Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk
Update: This program will be aired in some locations on Friday, June 24 at 8PM EDT (Boston area)
Thanks to Judith Kamber (NECC) for forwarding this message from the POD (Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education) listserv regarding the upcoming June 23 PBS documentary Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk. Focusing on some of the pressing issues facing higher education in America, it looks to be of interest. Here is a copy of the POD message:
Dear colleagues,
If you were not already aware, PBS will broadcast the new documentary
Declining by Degrees, Higher Education at Risk, on Thursday evening,
June 23. Intended by its producers to begin a national conversation that
helps the academy regain its once special status, the two hour program
is said to include interviews with several dozen national education
leaders discussing a range of quality issues. The program's potential
impact on opinion-leading stakeholders would seem to make it a critical
viewing experience for those of who help faculty improve their teaching
effectiveness.
Richard Lyons, Senior Consultant
Faculty Development Associates
http://www.developfaculty.com
Following is a description of the program from the PBS station KCTS website:
This program premieres in the midst of a growing national concern about quality, fueled in part by an increasing preoccupation with college rankings, grade inflation, declining academic standards and overall concerns about the quality and readiness of America's workforce. Until very recently, America led the world in educating its young, but today about a dozen countries send a higher percentage of their youth to college. The documentary follows thirty students and teachers as it explores the road between admissions and graduation -- a route that is no longer linear. Going beyond what Americans believe about the college experience, this film exposes the disappointment, disorientation and
deflation that so many college students feel, and the struggles they face, regardless of the schools they choose to attend.
Feel free to share any reactions to the program in the comments section below.