Other Views: Education, regardless of demographics

“Simply describing the change doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a problem. Women are the majority of college students, consumers, employees and voters. It’s inevitable that universities, businesses and other institutions will try to meet their expectations. ... There’s also a meritocratic case for the female future. As The Wall Street Journal notes, the proximate reasons women outnumber men in higher education are that they apply in larger numbers, are more attentive to the admissions process and other administrative hurdles, get better grades and lead more orderly lives.”

Barbara Robertson, Santa Maria ( California) Times:

“Though widely mischaracterized as a sports- equity law, Title IX in fact bars all forms of sex- based discrimination at educational institutions that receive federal funding. One potent data point adduced by the statute’s proponents during congressional deliberations was the underrepresentation of women on college and university campuses nationally. What a difference half a century makes. Today, it is men who are underrepresented among college students, and the trend shows little sign of moderating. Some observers say it is accelerating. ... According to data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics, the last year that men earned more bachelor’s degrees than women in the United States was 1981! ... Educators are taking notice, but consensus on a path forward has yet to emerge. Perhaps we should start by affirming the value of postsecondary education for all citizens, regardless of demographics.”

Richard Vedder, Forbes:

“Let me throw out another, no doubt controversial possibility – Young men increasingly feel colleges don’t want them. Professors and student activists rant about ‘ white male privilege.’ Colleges are trying to literally throw prominent dead white male alumni off campus, taking their names off buildings or even removing statutes. ... Assumed in all of this – Our male ancestors, especially white ones, did lots of evil things that the present, more morally upright and sensitive generation needs to correct. Our largely male dominated past is not a good one. The diversity and inclusion bureaucracy on campuses are mainly preoccupied by racial issues, but also go out of their way to promote women as well. Men may be increasingly viewed by incoming college administrators as necessary evils, cash cows to help pay the bills. As a consequence, some young guys are perhaps saying ‘ the hell with it.’ ...... If I were a college president at a school struggling for students, I would examine enrollment trends by gender and, if males have declined in numbers more than females, ask: What are we doing to turn men off to our school? Should ‘ diversity and inclusion’ mean numerical equality between men and women?”