The recent PBS documentary "Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk" raised serious concerns about the state of higher education in the United States. John Merrow, host of The Merrow Report and education correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, talked to students, faculty, and administrators at four very different institutions to explore what happens at college between admission and graduation. The result—a collection of often surprising and sometimes unsettling vignettes interspersed with commentary by experts and scholars in the field of higher education—highlights many challenges facing colleges and universities today.
This program generated conversations across the country, both on college campuses and in the broader public arena. View comments posted on the "Declining by Degrees" website and remarks by Robert Zemsky published in The Chronicle of Higher Education (available to Chronicle subscribers only) to read a sample of what people are saying. You can also purchase the documentary DVD or VHS and the companion book of the same name from PBS.
To encourage continuing discussions on this significant topic, the Center of Inquiry will devote an upcoming issue of LiberalArtsOnline to responses to "Declining by Degrees." We invite you to comment on the PBS program or associated book. Please follow the guidelines below when submitting your response:
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