AKA Weekly Rundown– September 17, 2021

From The Chronicle of Higher Education:
Leon Botstein ‘We as Humanists Are Not in a Monopoly’
By Len Gutkin
Bard College President Leon Botstein gives his take on teaching and technology, the future of liberal arts, the arbitrariness of philanthropy, and political threats to the university. While technology can enable online learning, Botstein argues that in-person interactions, especially in university settings, cannot be undervalued. Botstein also suggests that philanthropic giving to higher education institutions will, in the future, be less based on legacy and nostalgia and more stimulated by transformative ideas and contribution to societal wellbeing. Read this article

From The Atlantic:
Colleges Have a Guy Problem
By Derek Thompson
While college enrollment has been steadily trending downward over the past five years, men have accounted for more than 70% of that decline. This trend indicates a significant shift in how men participate in education, the economy, and society. Some sociologists attribute this shift to the rapid recent changes in the economy, which has evolved far more rapidly than many have understood or been prepared for. This trend is seen in other developed countries: whenever men and women are given equal access to education, women are doing better within a few decades. Read this article

From The Hechinger Report:
OPINION: Meet certificates and "microcredentials" — they could be the future of higher education
By Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt
Recent years have seen the rise of non-degree certifications and micro-credentials in higher education. Last year 68% of adults considering enrolling preferred a non-degree pathway, which is 50% higher than the prior year. This trend is due in part to the growing perception that college degrees are losing value in the labor market, which has encouraged prospective students to become certified in a specific marketable skill. The increasing need for new skills and the growth in specialization in the workforce are likewise causing students to seek certifications that have higher return on investment. Read this article

From The Brookings Institute:
Enrollment algorithms are contributing to the crises of higher education
By Alex Engler
Many higher education institutions use sophisticated algorithms to strategically allocate financial aid while simultaneously estimating a student’s ability to pay within the first year of enrollment, an approach designed to reduce total institutional financial aid while tailoring aid to individual student circumstances. While this approach temporarily increases net tuition and yield, it also seems to decrease graduation rates over the longer term as students drop out because of financial pressures. Read this report