Open for Discussion ~ In Theory: Do we need to remodel our university system?

[Beguile's Mistress]

Now and then I come across an article or website that I think might be of particular interest to members of Elliquiy.  Remarks made around the site lead me to believe the following might be one of those topics since many of our members post regarding their experiences with higher education.  **

Source:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/?wpisrc=nl_theory&wpmm=1
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/07/25/do-we-need-to-remodel-our-university-system/

Do we need to remodel our university system?

When discussing higher education policy, it’s easy to get stuck within the confines of the traditional, four-year model. But there are much broader critiques of expensive post-secondary schooling, and they all circle around the purpose of college. Should we rely on the institutions designed primarily for research to offer the job training needed in our economy? Should that ever be the main goal of higher education? What can we learn from models in other countries? 


** Please note that this is not a political commentary and all discussion of the politics of any candidate is unwelcome in this thread.  This discussion is open for comments on the main content of the article and how the reader feels about it.  If you wish to gossip or flail about a particular candidate please take it to a more appropriate forum.


Edit:  Article link has been updated.

[noodlebloom]

Hey, I didn't read the article, because when I clicked I couldn't find it-- it went to a list of In Theory articles.

I do think we need a massive overhaul of the university system, though. From tuition costs to class sizes to degree requirements, it's a mess. I'm a bioengineering major (lol guess where) and to get my degree within four years, I'm required to take at least sixteen hours a semester, with a few eighteen hour semesters. It's completely ridiculous because unless your parents are rich or you take out massive student loans, there's no way to support yourself while you study.

[Cassandra LeMay]

I am going to toss a few links into the ring, as Fivethirtyeight had some interesting podcasts and articles on the subject of higher education not long ago:

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/kitchen-table-politics-the-costs-and-benefits-of-higher-education/

Especially interesting for those (like me) who have no first-hand experience with universities and colleges in the US might be this article "Shut up about Harvard" that demonstrates that a focus on elite universities and their admission policies and cost can distract from more (or at least as) important aspects of education policies and funding.