Covering the business of education and training

Education Secretary, Margaret Spelling, commissioned a 19 member panel to investigate the state of non-profit higher education and come back with a report of what needs to be done.

The commission is ready to report. There are two main issues:

1. More aid based on financial need.

2. More accountability for what students learn.

The commission recommends that the federal government consolidate its more than 20 financial aid programs. Gee, sounds like they want a more streamlined approach - um, dare we say, to be more business like.

The commission hopes that at least 70 percent of in-state tuition be covered for low-income students. In 2004-5 it was less than half.  That sounds like meeting customers' needs to me.

Of the 19 members all but one signed the final draft. The one hold-out was David Ward of the American Council on Education. Ward is the primary voice of traditional colleges on the commission and his refusal to sign is expected to dilute the influence.

Now...let's see...the commission wants things in higher ed to be more business like. One dude, wants things to be business as usual...and 18 other commissioners disagree with him.

Uh, I'd tell Ward to go packing.

Ward's argument - he is opposed to the "one-size fits all" prescription. Really now? You can't do the same thing to every school? Who would have thought that?

Ward did say one thing that made sense, "They (college and college presidents) realize if they don't do it to themselves, somebody will do it (reform) for them."

Yep, to be sure. Colleges and universities need reform. And, it's coming.

What do you think?