PRESIDENT'S CORNER - February 17, 2017 | School of Public Health

Colleges: I came across a brief but vital piece of information in two places in the last week. First, The New York Times had a piece about the value of educations to be had at places like the City University of New York and the like. Then, a couple of days ago, there was a short piece in the Christian Science Monitor titled “Why ‘mid-tier’ colleges are key.” It caught me because of this quote: “Without Cal State, LA, I’m nowhere.” Both articles sang the praises of average colleges and universities that have quietly been raising thousands upon thousands of lower to middle class kids into the tax-paying middle class. Cal State at LA was where I earned my BA in English and MA in American Studies. After I married, we moved up to Washington State where I got my final graduate degree in Theater Design at the University of Washington, a top tier university. I was never intended to go to college but here I am, a retired university professor with 35 years of experience.

Cal State, Los Angeles launches more low-income kids into the top income bracket than Harvard does, according to a new study by The Equality of Opportunity Project. For decades,”working class” colleges like Cal State have been one of the more reliable engines of economic mobility. And, as the new research shows, public higher education systems in California, Texas, and New York still push low-income kids into the top echelon of earners at far higher rates than top-tier colleges do. [Christian Science Monitor, 2/13/17]

I love Elizabeth Warren for many reasons, but my love affair with her began when she said she was a) an Okie (like me) and b) she, too, came from impoverished stock and went to public colleges and universities, eventually finding her way to Harvard! Sure, we both worked hard and earned our way to professorships, but the other thing was that Cal State was nearly FREE. The state of California considered it a good investment to provide its great state university system and colleges with almost free costs. And now, most states are doing everything they can to defund higher education at a time when it is more vitally important than ever. Why do we no longer seem to feel that education is a good deal?

Moving to Morgantown in 1980, we found WVU to be one of these mid-tier universities, though, even then, it aspired to much more. Over these 37 years, it has grown its reputation significantly and continues to graduate many students from the most rural parts of our region that go on to great careers in many fields…it’s a lot to be proud of, no?

And aren’t we proud to have an OLLI at WVU as an important and growing part of this educational mecca? It’s inspiring to see so many sharing their knowledge in so many directions, discussing important issues, and learning more more more! Can we ever stop learning? I hope not.

Film Forum: Will get under way on March 1. Next week, I’ll publish the line-up of films…stay tuned.

Jim Held, President