As students attending a university and pursuing our secondary education, we have a unique perspective of the academic climate that currently exists. Many would say that their college experience thus far has been largely positive, although there are also those who would quickly offer many critiques. This diversity in opinions is present in other societal circles as well, even among researchers and reporters as they attempt to understand the current condition of higher education in the United States. There are those who would say that the level and access of education are declining while others would say that academia in the U.S. is at an all-time high standard. Throughout this post I hope to accurately align two of these opposing views and insert my own commentary as a current college student attending a public university.

Steven Brint, a sociology professor and author, evaluates that “American universities have never been stronger” in his article “Is this High Education’s Golden Age?” which was published in The Chronicle. He claims that despite people’s pessimism towards high education today, universities and graduate and research programs are doing exceedingly well in today’s modern sociopolitical and economic climate. According to Brint, many believe that universities have “forsaken their social and cultural responsibilities,” as they have been marketized, but he retorts that nonetheless, universities are educating more students at a higher level than ever before. Brint shares statistics such as the fact that research expenditures grew by more than 10 times between 1980 and 2010 and that Federal funding was at $30 billion in 2017. Apparently graduate degrees have become more common and overall attendance of universities is up, and this increase of education benefits the students greatly, as college educated individuals are expected to earn more than $1 million more than high school educated citizens. Brint writes, “as the telecommunications industry anticipates the day when every person owns a smartphone, so, too, does higher education anticipate the day when every qualified person will hold a degree, credential, or certificate.” This is a bold statement to say the least, and seems to combat the idea that universities are failing to educate their students, but perhaps it eludes to the real issue that many other authors and sociologists point out. Perhaps this debate about institution’s golden ages is suffering from a rhetorical issue of differing arguments. As Brint argues about the statistics and the financial success of universities as more citizens are graduating every year, many other writers don’t deny these facts but argue that Brint and others are overlooking a greater issue beneath simply the raw statistics.

Anne-Marie Slaughter is one such writer, political scientist, lawyer and foundation president, declares that those statistics may be true but she moves back to a universities “social and cultural responsibilities.” In her article, “The Broken Promise of Higher Education,” published in The Atlantic, she declares the statistic that ONLY 59% of college students graduate within six years! This means that most now a days don’t even graduate within 4 years, the typical college degree length. Slaughter shares that is is du to lack of finances or poor academic preparation or simply factors of life preventing students from completing their degree. Those who do not graduate face higher rates of unemployment and debt from the years of university they did pay for before dropping out. Slaughter proposes that as a society we must ask who is responsible for this “abysmal national graduation rate?” 58% of people believe that universities are responsible for their student’s success and yet we are still faced with the current graduation rate which reflects very poorly on our universities, even if Brint’s statistics are true that there are more students graduating now than in the past. Slaughter goes on to share that this graduation rate reflects itself in national opinions, the economy, and political viewpoints. Her article ends by her saying, “[people] are proudly watching their friends and family members receive their degree- but for those who don’t graduate, their debt loads and dashed hopes paint a much darker picture of American high education.”

And there seems to be the issue of the argument, Brint’s side seems to only be focusing on the “golden age” whereas that of Slaughter seems to be focused on the “darker picture.” In order to get an accurate image of the current climate surrounding higher education in the U.S. the stance needs to be more wholistic and recognize that the true image is a mix of both, more gray than golden or dark.

Yes, more students are graduating and that should be something to celebrate and continue encouraging that. The marketizing of universities has not been completely negative as the diversity of schools has grown and they are more incentivized to better themselves. But it is also true that the “abysmal graduation rate” must be addressed. As a student I can claim responsibility for us all, we need to take responsibility in general for our educations, but the whole weight does not rest on us alone. Our universities must come along side of us and lift us up, offering resources and help to students who financially or academically or physically require it. I can see this aid here at Penn State in the form of scholarships and tutoring centers and organizations like “Best Buddies.” Yet there seems to always be more to be done, so rather than fixing our eyes on and analyzing the idea of a golden age, we must spur on progress in the hopes of actually reaching it.

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