Access to Post-secondary Education: Not just STEM
Everyone seems to agree that higher education needs to work with schools, all levels of government, and the private sector to increase the fraction of students who are prepared to succeed in college and university. Without increased and successful participation in post-secondary education by students from groups that have not traditionally gone to college and that make up a rapidly growing proportion of the population, we will not have the educated workforce needed to maintain our prosperity, and we will have a growing number of people who need help from, rather than contributing to, the broader society.
The case is often made in terms of STEM: we need more students of color to get college-level training in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. Indeed we do, because there aren't enough now, these are enjoyable and rewarding careers, and we'll need more domestic students in STEM to replace the foreign students (mainly from China, India, and Korea) who are likely to stay home in future years as their countries' educational systems improve and economic opportunities increase.
Yet we need to be realistic. Not every kid wants to be a scientist or engineer, or a doctor or nurse, nor should they be. We need businesspeople, writers, artists, designers, teachers, lawyers (yes, even lawyers), and many other professions for a modern society. We also need people who have good craft skills: mechanics, electricians, chefs, carpenters, etc. We depend on these skills, the jobs pay well, and they can't be outsourced the way computer programming and scientific research can.
Those of us in research universities tend to forget the important role played by community colleges and technical schools. Interactions among our post-secondary institutions are too laden with status distinctions. We need a better balance if we're to develop a healthy, prosperous, and inclusive society.