A Brief Look

Presented by: Lori Burns

The Colonial Period The “Oxbridge” Model:

Refers to the system of higher education put into place by Oxford and Cambridge

Both were English universities that developed a formal system of endowed colleges that combined living and learning within quadrangles

The college was an isolated, “total” institution whose responsibilities included guiding both the social and academic dimensions of undergraduate life

It was this modeled that influenced college builders in the New World

The Colonial Period

Colonial Period Cont. The American colonist built colleges because

they believed in and wished to transplant and perfect the English idea of an undergraduate education as a civilizing experience that ensured a progression of responsible leaders for both church and state.

Colonial colleges incorporated a tight connection between the college board and its host civil government, fostering both responsible oversight and a source of government funding from taxes, tolls, and lotteries.

The Colonial Period

Early Colleges

HarvardFounded in Massachusetts Bay colony in

1636

The College of William and MaryFounded in Virginia in 1693

YaleFounded in Connecticut in 1701

The Colonial Period

Characteristics of Early College Life A majority of institutions developed

denominational tiesReligious concerns and sectarian competition

often fueled the creation of colonial collegesMost college presidents were men of the cloth

Tension between faculty and studentsIn residential colleges complaints would range to

dissatisfaction with the dining commons to dissatisfaction with the curriculum sparking riots and revolts from the students

In loco parentis – put the faculty in the position of supervising student conduct as well as their moral development

The Colonial Period

Characteristics of Early College Life Enrollment and Completion

Confined to White males, mostly from established, prosperous families

Attendance tended to ratify or confirm existing social standing rather than provide social mobility

There was little emphasis on completing a degree

The Colonial Period

The National Period

Following American Independence in 1776 and extending into the mid-nineteenth century

Time of the Civil War and the Morrill Land Grant Act

Saw the introduction of extracurricular activities, a shift in socioeconomic status of students, introduction of women and African Americans into higher education

The National Period

The Civil War

In the South the Civil War lead to a depletion of student and faculty and to physical damage to the colleges themselves

Provided opportunities to initiate new higher education programs

Provided a political opportunity to push through legislation that had been stalledMorrill Land Grant Act is an example of this

(Thelin, 2004)

The National Period

Morrill Land Grant Act Passed in 1862 Piece of federal legislation that lead to

better access to higher education Originally set up to establish institutions

in each state to educate people in agriculture, home economics, mechanical arts, and other practical occupations

Helped shift curriculum from classical to more applied studies

The National Period

Extracurricular Activities

Included literary societies, debating clubs, and service groups

Considered to be the roots of the extensive university library of today

Analysis of extracurricular activities shows that students exerted great influence on the life of their college and determined which activities and values were emphasized

The National Period

Changing of the Student Body A change in the socioeconomic make up of

students occurred Students from a wide range of incomes

replaced the more homogeneous group, referred to as a convergence of “paupers to scholars”

First-generation college students came from farming families, many of which were older than the usual 17-21 year olds

This also led to the formation of charitable trusts and scholarship funds to help colleges provide financial aid to this group of students

The National Period

Changing of the Student Population Women became formal participants in higher

education by the mid-nineteenth century “Female academies” and “female seminars”

were createdThese offered a range of courses and instructional

programs beyond elementary and secondary education

Curricula included home economics as well as formal instruction in sciences, mathematics, foreign languages, and compositions

By the 1860s and 1870s many female seminaries became degree-granting colleges

The National Period

Changing of the Student Population Between 1865 and 1910 provisions were

made for African Americans to pursue higher education

The Land Grant Act of 1890 provided funding for Black colleges offering studies in agriculture and mechanical artsOther funding for Black colleges came from

Northern philanthropic groups, Black churches, and a mix of federal and state appropriations

The National Period

The National Period

Nearing the end of the nineteenth century there were multiple college models ranging from comprehensive institutions with diverse student bodies to special-purpose colleges serving more distinct, specific groups of students

The National Period

The Rise of the University Between 1870 and 1910 America

witnessed a dramatic “university movement” which involved the followingAnnexation of professional schools such as

medicine, law, business, theology, pharmacy, and engineering

Creation of extracurriculars including athletics, fraternities, sororities, campus newspapers, and other clubs

