How To Save Higher Education

The majority of colleges and universities in America today are in crisis. Skyrocketing costs, high dropout rates, lack of actual learning, less available students, graduates who cannot get jobs at family sustaining salaries and crushing student loan debt are all symptoms of the problem. Americans are increasingly questioning the value and return on investment of a college degree. Further evidence of the problem is the growing number of colleges and universities that are closing or consolidating; a number that will increase unless fundamental change occurs. Simply put, the current system of higher education is no longer sustainable. However, in an increasingly competitive global economy, it is vital to national security and economic prosperity that the country produces a significant number of qualified college graduates. This book provides a proven model of how to fix the problems with higher education.

The majority of colleges and universities in America today are in crisis. Skyrocketing costs, high dropout rates, lack of actual learning, less available students, graduates who cannot get jobs at family sustaining salaries and crushing student loan debt are all symptoms of the problem. Americans are increasingly questioning the value and return on investment of a college degree. Further evidence of the problem is the growing number of colleges and universities that are closing or consolidating; a number that will increase unless fundamental change occurs. Simply put, the current system of higher education is no longer sustainable. However, in an increasingly competitive global economy, it is vital to national security and economic prosperity that the country produces a significant number of qualified college graduates. This book provides a proven model of how to fix the problems with higher education.

William Griscom has over 40 years of experience in higher education. His education began with a two-year technical certificate from a community college. He went on to earn his bachelors, two master's degrees and a doctorate in education. His career started as a public school teacher and upon completion of his doctorate he became an assistant professor of technical education at a mid-size public four-year college in 1976. He rose through the ranks to become a tenured full professor and held administrative positions progressing from assistant division chair to division chair (equivalent of a dean at other colleges) and special assistant to the president. In 1996 he was selected as the ninth president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, a state-owned two-year postsecondary institution in Pennsylvania, where he served for 23 years, until his retirement in 2020. In addition to his higher education background Dr. Griscom was industry trained and certified to teach statistical process control, continuous improvement, and team problem solving. He did extensive consulting and training for such organizations as: Pratt & Whitney; Fairmont Specialties, a subsidiary of DuPont; and the Social Security Administration. During his tenure as president, with the direct support of the Board of Trustees and his team, he implemented the principles and concepts of performance based continuous improvement, which resulted in a total transformation of the institution into one of the best two-year colleges in America. Dr. Griscom's experience in higher education covers a broad spectrum of certificate and degree programs from two-year community colleges to graduate level studies in a wide variety of positions. This coupled with his interaction with hundreds of elected officials and thousands of prospective students and their families, over four decades, provides him with a unique perspective from which to critique and provide recommendations on How to Save Higher Education.