(Source: pbs.org)A new PBS program explores American higher education, and its conclusions aren't terribly flattering. The show, called "Declining by Degrees," documents the ills currently facing our nation's colleges and universities. These include the following:



� Rampant grade inflation
� Professors not committed to teaching students
� Student not committed to learning
� The overuse of part-time, adjunct faculty
� Investments in facilities such as student commons and gyms instead of academic buildings
� The obsession with rankings and branding
� Rising costs and shrinking need-based aid

And on and on.

Sound depressing? Consider this teaser copy from the PBS site:

This documentary follows 30 students & teachers and explores the road between admissions and graduation. Going beyond what Americans believe about the college experience, Declining by Degrees exposes the disappointment, disorientation and deflation that so many college students feel, and the struggles they face, regardless of the schools they choose to attend. It goes on to address the issue of the quality and readiness of America's workforce.To be honest, many of the claims here are correct, to some degree (pun unintended). Colleges do rely heavily on adjuncts. They are concerned with rankings and public perceptions of quality. They are investing heavily in facilities not necessarily central to the academic mission. And many students are more interesting in gaining a credential than in actually learning something.

But let's not overstate things. The program, perhaps by its very nature, oversimplifies many of these issues. It's patently unfair to make such sweeping generalizations about an industry so vast, so diverse and so complex. Good teaching and learning still takes place every day on every campus. Somehow that message was lost.

If you missed the program, chances are you'll be able to catch a rerun. Otherwise, you can order the video or the companion collection of essays from the PBS site.

Then draw your own conclusions.