How many times have you been the person on the other end of the phone just hoping to get connected to the right person but you wait, leave messages and eventually get no-where. The frustration grows and eventually you give up because the thought of designating all your energy to a hopeless cause is draining. Is this the future of our CSU education? Can we look forward to writing a check after being “recruited” and then receiving little feedback about the online degree we are about to pursue? According to William Tierney, a professor of higher education at University of Southern California, this could be the future of the CSU system if the University of Phoenix takes over.
A Phoenix is defined as a mythical bird that burns itself on a funeral pyre, and then rises from its ashes in the freshness of youth and lives through another cycle of years. Why would the bird want to burn itself to succeed many years later?
William Tierney is a supporter for the privatizing of public education. This is proven in his book New Players-Different Game which supports “for-profit” education. His predictions are that the University of Phoenix will buy out the CSU educational system for a couple billion dollars. Interesting thought from a supporter of private education.
My first question after hearing Tierney’s resolution for California’s educational crisis was how is he connected to The University of Phoenix? I would not be surprised if we find out down the road that Tierney is compensated in some way by the University. I find it appalling that one can deem it appropriate to offer students no academic freedom and little choice in their education. I choose to get up every day and attend class. I do not want my education cut in half by part-time employees who have no regard for my educational progress.
The biggest complaint I can find from UOP students is that they could not contact their advisors or instructors and often times accepted a failing grade because they were unable to drop a class. Consumer Affairs shows complaint after complaint with students expressing their disappointments for a poor education and the lack of mentoring that they received.
I do agree that the CSU system is flawed and is in need of repair but the answer does not rely on privatizing public education. If The University of Phoenix were to take over we would see student fees rise, educational standards decline and we would be forced to rely on a staff that was “out to lunch.” California is not in a position to begin compromising education by decreasing didactic standards.
Their business degree is an M.B.A. Lite,” said Henry M. Levin, a professor of higher education at Teachers College at Columbia University. “I’ve looked at their course materials. It’s a very low level of instruction.” According to the John Garrido News Network, UOP has very low standards when it comes to education. It could be that students are only required to spend twenty hours of instruction instead of the forty that the CSU system necessitates. This could be part of the problem that one UOP California campus has a graduation rate of 6%.
We cannot take away public education from Californians. If we let UOP takeover we would see a decline in educational standards and it would eventually cause a ripple effect throughout an already damaged economy. Tierney needs to support a public system that is working and let his ties go with a system that has proven to lack accreditation. This could be summarized for Tierney if he would look at the graduation rates for CSU schools. According to The San Diego Union Tribune, 54% of CSU students are accomplishing their goals. I will agree that 54% is not a number to brag about but it is astonishingly higher than the 6% that the UOP Southern California campus could produce.
College education is in need of improvement. USC campuses are raising rates and cutting back the amount of instruction but they are succeeding. There are problems that need to be fixed but the answer does not lie in privatizing public education.
The Phoenix chose to burn itself before succeeding. I am positive that William Tierney would not cash in his degree from Michigan State and exchange it for one at The University of Phoenix just to burn himself and have the chance to rise again. After all don’t we all want to do it right the first time?
Very nicely done, particularly the big finish with the nice twist about the author of the original op-ed piece.
ReplyDeleteVery clever, and doubtful he would appreciate the comment.
The writer's column reads well, has plenty of opinion (but supported by logic and/or facts).
I think the writer raising the issue of Tierney's possible connection to the University of Phoenix was well stated.
In short, a nice column to read.
Best line: "I am positive that William Tierney would not cash in his degree from Michigan State and exchange it for one at The University of Phoenix..."