I've received a few e-mails asking me if things could really be as bad as I have been describing. My answer to that is -- I'm just getting started!
One of best resources for understanding what is going on in higher education these days is a PBS documentary called Declining By Degrees: Higher Education at Risk first shown in 2005 and now available on DVD. Until I saw this I assumed it was just my college that seemed to be spiraling out of control. Many of the problems I and my colleagues were talking about -- grade inflation, dumbed-down classes, high tuition rates, colleges who care more about the bottom line than the students, inebriated students and lack of any interest by students in education -- are all dealt with here. So why didn't this cause a revolution? I think that the people who most needed to see this, especially parents and lawmakers, must have missed it.
This is the video that started me thinking about writing a book about this. There actually is a companion book that goes with the video, but it is basically a series of disconnected essays -- no where near as good as the program itself. It's also very hard to believe that educators themselves did not wake up after this was broadcast. Anyone who sees this and continues to believe that college is for everyone was not paying attention.
So please, if you are a parent thinking about sending your child to a party school, take two hours and rent this video. It's available on Netflix and some libraries (but probably not college libraries.)
John Merrow, who used to be PBS' education editor and now runs a private production company is an articulate and knowledgeable commentator. I first heard him speak at a convention of the Education Writers Association in 1980 and have followed his work since then. Richard Hersh, former president of Trinity College and George Kuh of the National Survey of Student Engagement are also excellent. Many of the students interviewed here sound just like the ones from my classes.
