Editorial: Universities and colleges must adapt to meet need

College costs are akin to a home mortgage for students, or a second one for some parents, so consumers ought to have the kind of information available to them when they buy any big-ticket item. But beyond general statistics on the value of a diploma, there is little information on which degrees at which colleges offer the best return on investment.

This information would not only help students and their families, it would be useful for federal and state governments as they weigh whether higher-education subsidies are being put to good use.

Traditionally, higher education has focused on admissions because financing is predicated on those numbers. But as tuitions rise and businesses clamor for a more effective workforce, it’s become increasingly clear that there is a broader interest in outcomes. Students, employers and taxpayers would all like to see more bang for their buck.

In short, are public universities meeting the needs of the communities they serve? As more data are collected, it’s clear that there is room for improvement.

For starters, the four-year graduation rates of public institutions are low. As is the case for high school dropout rates, the calculations can be tricky, but there is broad agreement that it’s taking longer for students to get a degree. The Chronicle of Higher Education tracked the class that enrolled in public institutions nationwide in 2004 – excluding transfers, part-time students and those who take time off from studies – and found that 31.3 percent got a diploma in four years. After six years, 58.9 percent made it.

Washington state beat the national averages for four years (41.1 percent) and six years (68.9 percent), while Idaho posted some of the worst figures in the nation – 14 percent in four years; 37.8 percent in six years. The United States rates poorly on this score compared with other Western nations.

While we sympathize with the complaints about colleges getting less funding over the past decade, it’s clear they could be doing more to help students achieve diplomas with the taxpayer money they do get. Those students who are drifting along need to be cut loose to make room for those more motivated to finish. And accommodations should be made for those who can finish more quickly.

At the very least, they should give students information that shows how predecessors with the same degrees have fared in the job market.

Similarly, colleges ought to be more accountable for aligning course offerings with the needs of local economies. Large companies such as Microsoft and Boeing have long complained the state’s universities are not producing a sufficient number of employable workers, which forces them to hire out-of-state people. Higher education needs to reform itself so that more in-state students have a crack at these careers.

Scarce government revenue, tuition hikes, global competition and a rapidly changing economy all lead to one conclusion: Public universities need to become more adaptable and efficient to meet the challenge.