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Jane Wellman INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON UNIVERSITY COSTS AND COMPACTS CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

University-community partnerships for a public agenda for higher education: shifting alliances and new coalitions. Jane Wellman INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON UNIVERSITY COSTS AND COMPACTS CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA 15 JULY 2008. Opinion research increasingly used to anchor public outreach strategies.

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Jane Wellman INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON UNIVERSITY COSTS AND COMPACTS CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

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  1. University-community partnerships for a public agenda for higher education: shifting alliances and new coalitions Jane Wellman INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON UNIVERSITY COSTS AND COMPACTS CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA 15 JULY 2008

  2. Opinion research increasingly used to anchor public outreach strategies • Longitudinal research from several sources shows consistent findings • Strongly favorable public opinion about higher education - but higher negative perceptions among opinion leaders • Widespread understanding that higher education is increasingly a necessity – not just for the few • Concern that qualified students are being denied opportunities because of high tuitions - greatest among Latino and black populations

  3. Themes from opinion research • Reach out to disadvantaged • Need for greater accountability and responsiveness • Need for greater productivity • Need for greater efficiency

  4. Growing skepticism about higher education • Worry about lack of opportunity is higher than ever • Qualified students are denied opportunity: 47% (2000)  62% (2007) • Institutions could spend less without compromising quality: 56% (2007) • Increased spending is producing more learning: 48% (2007) • Colleges care more about the ‘bottom line’ (52%) than in educating students (43%) • 2007 - 48% believe State’s higher education system needs to be completely overhauled (v. 39% in 1998) SOURCES: NCPPHE, Public Agenda

  5. Building new coalitions • Business community leadership: Business-Higher Education coalitions in place in almost every state • Linked to community-organizations in many states • Primary focus at state level on K-20 pipeline: teacher education, high school academic preparation, standards-based reform • National focus on STEM (scientific, technical, engineering, math) disciplines; R&D funding; improving graduate education

  6. Community-based coalitions to drive systemic reform • Build demand for public agenda (commissioning research and influencing opinion leaders) • Build linkages between K-12 and postsecondary – • Alignment of high school graduation with college entrance requirements • Improve teacher education • Public policy advocacy – including issues traditionally avoided by institutions (governing board appointments, tax/spending policies outside of higher education, workforce policies)

  7. Examples: • Campaign for College Opportunity (http://www.collegecampaign.org) • Virginia Business-Higher Education Council • New York Business-Higher Education Roundtable of the Capital Region • Texas Governor’s Council • Michigan “Cherry Commission” • Arizona Business & Education Commission • National Business-Higher Education Forum http://www.bhef.com/

  8. Strengths/weaknesses • Agenda defined by public rather than institutional interests: workforce development, minority student preparation, accountability, productivity, quality • Credibility from broad coalition – including community-business partnerships – but can be perceived as “insiders” in some states • Weak institutional capacity: can’t implement reforms, no regulatory or direct policy capacity • Voluntary organizations, changing leadership

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