What should be the priorities of American colleges and universities? Should our institutions prepare us for today's job market, to be effective leaders and contributors to society, or to drive social and economic opportunities in the community? Adapted from the National Issues Forum, this session brought students together to dialogue across difference, understand each others' perspectives, learn a model deliberative dialogue to take back to their campus.

1. Your Perspectives on the Role &
Value of a College Education

2. Agenda
• Introduction
- Goals
- National Issues Forum
- Ground Rules
• Priority 1: Colleges should prepare graduates for the job
market
• Priority 2: Colleges should prepare graduates to be effective
leaders and contributors to society
• Priority 3: Colleges should leverage resources to drive
economic and social opportunities in the community and
region
• Closing Reflection

3. Goals
Discuss the questions:
• What should be the focus of higher education?
• Why does getting a college education matters to us?
We will:
• Learn how the National Issues Forum works by modeling it
on one topic;
• Learn and share perspectives on the role and value of a
college education;
• Engage in dialogue with peers;
• Explore how dialogue enhances learning and how it can
be a tool for leaders

4. National Issues Forum
www.nifi.org
• Nonpartisan, public forums that bring people together for the
purpose of dialogue and understanding of different
perspectives
• Focus on varying public policy issues
• Include resources for any one to use and host their own NIF

5. Ground Rules
•Use “I” Statements - Speak for yourself.
•Be aware of non-verbal expressions - Your body speaks volumes.
•“Seek first to understand, then to be understood” - Listen generously.
•“Tell me more…” - Ask clarifying questions.
•Respect Different Opinions - Be open to conflicting viewpoints.
•Silence is Okay - Actively listening can be one form of participation.
•What is said here, stays here - Take the learning and leave the names.
•Say “Ouch” - Help redirect the conversation constructively.

6. As of 2015, college students graduate
with an average of $30,100 in debt.
Is college worth it?
In fall 2017, 20.4 million students are
expected to attend college, an increase
of 5.1 million since fall 2000

7. 11%
White
Student demographics are
changing
240%
Hispanic
72%
Black
Percentage Increase in Enrollment, 1996-2010

8. https://www.luminafoundation.org/todays-student-statistics
Historical Challenges with Degree
Attainment by Ethnicity

9. One third of the workforce is made up
of independent contractors.
50% of American employees are
disengaged or unhappy at work.
Our workforce is changing

10. 96%
14%
11%

11. What should be the top
priorities for American
colleges and universities?
National Issue Forum: The Changing World of Work

12. College should prepare
students for today’s job
market
Priority 1:

13. Most jobs require a college
degree

14. College students are
overqualified for jobs
One out of every
four workers with a
bachelor's degree is
overqualified for
their job

15. One third of
today’s
undergraduates
do not gain
measurable skills
in college.

16. “The problem is not that
America lacks skilled
workers, but it’s that too
many of them are skilled
in the wrong areas.”
- National Issues Forum

17. +
Students will be educated and
trained in career-applicable
skills and maximize
employability.

18. -
Students’ education will
narrow in scope and
limited to job training.

19. Strategies Associated with
this Perspective
Develop closer partnerships with
businesses and organizations to tailor
the education to the needs of
employers

20. Provide more internships and work-
study programs that allow students to
gain relevant, professional skills.
Strategies Associated with
this Perspective

21. Priority 2:
College should prepare students to
be effective leaders and
contributors to society

22. Focus on educating students
for the future
Reform our society
Lead our communities and businesses
Create jobs

23. 93% of all adults believe
that schools should offer
opportunities for social
change

24. “Provide a transformative, practical and
excellent liberal arts education that produces
critical thinkers in an inclusive, diverse
environment…emphasizing the creative
problem-solving skills, experience,
enthusiasm and international perspectives
necessary to promote positive change in the
world.”
"Prepares individuals to be knowledgeable,
independent, critical thinkers — educated for lives of
leadership and service in an increasingly diverse
society”

25. +
Students will be educated to
become well-rounded, flexible
leaders that can adapt to the
changing workforce and
contribute to improving our
society.

26. -
Students participate in
broad, general education
without skill specificity or
real-world application.

27. Skills:
• critical thinking
• collaborative problem solving
• leadership development
• ethics
Re-design curriculum
Strategies Associated with
this Perspective

28. Encourage entrepreneurship/
social enterprise

29. Offer alternative pathways
to a degree outside of the
classroom
Study Abroad Service & Civic
Engagement
Research Internships

30. Colleges should leverage
resources to drive economic and
social opportunities in the
community and region
Priority 3:

31. $1
invested
$2
returned
Took in
~$180
million
Gave back 2x to
the community

32. Institutions can serve as “anchors” for
the community
Improve public
institutions (e.g.
schools, hospitals)
Build collaboration
amongst community
organizations
Bring in talent,
money, research
Source of employment
opportunities

33. +
Emphasis on issue-based, long-term,
problem-solving education, with
colleges as a part of the community, not
the center

34. -
Student development would be
a secondary focus of higher
education institutions

35. Strategies Associated with
this Perspective
Apply universities’ knowledge and
expertise in addressing vital needs in the
community

36. Leverage colleges’ assets in the
community
Long Term Investment Purchasing Power

37. Do you think that these
priorities compliment or
conflict with one another?
Which perspective was
surprising to you?

38. Audience Poll
Which of the
three priorities
resonates most
with you?

39. What is a word
or phrase that
summarizes your
discussion?
Group Share

40. The Role of Bonner
Why are all three
priorities valuable to our
mission and work?

41. National Issues Forum