Institutions continued in their diversity stretching beyond only private and public models. Liberals arts colleges, graduate and professional education, community colleges and those specializing in vocational training dotted the American landscape to meet the needs of this changing society of diverse needs.
Some public institutions have combined others to create joint satellite institutions. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is a partnership between the public institutions of Purdue University and Indiana University. This small institution boasts the best of both of these entities by offering over 250 degrees including vocational training through doctoral degrees. This tiny institution has grown to over 30,000 students who receive approximately $86.1 million in student aid. Students enjoy the best of both Indiana University and Purdue University without having to pay the inflated tuition costs. IUPUI advertises a lower yearly tuition rate of $6,434 (IUPUI, 2010). Purdue University for the same academic year charges $9,070 (Purdue University, 2010) and Indiana University $8,124 (Indiana University, 2010). The satellite and smaller institutions make education affordable to the masses.
As society specialized so has American higher education. Vocations began demanding education to determine their value and solidify their contributions. These demands mandated a new form of higher education such as community colleges and vocational training. Typically, blue collar careers with no education but apprenticeship training entered and demanded validation through education. These mandates led to a society which devalued the importance of apprenticeship and learning through experience (Walden, 2009). However, smaller colleges quickly heeded this call by providing society with specialized curriculum. Experts in these fields scrambled to organize and compile new vocational curriculums such as welding (Williston State College, 2010).
Each institution boasts of its ability to contribute to the success of individuals, families, corporate America and society. The mission of higher education is “support the economic, cultural and civic vitality of the state through education, research and public service to provide tangible benefits to residents, businesses and communities” (Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2006, p 1).
Sources:
Indiana University. (2010). Tuition rates 2010 -2011 school year. Retrieved from bursar.indiana.edu/fee_schedule.php
IUPUI. (2010). The fundraising school. Retrieved from www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/thefundraisingschool/
Purdue University. (2010). Tuition rates. Retrieved from www.purdue.edu/futureboilermaker/costs/tuitionfees.html
Walden, G. (2009). Education: too many students – too few apprentices. Retrieved from www.telegraph.co.uk/education/6874319/Education-too-many-students-too-few-apprentices.html
Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. (2006). Statewide role and mission of higher education. Retrieved from www.hecb.wa.gov/boardmtgs/documents/TAB14StatewideRoleandMission.pdf
Williston State College. (2010). Welding Courses. Retrieved September 4, 2010 from www.wsc.nodak.edu/Classes/Course-Descriptions/Welding-Courses.html
By Tracy Harrington-Atkinson
Tracy Harrington-Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education, a master’s in higher education and continued on to a PhD in curriculum design. She has published several titles, including Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.
Comments are closed