Moaz Shoaib

Research project

What are students expecting from higher education these days with current situations like inflation and recession?

Introduction:

                Amid economic challenges such as inflation and recession, students have high expectations from higher education. Students want these higher education institutions to provide them with the quality education that prepares them for their careers as well as changing trends and future uncertainties of the job market. They also expect affordable education that prepares the students for a successful career and equips them with the skill set that helps them overcome the challenges in the job market. Student expectations are closely tied to outside factors like recession and inflation.  This research project explores student expectations from higher education institutions in light of current economic situations like recession and inflation.

Discussion:

                Every time a recession hits the country it has both positive and negative effects, mostly negative effects. Every decade has experienced a recession. These recessions can also be used to help with upcoming recessions. As Breneman and David W. talk about the history of these recessions in their article, for colleges, this is not just another recession, the recession of 1970 shocked colleges and universities and they experienced financial trouble. The economic crisis and unemployment caused growth in enrollment rate and the government to pass laws to help students with aid (pB7-B9). The students’ expectations change in this decade, and it can be seen through the enrollment growth. Unemployment led people to enroll in colleges and universities for higher education. It can also be seen that recession and higher education are directly related to each other because whenever a recession hit people go to these institutions for higher education and to put the economy back into its cycle, and government also helps people in accessing higher education. They expect these institutions to provide them with the required skills so that they can play their part in these tough situations.  According to the article, for colleges, this is not just another recession, After the recession of 1980 colleges increased their tuition sharply due to a decrease in high school graduates, but the enrollment rate stays the same. Even after the economic recovery, the tuition stayed the same. The recession of 1990 changed that, and the enrollment rate declined (Breneman and David W. pB7-B9). But it is evident by looking at these timelines that with every recession the enrollment rate increases and the regulations on colleges and state contributions decrease. But the 1990s recession started the debate of lower college tuition. The main concern of this is students who are just trying to get higher education to compete in these highly competitive markets; amid the recession, it seems impossible. These recessions affect the students directly. The obstacles on the road to financial stability for students are recessions, highly competitive markets, high enrollments, high college tuition, and an increase in the requirement of education by employers.

                Another thing about the high enrollment rate is that although it is a positive thing, it also has negative effects. Higher education is good for society as people can acquire an intellectual side of themselves which helps in critical thinking and making better and qualitative decisions in their lives, it can also improve people’s lives and help them get better financially, increase social growth and skills. But Omer and Harel Ben Shahar talk about the phrase “Arms Race” in their article. The meaning of this phrase defined by these authors clearly portrays today’s society. In the article the phrase “Arms race” represents the high enrollment and more and more people getting a higher education and the effect of this is that it is creating more competition in the market and employers that needed high school diplomas are now requiring and hiring people with higher degrees such as bachelors. But this increase in higher education is not contributing to economic growth or work productivity because people are not getting any skills that will help their personal growth and this is merely an “Arms race”. This process is characterized as wasteful by economists and social scientists (Omer, Harel Ben Shahar 763). This process is also creating a problem for people who cannot get access to higher education and are first-generation college students, or students with low income. But since the market requirements have gone up because of this phenomenon, it creates social inequality and class difference. So, the available choices for these people are shrinking day by day and these leftover jobs are low paying. The article further states that the expansion of higher education may be a problem because it aggravates the arms race and widens social inequality, and the value of higher education cannot be explained by the contribution to the productivity of graduates (Omer, Harel Ben Shahar 764). It can be seen in society that there are more graduates than ever before, but their abilities are restricted because these graduates cannot put their knowledge to work. Students are expecting if they get a higher education they can earn more, and it is true and it is proven true because of this arms race process.

                Higher education is not just limited to preparing students for a successful career, but it also prepares a student for the critical things in life. There are all these outside and inside factors that cause the change in expectations of students over time. So, expectations are not something that stays the same but changes rapidly with continuously changing times and situations. Higher education is closely related to economics. With increasing costs of higher education, there is a question of the quality of higher education because students see this as an investment, and they want better results in the form of financial stability and smooth experience in the job market. Colleges and universities are also working to reduce the costs to make higher education more accessible for students. In the article, Let’s not lose our advantage in higher education, Griffith argued that Colleges are taking some measures to reduce the cost and the measures include cutting the departments with low enrollment or low turnout rates, increasing class size, and offering courses online. Although these steps are reducing costs, they are also affecting the quality of education (345). So, the students’ requirements and expectations are fulfilled but the cost is quality of education and fewer pathway choices. The result of this will be more shrinking of the Job market which will ultimately create more competition in the market and there will be an increase in enrollment again in higher education and the tuition will go up again. So, it can be concluded that this is just an Arms race as explained in the article by Omer and Harel Ben Shahar, and the actual sense of education from higher education is lost. This is evident from the article by Griffith when these institutions see their students as customers (344). The solution to this is also mentioned in the article, HIGHER EDUCATION: TOO MUCH OF A (POTENTIALLY) GOOD THING?  It presents some proposals that can help with this dilemma. The first proposal is legally banning employers from putting a higher education box on their application which under Title VII’s clause is a discriminatory classification. The second solution is charging a fee to employers who hire workers with higher education than needed (Omer, Harel Ben Shahar 766). These are some steps that will help with the pressure coming from the Job market.

Conclusion:

                The top priority of students these days is affordable and high-quality higher education that can help withstand these rapidly changing times and conditions. All things considered, these higher education institutions need to be responsive to changing students’ needs and expectations to remain relevant and effective in the years to come. As Coaldrake quoted Dunkin in his book, responding to changing student expectations, the agreement between student and institution is like signing up for medical treatment where the student is patient and treatment is a process. Patients must trust the process (80). College is a process and students must have trust in the process, but students need assurance that these traditional ways are the right fit for them. The universities have a long history of preserving their standards and quality when it comes to responding to student’s needs and expectations, but Coaldrake argues that “if universities are unable to demonstrate that they are in fact preserving standards, instead of simply preserving antiquated or patronizing attitudes towards students, then they will continue to lose respect and patronage” (90). So, colleges and universities need to response to these dynamic trends. The change can be seen with the formation of different kinds of institutions such as for-profits and technical schools that attract certain groups of people. Students should also be aware of what they want in terms of career and education and make decisions accordingly. Students should be specific in selecting courses that are relevant to them. Getting higher education is a good thing but getting more than one needs can make it difficult for others. So, students should get enough higher education as they need to be successful. In this way, the quality and cost of higher education will be preserved, and students will feel comfortable accessing higher education.

Works Cited

• Breneman, David W. “For colleges, this is not just another recession.” The chronicle of higher education 48.40 (2002): B7-B9.

• GRIFFITH, AMANDA L. “Let’s Not Lose Our Advantage in Higher Education.” Independent Review, vol. 27, no. 3, Winter2022/2023 2022, pp. 343–50. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=slh&AN=161630646&site=eds-live&scope=site.

• Kimhi, Omer, and Tammy Harel Ben Shahar. “Higher Education: Too Much of a (Potentially) Good Thing?” Wake Forest Law Review, vol. 54, no. 3, Sept. 2019, pp. 761–805. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=bth&AN=140029837&site=eds-live&scope=site.

• “Responding to Changing Student Expectations.” Higher Education Management, 2001. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edsoai&AN=edsoai.ocn752559554&site=eds-live&scope=site.