Access Programs and Four-Year Universities
Jehangir, R. R. (2002). Higher education for whom? The battle to include developmental education at the four-year university. In J. L. Higbee, D. B. Lundell, & I. M. Duranczyk (Eds.), Developmental education: Policy and practice (pp. 17-34). Auburn, GA: National Association for Developmental Education. This article was an early one that forecast of increased pressure for access programs and developmental educaiton at large public four-year universities. This would eventually occur at the University of Minnesota when the General College was closed after a strategic restructuring of the institution.
This chapter examines the debate regarding the role of developmental education at public four-year universities, and will focus on the following topics: discussion of the historic and political forces that have shaped perceptions regarding DE; a description of DE and developmental students; an examination of the debate around its place in higher education with specific attention to current state legislative action against DE at the public four-year university; and recommendations for developmental educators who seek to challenge the merit of such legislation and create a paradigm shift around perceptions of DE.