Op Ed - Senator Sawyer: It’s not just students who have a stake in higher ed reforms
Business owners, educators, students, and North Carolinians at every corner of our state had to adapt to extraordinary circumstances over the past two years. From online learning to labor shortages, North Carolinians have been tenacious in tackling some of our state’s biggest challenges. Representing those families, business owners, and health care workers in the North Carolina Senate has been the honor of my life.
Through my experience working on the Senate Education and Higher Education Committee, I know just how committed our state’s educators are to helping the next generation of Tar Heel workers achieve their goals. As a taxpayer, I’m also personally invested in students’ success. Did you know taxpayers invest $130 billion annually in higher education institutions? This gives us all a stake in the outcomes of our students.
Of the 169 higher ed institutions in North Carolina, the vast majority care a great deal about getting their students across the finish line. But the reality is, thousands of students every year enroll in programs that shackle them with debt and do not set up them up to pay off their student loans. When a student chooses to pursue higher education, they do so to increase their chances of finding competitive employment opportunities upon graduating. With some postsecondary institutions in North Carolina reporting program completion rates as low as 11%, according to U.S. Department of Education data, it’s clear to me it is time to start tracking some basic metrics of success.
With limited federal oversight, institutions aren’t being held accountable for their student’s outcomes, with some predatory higher ed programs viewing students as nothing more than dollar signs. Sadly, 62% of schools in North Carolina, with completion data available, graduate less than half of the students who entered its doors eight years prior. As we brace for an increase in enrollment numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening higher ed accountability will be good for prospective students and our state’s economy. Students, taxpayers, and my constituents need Washington politicians to step up so we ensure students, and taxpayers alike, see a return on their investment.
Requiring colleges and universities receiving taxpayer dollars to be more outcomes-focused will be key to realizing this goal. As the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to unfold, ensuring students have access to the information they need to obtain a quality degree could not be more important. We’re doing everything we can at the state level to protect students, many of whom are taking out loans to pay for school, but we need our counterparts in Washington to act.
When families sit down at the kitchen table to discuss what higher ed path makes the most sense for their prospective student, they should have access to key data like admissions rates, enrollment metrics, completion numbers, and employment outcomes. Passing common sense reforms like the College Transparency Act will help to ensure North Carolina families’ get a full picture of what they are getting themselves into by enrolling.
We are home to some of the best community colleges, universities, and technical schools in the United States. Private and public sector alike, maintaining our status as a national leader in education is important across industries. I urge Senator Burr and Tillis to prioritize passing legislation like the CTA and to continue to stand up for North Carolina students and taxpayers. We all have a dog in this fight.
State Senator Vickie Sawyer represents the 34th state congressional district including Iredell and Yadkin counties.
