The document discusses whether higher education should be considered a private or public good. It presents arguments on both sides of the debate. In the jury deliberations, members of the jury discuss factors supporting both private and public good characteristics. Judge Judy concludes that higher education has aspects of both private and public goods, and suspends the debate to address how to better educate citizenry globally. A second debate discusses whether service learning should be required in higher education. Arguments are presented on both sides, and in jury deliberations most support service learning but note challenges in implementation. In her decree, Judge Judy acknowledges support for service learning but recommends evaluating its impact and delivery more concretely before making it a requirement.

1. The Great
Debate
Decree from Judge Judy

2. Judge Judy

3. Private Good

Second, the publicly advertised acceptance rate of
a university is one factor in determining the status of
that university and thus creates competition among
students and other universities. "The social mobility
approach to schooling contends that education is a
commodity, the only purpose of which is to provide
individual students with a competitive advantage in
the struggle for desirable social positions"
(Labaree, 1997, p.42). Higher education is argued to
provide students with "individualized status
benefits, or positional goods...that are obtained by
students," (Marginson p.317).

In conclusion, our research determines that
higher education is a private good based on the
exchange of goods between tuition payment and a
degree that can improve the status of an
individual. Higher education is not accessible to
everyone based on admissions requirements and
cost but it does create healthy competition and
helps stimulate robust academics through rigorous
distilment of ideas and concepts.

4. Public Good

Nyborg (2003) believes that the driving force of this "public good" is
the public; therefore, it should remain the focus of the public to
"safeguard higher education as a public good" as we continue to
be challenged by global marketplaces (p. 359). In democratic
equality, “education is a public good, designed to prepare people
for political roles” (Labaree, 1997, p. 42). Kaipeng and Juan (2012)
argued the most important function of higher education is serving
public interests through teaching and research. By doing so, it has
“spillover” benefits that people don’t pay for. For
example, students are encouraged to demonstrate critical
thinking skills, making them better citizens.

All in all, it can be concluded that higher education can be seen
as a public good because of many reasons, including the
knowledge (and the connections that they make through this
knowledge) that is produced and shared among faculty and
students. It is essential that our fellow citizens are well-educated
about our society and its issues. Higher education creates a safe
space to examine these in depth; an educated population is able
to participate in national discourse and influence decisions.

5. Jury deliberationsPublic/Private

To be a truly public good, education
would need to be non-rivalrous and nonexcludable.

It can’t be denied that due to the costs
associated with higher education, many
students are unable to attend. For this
reason alone, I believe higher education is
a private good.

If higher education were a public good, it
would be included in the Bill of Rights and
the Constitution.

In a perfect world, I would love to see
education, higher education, accessible to
all; however, in order for that to happen
we would have to make sure the playing
field was "equal".

6. Public/private continued

As the team members of this position in "The
Great Debate" so aptly argue, "It is essential that
our fellow citizens are well-educated about our
society and its issues.” This public good of higher
education is multifaceted.

If done well, those in charge, who in order to be
in charge had to achieve a degree from an
institute of higher learning, will have been
enlightened by their studies, have learned best
practices, and will have come to understand the
principles of respect, kindness, and leadership. If
enlightened, then the hope is that they, at least
in their world of responsibility and within their
sphere of influence, will create a kinder, more
respectful, and humane world. This is the hope,
that I believe, higher education holds for the
greater public good.

7. Public/private continued

How can society be bettered and democracy
be affirmed if not all citizens are able to
participate in this seemingly exclusive process of
higher education?

Anyone can gain knowledge, it is nonexcludable. We have public libraries for people
to gain knowledge for free because they may
not be able to afford college.

I do believe higher education provides society
as a whole benefits from individuals obtaining
higher education. It is considered a spillover
effect, as mentioned by one of my
classmates. With this thought, for higher
education to serve as a public good, students
should not be paying a significant share of the
cost of their own education, it should be shared
with society since the knowledge gained or
“commodity” is shared.

8. Judy Judy’s comments on
Public/Private

It is clear as mud from the debate briefings
on both sides and from the comments from
the jury that higher education is,,,, well, it
just is.

In essence, the concept of public good
shines through but because of
competition, money, did I say money and
competition, much of higher ed seems to
be a private good.

Yet, private contributes to public, as many
said, in the cliché of lifting up all boats.

My decree, therefore, is to suspend the
debate in order to truly address the issue of
the need now, almost more than anytime
in history, to educate citizenry across the
globe.

