Foundations and the Advancement of Postsecondary Education
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Foundations and the Advancement of Postsecondary Education Libby V. Morris 1
Published online: 18 February 2017 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017
The diversity in students and the structures and missions of colleges and universities across the United States is staggering. Colleges range from open access to very highly selective in admissions of undergraduate students. Public and private not-for-profit research institutions stand alongside liberal arts colleges, faith-based institutions, historically black colleges and universities, single-sex institutions, 2-year and online institutions, and for-profit providers. More than 20 million students (17 million undergraduates) enroll in the 4500+ degree-granting institutions. The public sector claims approximately three-quarters of all students, reflecting the high expectations and responsibilities placed on those institutions. Notably, almost 40% of all undergraduates attend a public two-year institution with open (or near open door) admission policies. Collectively, these institutions strive to serve the needs of a diverse student population, fulfill their respective missions, and respond to a rising list of societal expectations about the delivery and outcomes of education. Much about students has changed over the last 30 years. Less than 50% are now traditional college age (18–22). One in 5 is over 30 years of age, and almost 1 in 10 is over 40. Slightly more than one-third attend part-time, and approximately two-thirds of students work either part-time or full-time. Additionally, educational technologies have emerged that supplement traditional courses and also allow study anywhere, anytime. Embracing the new technologies, both new providers and traditional colleges have entered the online market. Thirteen percent of students study online only, and 14% are enrolled in hybrid courses. See the Gates Foundation, http://postsecondary.gatesfoundation.org/demographics, for facts on students and postsecondary institutions. With such variability in institutional characteristics, curricular options, and student maturity, one might expect higher levels of student achievement in college persistence and retention. Unfortunately, college outcomes, as measured by graduation rates, have fallen short of the mark. Across all colleges approximately 40% do not graduate in 6 years after initial enrollment, and open door and non-selective institutions show even lower rates of completion.
* Libby V. Morris [email protected]
1
University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
94
Innov High Educ (2017) 42:93–95
While student access to college has improved dramatically, public attention has turned to academic success: student retention, progression, graduation, and documented learning outcomes. No doubt the decline in state financial support, the increase in tuition rates, and the explosion of student debt has helped drive this interest. Thus, state legislatures, agencies, and foundations have intensified their focus on college costs, programs and delivery systems, and college outco
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