As published in The Boston Globe, January 2, 2005
New England Knowledge
by the Editorial Staff of The Boston Globe
The way Evan Dobelle sees it, education is the future of New England. Lost manufacturing jobs aren’t coming back. But education is a growing industry with 850,000 students, 250,000 jobs, and $20 billion in spending on salaries, programs, student services, and financial aid.
Dobelle sees it as an industry that needs a stronger voice. This month he begins his tenure as president of the New England Board of Higher Education. The six-state organization represents both public and private schools
As Dobelle starts speaking for these colleges, he should catch the ears of state legislators and urge an end to higher-education budget cuts. Students suffer most from these cuts, opting not to go to college or attending cash-strapped schools that struggle to keep up with basics such as technology and the security measures technology requires. Dobelle’s voice should rise above the din of number-crunching to remind legislators that spending on higher education yields economic rewards
Collaboration among colleges should grow. For example, Dobelle says more colleges should work with MIT and follow its example of putting an array of educational resources online. He also calls for more links between public and private institutions.
Dobelle has another promising message: New England schools should have international prominence. He points to the “mega-cities” of Asia -- Jakarta, Seoul, Bangkok, Beijing -- and argues that these cities’ students should see New England as a center of education they can access. This means boosting the region’s image and grappling with post-9/11 immigration policies that have made it tougher for international students to attend schools in the United States.
The region needs room to experiment to meet challenges such as educating recent immigrants, as well as adults who don’t go immediately from high school to college but would like a liberal arts education. This could mean more experiments with distance learning or courses offered at workplaces.
One unaddressed issue that the board will explore using a $200,000 grant is the feasibility of starting a tribal college in New England that would serve Native Americans. Tribal colleges serve geographically isolated populations. President Bush has praised tribal colleges for helping to preserve culture and language as well as providing a quality education. But a feasibility study might still be needed to consider objections to establishing a college that serves a specific minority group.
No matter the issue, Dobelle’s work is clear. He must remind New Englanders and the world that higher education deserves support so it can fulfill its potential as a rich source of human progress.
Editorial contents © Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company.
|
