Add low grad rates

Shawn Vestal’s column, “Higher ed, lower affordability,” highlights the financial dilemma facing students pursuing a college degree. Add to this the low graduation rates from schools and you have an even worse crisis.

In 2009, EWU had a four-year graduation rate of 21.5 percent. Statewide, CWU was 27.6 percent; WWU, 35.5 percent; WSU, 40.2 percent; and UW, 53.9 percent. The data are from College Results Online. After six years, EWU’s is 47.2 percent. The six-year national average is 53 percent. For all intents, the four-year degree is a myth.

The big push for increasing access, while noble, has resulted in universities taking in thousands of students totally unprepared for the rigors of a college education. To keep tuition dollars flowing, universities are diluting their curriculum to accommodate unprepared students in the classroom.

EWU, for example, teaches algebra classes. In my view, algebra has no business in a four-year institution.

Schools are trying to make university life fun at the expense of academic rigor. The result is salaries go to superfluous managers rather than faculty to teach or staff to maintain the institution.

Under our current system, the only people benefiting are the lenders. Students, taxpayers and the nation are the losers.

Tom McArthur

Spokane