Public policy advocate Dr. Darryl G. Greer said he believes a state- and region-based investigation is crucial to achieving national college completion goals. Recent research conducted in New Jersey provides valuable information.
What New Jersey residents had to say and how the research will be utilized in education advocacy at the state level has national implications. Dr. Darryl G. Greer, senior fellow for HESIG, believes the key to achieving national college completion goals is to examine and advocate on the local level as the vast majority of Americans attend institutions of higher education in close proximity to where they reside.
“The purpose of (this research) is to in New Jersey improve our ability to sharpen the conversation between those who are served by higher education, those who provide higher education at all levels, the business people who hire graduates and our elected officials,” said Greer, who spent 25 years as chief executive officer of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, Inc. “To get them on the same page, using the same language about what we want.
“The real question is, what’s a winning strategy?” he added. “Who do you want to go to college in the 21st century? For the emerging population, which is going to be a mix of younger black, brown and new immigrants as well as adults returning, the question is how many get a shot at a quality, affordable education?
“We want to use the research to move a conversation and make specific policy recommendations to educators, to the governor and legislature and to business leaders about how we move forward.”
Of the more than 800 New Jersey adults polled, 90 percent of those who attended college said higher education is worth the cost. Conversely, 87 percent said at least some change is needed in the way colleges do business to increase value.
They linked college opportunity directly to the ability to find jobs, develop careers and improve the quality of life for families but also offered specific ideas about what more is needed. These points included facilitating the transfer of credits from one institution to another, more access to work and internships and more information about jobs and careers. They also wanted to see increased emphasis on problem solving, writing and communicating, which they considered the most important skills gained from college.
