“…[S]tudents are taught by fewer full-time tenured faculty members while being looked after by a greatly expanded number of counselors who serve an array of social and personal needs. At the same time, many schools are investing in deluxe dormitory rooms, elaborate student centers and expensive gyms. Simply put: academic investments are a lower priority.
The situation reflects a larger cultural change in the relationship between students and colleges. The authority of educators has diminished, and students are increasingly thought of, by themselves and their colleges, as “clients” or “consumers.” When 18-year-olds are emboldened to see themselves in this manner, many look for ways to attain an educational credential effortlessly and comfortably. And they are catered to accordingly. The customer is always right…” (via NYTimes)
I think, however, it is a mistake to look at such short term trends. The real issue is that our culture is anti-intellectual, yet since the latter half of the 20th century a college “education” has become the key to opportunity. Arguably, these need to be decoupled and a college education restricted to those with the interest in learning for its own sake and the capacity for scholarship, much like postgraduate education is now.
