Extreme crisis

Student loans are in extreme crisis even though Robert Morris University’s president denies it (Jan. 6 Forum, “There is No True Student-Loan Crisis”). The truth is, students enter college today bankrupt with loans and scholarships that are overwhelming.

RMU President Chris Howard attests that college is a good investment with the myth that a four-year degree brings a million dollars more in a lifetime than a non-degreed student or dropout. Mr. Howard’s dismay lies in his contention that colleges should be more attentive to the 60 percent that drop out can earn. He feels more must be done in retention for the student’s welfare.

When college bureaucrats start talking about “retention” they are principally worried more about money loss than students’ education. Educational systems today have become bottomless coffers bent on convincing the public the only way to success is a college degree. Success is not restricted to college and those in the trades do very well, if not better.

Actually, there should be fewer college students because it has been found that 66 percent of students academically do not belong there and, if they graduate, the paucity of jobs is discouraging with regard to debt load. Students come out of high school ill prepared for college. They cannot read and write effectively. Perhaps more important, online courses deprive them of people skills often disqualifying them for a good job. Colleges pontificate that, “We always need good people for the jobs available,” but say nothing about “availability” of these jobs.

The colleges, whenever they can, glut certain disciplines just to fill seats (particularly online courses). A student loan crisis does exist through the failure of education to respect the individual student and their realistic potential.

JACK VAZZANA Brentwood The writer is an associate professor at Kent State University.