All of which is to say, colleges and universities need to pay attention to these trends. For much of the 20th century, institutes of higher education perceived themselves as singularly unique entities, almost like a secular church, whose members saw themselves as protectors of an insular retreat from the world. These members will now increasingly see their identity and purpose challenged if not completely reformed by unbending competitive pressures that the “cliff” is already starting to deliver. How boards, faculty, staff, and funders choose to respond – whether they use the opportunity to embrace reform or continue to bury their heads in the sand – will ultimately determine their fate.
How Real is the Threat?
Higher education faced trials prior to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Costs of college continued to rise, creating challenges for
families struggling to make ends meet; and more and more jobs depended less on a four-year degree, creating opportunities for coders and technicians who could take online courses and thus compete with but a two-year degree or obtain a certification in their field of choice. Alternatively, one can obtain certification or credit through online platforms: Coursera, edX, Udemy, etc. offer alternative means for taking other college level courses. And new entrants into the marketplace – such as Western Governors University and Southern New Hampshire University – have proven they can disrupt traditional institutional offerings.
families struggling to make ends meet; and more and more jobs depended less on a four-year degree, creating opportunities for coders and technicians who could take online
courses and thus compete with but a two-year degree or obtain a certification in their field of choice. Alternatively, one can obtain certification or credit through online platforms:
THE COMING CLIFF IN COLLEGE ENROLLMENT
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