9. Service Learning as a
Requirement

We believe service-learning should be a
requirement in higher education because
it benefits the student, the
university, service provider and community.
Students often experience a positive
impact on their GPAs, communication
skills, critical thinking and motivates them
to future community service
(Hendrickson, et.al, 2013). Universities gain
opportunities for networking and
recognition for interacting with the local
community (Naidoo & Devnarain, 2009).
The service providers gain volunteers in the
form of students offsetting shortages in
funding (Naidoo & Devnarain, 2009).
Ultimately, the communities benefit in the
acquisition of valuable skills and
knowledge from this type of partnership
(Naidoo & Devnarain, 2009).

10. Service Learning Doesn’t
Work

Service Learning is not working....In higher
education, "service" has become an admission
component particularly for public
institutions, requirement for graduation, or an
obligation for a course. If faculty members are
incorporating service learning into their courses
because it is required, there is a greater chance
of forced service that does not benefit the
students, the institution, or the community.
“Often service learning is organized to respond
to the needs of an academic institution which
sponsors it, the needs of the students, the needs
of an instructor, or the needs of a course” (
Eby, 1998, p.2). Robinson and Barnett observed
that “service learning is typically structured as
part of a credit-bearing course that requires
students to participate in organized service to
the community” (1996, p. 5). The challenge for
teachers is to incorporate service into student
learning.

11. Jury deliberations Service
Learning

I am a big proponent of service learning
as I have worked in a college that used
it as part of its curriculum. … service
learning provides a positive outcome for
both student and community involved.
Being able to connect theory and book
knowledge to actual real life
experiences can have such a powerful
and positive impact on a person.

While I agree that a potential problem
lies in the students' expectations of the
service-learning as a requirement, and
therefore not trying as hard or taking it
as seriously, it is hard to ignore the great
qualities that service-learning offers.

12. Service learning continued

I’m not sure exactly where to put my
post, as I rather disagree with both points
of view expressed, although I am a big
supporter of service learning. The premise
asserted in the title of this post, that
“Service learning does not work,” raises my
hackles. At the community college
level, service learning has been
demonstrated to work rather well in raising
awareness of the importance of
community involvement (Prentice, 2007)….
I have a suspicion that service learning
maybe one of those experiences whose
importance increases over time – a “soft
skill” whose full value may not be felt until
later in life. Certainly, the effects on
society as a whole cannot be measured
for years, and may not ever be connected
to a specific “service learning
experience.”

13. Service learning continued

I can think of many top universities located in
poorer neighborhoods, where the campus is a
bastion of safety, but step off it and there are
diverse social and criminal problems. Service
learning would bring a greater degree of
connection between the two worlds, and make
sure that college students have exposure to
parts of the world they may not experience in
their collegiate bubble.

as there is beyond any doubt that theory that
students get in the classroom is very different
from practicum experience in real life. In my
opinion, service learning is a good method of
encouraging student learning and development
through active participation in thought-fully
organized service that is conducted in, and
meets the needs of, a community.

14. Service learning continued

Service-learning enhances students’
valuable academic skills, including
communication, team-building, and
critical thinking; builds their self-esteem;
and develops their sense of responsibility
for decision-making. I personally feel it
should be a requirement.

Initial research, collaboration, and
vetting out the processes to establish,
continue, and grow these types of
programs will take time and effort, but
like internships in colleges and
universities today, there are so many
positives here that we need to
recognize.

15. Judy Judy’s decree

This is a tough one and one that has come
before this bench many times. It is clear
from the jury’s comments that service
learning is preferred, considered important,
and should be a requirement.

Yet, what is the evidence to prove its worth
not only to the student but also to those
serviced? Should it be required in all majors
and will faculty go along with it? What are
the actual costs of the programs?

There are many, many complications to
service learning because of the
organizational structure of higher
education. These need to be taken into
consideration.

16. Judge Judy continues

There is the faculty reward system.

The potential imbalance in academic
requirements and rigor.

The partnership with the service learning
location.

The benefit to the community itself. Sometimes
trying to help can foster resentment.

So to this debate, despite the overwhelming
response of the jury, I recommend going back to
the evidence. It isn’t that, in the opinion of this
bench, that service learning should be a
requirement or should be replaced, but that the
impact of service learning and how it is delivered
needs to be crafted less altruistically and more
concretely.

17. Thank you.

Court is now adjourned.