(Albuquerque) Reports of a higher education bubble have become commonplace in recent years. And, while recent data indicate that the trend is slowing, there is a growing belief that higher education in the United States is in need of a new, more cost-effective model.
In a new policy brief which is available here, Rio Grande Foundation Senior Fellow and higher education expert Pat Leonard outlines a new, “lean model” for higher education. Notes Leonard, “Not only has the price of higher education increased rapidly in recent years, but the quality of that education has declined as well.”
The solution, argues Leonard, is to create new, four year streamlined institutions, similar in many ways to K-12 charter schools, which would compete on the basis of value-added and rigorous cost control. Traditional budget formulation in higher education tends to view the bulk of institutional costs as fixed. The Lean College’s budget formulation will regard few if any as fixed. It will provide quality baccalaureate instruction at a minimum cost.
The idea of the “Lean College” is to cut out some of the unnecessary frills like fancy buildings, professors forced to split their time between teaching and research, and the need for expensive sports teams and facilities.
The concept is meant to re-focus higher education on its core and restore the high-quality, low-cost option to American higher education.
Please have an editor review your documents before publication. This costs very little but does wonders for the credibility of the author. The Lean College pdf is filled with grammatical errors that make it difficult to read and difficult to take as serious criticism of education. An inexpensive editor can make this document full of disruptive ideas far more effective than it is in its current form.
Thank you and keep the ideas coming.
I agree with Michael here. Perhaps a copy of “The Complete Plain Words” by Ernest Gowers would help Mr. Leonard with his effectiveness in written communication. Or “Elements of Style” by Strunk and White would also be useful.
Fair enough, I should have done a better job editing the paper. I appreciate the comments.