 28 percent of the state holds bachelor's degrees and it is expected that less than half of incoming high school freshmen will go to college when they graduate. The importance of creating better access to higher education is that it keeps the U.S. competitive in the global economy. With globalization increasingly cementing its place in everyday life, it is essential for the U.S. to have an educated work force in order to stay ahead of innovation and maintain a competitive advantage. Furthermore, increasing the percentage of the population with a higher education leads to a more enlightened society and one capable of more thoughtful, rational discourse.
The second reason that access to colleges is an important issue is that an open and affordable higher education system is necessary to attract foreign students to attend American schools. Encouraging exchange students to continue coming to American schools gives students a chance to be introduced to a new culture and different ideas. This can lead to a more easily understandable global environment, while simultaneously creating a more stable and fluid global economy.
Additionally, by going to school in the U.S., foreign students are more closely exposed to the manifestations of American soft power, making it easier to export certain aspects of our culture. This is an increasingly important avenue as a means to anchor the United States' position in both the global marketplace and political system as soft power becomes increasingly relied upon as a diplomatic tool. It is a significant advantage for diplomatic relations when foreign leaders have American educations, creating a common experience and increasing mutual understanding.
While nearly everyone would like to see the costs of higher education become more affordable, a resolution for the UW System might not be as forthcoming as everyone would like. For the System's principal campus specifically, there is a competing interest between lowering tuition costs and making the school a nationally competitive university. While there are obviously easy answers for how to lower tuition expenses in the short term, would they be worth it if it came at the school's expense?
This will be a continuing issue for the UW System, and one that requires a comprehensive plan with input from a wide variety of actors that represents the interests of the university, the students and the state. Hopefully something can be resolved before tuition goes up again.
Mike Skelly ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in finance and political science.
