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America is ready to change its attitude on ‘college-for-all’

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 8, 2022
Today, Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) spoke on the House Floor about college enrollment decreases and the opportunities it presents for students and the workforce.

Excerpts from Republican Leader Foxx's Remarks:
 
“College enrollment decreased this year by a million students. Although many claim dropping enrollment is a crisis, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
 
“This is an opportunity to see that Americans are making more decisions that are best for them.
 
“This is an opportunity for more Americans to see that college is not the only pathway to a successful career.
 
“This is an opportunity for institutions of higher education to rethink how best to serve students.
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“College is not the only pathway to a fulfilling career. Falling college enrollment could demonstrate that more Americans are weighing the cost of college and deciding it just might not be worth it.
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“A study by The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity found that … 37 percent of the programs ‘have negative returns on investment, meaning that students will be financially worse off for having participated in those programs.’
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“And the fact that college enrollment is down signals that more Americans are… making decisions that are better for their lives and families. As more young people come to realize that college is not always a golden ticket, they are embracing alternative career paths.
 
“For example, more Americans are participating in apprenticeship programs, or obtaining an associate degree in a high-skilled trade like welding technology or respiratory therapy.
 
“We should celebrate our country’s diverse workforce, not belittle it.
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“Most importantly, declining enrollments may be the wakeup call colleges and universities needed to finally convince them that they must change to meet the demands of students, families, and our workforce. The cost of attending college has exploded while student outcomes have remained stagnant. And why would we expect any different when the federal government, using taxpayer dollars, is willing to write universities a blank check without requiring any accountability to students and taxpayers?
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“The drop in college enrollment shows that America is ready to change its attitude on ‘college-for-all’ and accept that there are several pathways to the American dream and lifelong success.”
 
Watch the full speech here.
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