"The survey results come amid turmoil for the higher education sector, which was already facing rising public skepticism about the value of a college degree before Donald Trump took office earlier this year. But over the past nine months, the Trump administration has terminated billions in federal research grants and withheld even more money from several selective institutions. Another survey published this week found that most Americans oppose the government's cuts to higher education."
"But the state of campus free speech is already one factor driving the public's overall negative views about higher education, according to the survey. Forty-five percent of respondents said colleges and universities are doing a fair or poor job of exposing students to a wide range of opinions and viewpoints; 46 percent said institutions are doing an inadequate job of providing students opportunities to express their own opinions and viewpoints."
Of 3,445 respondents, 70 percent said higher education is going in the wrong direction, up from 56 percent in 2020. Respondents cited high costs, poor preparation for the job market, and lackluster development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Concerns about campus free speech contributed to negative views: 45 percent rated colleges poorly on exposing students to diverse opinions, and 46 percent said institutions inadequately provide opportunities for students to express their own views. Political leanings shaped perceptions, with 77 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of Democrats viewing higher education negatively, amid federal grant terminations and funding cuts.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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