An interview with Bill Franz, St. Michael’s Board Member and General Counsel of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  In this interview, Mr. Franz shares his insight on changing college curriculum and how St. Michael’s is preparing students to succeed in college and beyond. See more on this topic in the St. Michael's feature article: How College is Changing in the 21st Century?

Forefront: How have expectations of a college degree changed over time? How much is that influenced by external forces v. what parents or students expect?

Franz: Traditionally, a college degree plan involved an extensive liberal arts curriculum grounded in the classics. Graduates expected their degree to allow them to be hired at an entity that had specialized training programs designed to meet its needs. An unwritten social compact of that not-too-distant time involved such an entity providing career preparation training and the graduate remaining a loyal employee for decades.

Over the past several decades, particularly at publicly funded institutions of higher education, there has been an increasing focus on undergraduate career preparation coursework, such as business and engineering, in combination with a smaller core curriculum comprised of liberal arts courses. Graduates of such career readiness degree programs expect a smooth transition into their chosen field while their employers expect to avoid the expense of any significant specialized training. Today’s students pursuing a traditional liberal arts college degree often decide that a post-graduate degree in a particular field is beneficial in maximizing their employability.

External forces exert major influence in changing expectations. The economic conditions of the last few years, with significant unemployment and underemployment, have been a powerful market force driving a shift in degree majors. That shift, while begun shortly after the end of World War II, has gained momentum with every economic downturn since.

Forefront: How are colleges and universities responding to shifting economic and social expectations of college?  How do they balance shifting market demands with maintaining institutional integrity?

Franz: Historically, colleges and universities respond slowly. However, publicly funded institutions of higher education are responding perhaps more quickly than ever before because of existing economic conditions, including concomitant cuts in funding for higher education.

At least publicly funded institutions of higher education are taking various steps, from larger class sizes to distance education to greater faculty teaching loads in an effort to become more efficient. With greater access to higher education today than even a dozen years ago, and with more students than ever before, colleges and universities appear to be proactively developing and supporting initiatives aimed at advancing students from lowered expectations to higher achievement.

Forefront: What is your opinion about the best things college can prepare kids to do?

Franz:

1. To evaluate critically the information they are inundated with on a daily basis.
2. To refine critical thinking skills even further since they are necessary to compete effectively on a local and global stage.
3. To be nimble in acquiring new skills to meet the needs of future employers.

Forefront: What skills do kids need to secure in high school to capture the most out college?

Franz: Students should leave high school understanding how to be their own best advocate for what they need. Students should be resilient; if Plan A doesn’t work, there’s always Plan B. Programs such as St. Michael’s prepare students with at least the basics of the three critical skill-sets I referenced earlier that will help them succeed in college.

Simply stated, high school should prepare all students with college and career readiness skills. St. Michael’s seeks to fully enable its students for college success by offering rigorous courses within a challenging curriculum, an accountability system in place to ensure success and guiding students to become a more complete person through creativity, spirituality and compassion.

Read More in the St. Michael's feature article: How College is Changing in the 21st Century?