Beginning of organized alumni associations

The National Period

Higher Education after World War I:1915-1945 Enrollment rose during the Great

Depression due to lack of employment opportunities

Beginning in the 1920s institutions enjoyed the luxury of choiceThere began to be more applicants than spots

openThis lead to the creation and refinement of the

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) Diversity was still an issue and

discrimination still existed for minority groups

The “Golden Age”:1945-1970 Saw an academic revolution in which

colleges and universities acquired unprecedented influence in American society

In 1947 Harry S. Truman authorized a report to expand the access and affordability to higher education

There was also effective lobbying for the expansion of government and foundation sponsored research grants for university scholars

The Golden Age

World War II

Following the declaration of war colleges accelerated the progress of students in college

Military services established cooperative on-campus programs for the training of officers, pilots, and other specialized personnel (Fincher, 2001)

The Golden Age

The GI Bill

The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, also known as the GI Bill, made federal scholarships for postsecondary education available for returning war veterans

It set a precedent for making portable government student aid an entitlement

Provided a policy tool for increasing diversity of American universities

The Golden Age

The 1960s

Rise of the “Multiversity”Consisted of a flagship campus with

advanced degree programsEnrollment often exceeded twenty thousand

studentsBudget relied on “soft money” of research

and development projects funded by the federal government and private foundations

The Golden Age

The 1960s The Downside to Expansion

Students began to complain of large lecture classes, impersonal registration, crowded student housing, and the psychological distance between faculty and students caused by booming campuses

Student concern over external political and social events (Vietnam, the draft, Civil Rights) sparked the widespread of student activism

By 1970 national media portrayed the American campus as a battleground in a protracted generational war between college students and the established institutions associated with adult society

The Golden Age

Era of Adjustment & Accountability:1970-1990

Introduction to more financial aid opportunitiesFederal government introduced large scale

entitlements for student financial aid○ Basic Educational Opportunity Grants○ Supplementary Educational Opportunity

Grants (later known as Pell Grants)

Era of Adjustment

Era of Adjustment & Accountability:1970-1990 Continual rise in diversity of students

Traditional image of “Joe College” was being replaced by:○ Women○ Native Americans○ African Americans○ Asian Americans○ Hispanics

Era of Adjustment

Era of Adjustment & Accountability:1970-1990 Uncertainties of campus futures

Institutions were facing financial hardships in the late 70s early 80s

Enrollment declines were answered by the recruitment of older students, women and minorities

By 1990 higher education saw more financial hardships with state revenues coming up short○ This prompted educational leaders and critics to

consider the need for a fundamental shift in attitudes towards higher education and the collegiate structure in the US.

Era of Adjustment

From the 20th to the 21st Century:1990 - 2001 Between 1990 – 2000 most colleges

and universities were prosperous and had high enrollments

Colleges and student affairs officials still had concerns about how to rethink the college campus and college experience to acknowledge the qualitative and quantitative changes of the recent past

Concerns about rising college cost still persisted

20th - 21st Century

From the 20th to the 21st Century:1990 - 2001 Student services accounted for a

substantial portion of the higher costs By 2000 the diversity of students helped

influence the shape and structure of the institution

Women became a decisive majority of student enrollments at both private and public institutions

20th - 21st Century

From the 20th to the 21st Century:1990 - 2001 With the rise in diversity of student there

was also a rise in campus leadership groups

Tribal Colleges gained autonomy and funding after deliberations with federal and state governments

Distance learning emerged due to technological advances

20th - 21st Century

From the 20th to the 21st Century:1990 - 2001 Student affairs leaders now faced how

to embrace changes in the national culture while still providing a campus experience that will be substantive and distinctive

20th - 21st Century

References Fincher, C. (2001). Higher Education in World War II. IHE

Perspectives , 8. Komives, M. F. (2007). Student Services: A Handbook for

the Profession. New York: Jossey-Bass. Lightcap, B. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2008, from

www.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7?morrill.htm Thelin, J. R. (2004). A History of American Higher Education.

JHU Press.