With the advent of commercial priorities and contracts affecting the academic enterprise as a whole, the controversy of how North American higher education has been influenced by consumerism and for-profit competition is a hot topic within university politics. The amalgamation of academic capitalism and the North American post-secondary industry threatens the publicly-minded ideals on which many believe are the defining principles of higher education. Through the discussion of the transformation of higher education within North America and implications of academic capitalism's force on university and college operations, this paper will investigate and determine if North American higher education is irreversibly immersed in an ever evolving
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As a $420 billion industry, the price of tuition for higher education, both public and private have more than doubled in the past 10 years alone5. In order to remain competitive, institutions are attempting to satisfy the wants of students and parents when they 'shop' around for their desired campus. Constructing expensive facilities and purchasing top of the line technology in order to attract more students to their campus will inevitably raise the cost of the product they are selling. Time will only exacerbate this problem as newer generations of students become increasingly sophisticated in technology and facility use, and when institutions attempt to further satisfy the consumers' desires, operational budgets will further escalate. Although portrayal of students as consumers is an unwelcome thought within academic cultures, regardless of whether this representation of students is imposed or chosen; Rather than participating in higher education in order to enlighten themselves of about the world around them and them as an individual, student-consumers would value higher education as a utilitarian means to certify both mental capabilities and occupation credentials. With this student-consumer view in mind, as education is commodified, plagiarism and narrow …show more content…
With the transformation of a previously elite to a large-scale mass university system, consumerism existing in this model of higher education is not only appropriate, but favorable as these higher education systems develop into increasingly complex and expansive. In the advent of a progressively reflexive society, consumers will demand more adaptable and responsive institutional forms, unsurprisingly leading to a growing perspective focusing on the utilitarian value of education as a path towards increased professional opportunities and social prestige. This is especially true in a public university system such as the one which exists in Canada. Even in the United States, consumerism should not be perceived as a threat to academic communities as sensible government policies regarding student financing and for-profit competition can aid in nullifying many of the dilemmas of a market-oriented system of higher education. To truly diversify campuses and thus opening the doors to higher education to a greater array of people, industry leaders should clearly state what consumers should expect of the system to provide. The creation of a standard of consumer choice within the
As a $420 billion industry, the price of tuition for higher education, both public and private have more than doubled in the past 10 years alone5. In order to remain competitive, institutions are attempting to satisfy the wants of students and parents when they 'shop' around for their desired campus. Constructing expensive facilities and purchasing top of the line technology in order to attract more students to their campus will inevitably raise the cost of the product they are selling. Time will only exacerbate this problem as newer generations of students become increasingly sophisticated in technology and facility use, and when institutions attempt to further satisfy the consumers' desires, operational budgets will further escalate. Although portrayal of students as consumers is an unwelcome thought within academic cultures, regardless of whether this representation of students is imposed or chosen; Rather than participating in higher education in order to enlighten themselves of about the world around them and them as an individual, student-consumers would value higher education as a utilitarian means to certify both mental capabilities and occupation credentials. With this student-consumer view in mind, as education is commodified, plagiarism and narrow …show more content…
With the transformation of a previously elite to a large-scale mass university system, consumerism existing in this model of higher education is not only appropriate, but favorable as these higher education systems develop into increasingly complex and expansive. In the advent of a progressively reflexive society, consumers will demand more adaptable and responsive institutional forms, unsurprisingly leading to a growing perspective focusing on the utilitarian value of education as a path towards increased professional opportunities and social prestige. This is especially true in a public university system such as the one which exists in Canada. Even in the United States, consumerism should not be perceived as a threat to academic communities as sensible government policies regarding student financing and for-profit competition can aid in nullifying many of the dilemmas of a market-oriented system of higher education. To truly diversify campuses and thus opening the doors to higher education to a greater array of people, industry leaders should clearly state what consumers should expect of the system to provide. The creation of a standard of consumer choice within the