An Overview of US Higher Education美国高等教育概况

Dr. James GreenbergDr. Steven Selden

College of EducationUniversity of Maryland, College Park

For Northwest Agriculture and Forestry UniversityAugust 7, 2009

The University of Maryland: The Quest for Excellence and Equity

Ph. D Student Getting Hooded

Three Major Underpinning Philosophical Beliefs for American Higher Education:三个支柱性理念

Jeffersonian ideals of limited government control and freedom of expression

Capitalism and the belief in the rationality of markets

Commitment to equal opportunity and social mobility.

Distinct and Different Missions

Land Grant /Morrill ActScience

TechnologyAgricultureCommerce

EngineeringSERVICE

American Association

Of UniversitiesRESEARCH &

SCHOLARSHIP

Liberal Arts TraditionTEACHING

Size and Composition 大学总数及分类 6,500 postsecondary institutions in

U.S.

4,200 colleges and universities that award degrees

- 2,300 community colleges and other institutions that award certificates

Benefits of Higher Education to Individuals and Societies

Wider opportunities and a higher standard of living

Adults with higher levels of education are less likely to depend on social safety-net programs, decreasing demand on public expenditures

College graduates lead more productive lives with more positive perceptions of personal health and lower smoking rates

Adults with higher levels of education engage more in civic activities including volunteering, voting, and donating blood.

Enrollment （在校人数） 16 million full- and part-time students

14 million undergraduates 2 million graduate and professional

students

Median Earnings and Tax Payments by Level of Educaiton, 2003

21,600

30,800

35,700

37,600

49,900

59,500

79,400

95,700

4,300

6,700

8,100

8,600

11,900

14,900

21,200

26,700

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000

120,000

140,000

Not a High School Graduate

High School Graduate

Some College, No Degree

Associate Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Doctorate Degree

Professional Degree

After-tax Income

Tax

Notes: Includes full-time year-round workers age 25 and older.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004, PINC-03; Internal Revenue Service, 2003, Table 3; McIntyre, et al, 2003

Public vs. Private

2099 public institutions enrolling 12 million (75% of students)

4360 private institutions enrolling 4 million (25% of students)

Major Categories of Institutions Doctoral Granting Institutions

Offer most of doctoral degree programs and engage in extensive research

Comprehensive Universities Generally only through master’s degree level

General Baccalaureate Colleges Emphasize liberal arts through the bachelor’s degree level

Specialized Institutions Offer programs only in a few areas, such as law, medicine,

engineering or the arts Community Colleges (Two-year colleges) For-profit institutions

Such as University of Phoenix, Capella, DeVires, Strayer

Transition Rate （入学率） from High School to Postsecondary Education

The percentage of high school graduates who enrolled in postsecondary education immediately after graduation has increased over the past 3 decades, rising from 47 percent in 1973 to 62 percent in 2001

DEMANDS ON AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION

Effectiveness Efficiency Excellence Equity Access Affordability Transparency Action

Accountability – Dominant Policy Tool in U.S. Higher Education

Focus on Ends, Attainments, Accomplishments, Achievements

Focus on Measurable Ends Reliance on Standardized Measures of

Achievement Focus on Other Measurable

Achievements re: Other Institutions NSSE: Student Engagement and

Involvement in Higher Education

The Demand for Accountability Accountability to Public, Clients and

the Faculty Indicators:

Time to Completion of Degree Job Placement & Job Success Test Scores & Certification

Client Accountability Demand for an Adequate Supply of Highly

Qualified Graduates Demand for Graduates Who Can Meet or

Exceed Client’s Needs & Expectations Demand for Graduates Who Can Fulfill the

Purposes & Goals of the Employer Demand for Graduates Who can Meet the

Needs of an Advancing Democratic Society and a Globalizing World

Public Accountability Sufficient number of graduates to meet

public sector needs & expectations Graduates who meet or exceed the

qualitative expectations of both private & public sectors

Transparency to provide evidence of appropriate use of public resources

Graduates who can Meet the Needs of an advancing democratic society and a globalizing world

Governance （隶属及管辖） States are responsible for governing public

colleges and universities Various degrees of control

Some universities enjoy constitutional autonomy, such as the University of Michigan

Some universities are governed by a board appointed by the governor and/or legislature

Some universities are part of a statewide multi-campus systems

External Governance

Multiple Agencies

University of Maryland

College Park

University ofMaryland

System & RegentsState of

Maryland(MHEC)

U.S. Education

Department

RegionalAccreditationAssociation

SpecializedAccreditation

Agencies

Federal Role联邦政府的作用 Primary financier of both scientific

research and student financial aid Exerts influence through wide range

of federal reporting requirements Pursuing ways to use institutional

accreditation as a way to affect core academic decisions

Focus on accountability

The University System of Maryland马里兰大学系统 Public system of higher education USM consists of eleven universities, two

research institutions, two regional higher education centers, and a system office

Two other public institutions are separate from USM 　 http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/

MHEC is a super board for the state 21 community colleges 29 private colleges and universities U.S. Naval Academy

USM Board of Regents ( 理事会 )

A 17-member Board of Regents, including one full-time student

Appointed by the governor Oversee the system's academic,

administrative, and financial operations; formulate policy

Appoint the USM chancellor and the presidents of the system's 13 institutions

Regents serve on the board without compensation.

USM Facts （马里兰大学系统详情） Undergraduate Students: 108,849 Graduate/Professional Students: 35,514 Full-time Faculty: 7,506 Part-time Faculty: 4,423 Academic Programs: more than 600 bachelor's,

master's, doctoral, and professional More than 100 locations in Maryland , 1,000

buildings, including 19 libraries Operating Budget: $3.5 billion

The Board of Trustees

The President of the University

Vice President

Business

Vice President

Development

Vice President

University Relations

Vice President

University Administrat

ion

Vice President

University Planning

Vice President

Student Affairs

Vice President

Academic Affairs

Accounting

Auxiliary Services

The University Administrative Organization

大学管理机构图

Assistants to the President

The Board of Trustees大学理事会 The selection of the President of the University. The determination of the major goals of the

University and the approval of the policies and procedures for implementation of such goals.

The review and approval of the operating and capital budget of the University.

Such other responsibilities as law, governmental directives, or custom require the Board to act upon.

**This information is adopted from Pennsylvania State University Website: http://www.psu.edu/trustees/univ%20governance.html

Faculty and Their Appointments大学教师及聘任 Full time or part time Tenure-track or nontenure-track Tenure implies continuous

employment, barring dismissals for cause or financial exigency.

Not all academic positions carry tenure

Current Challenges （当前的挑战） The market (not government) as key

external driver High education as an engine of mobility

Access Affordability

Other issues Student learning results Internationalizing the collegiate experience

Sources of Funding

State GeneralFund

Allocations

Grants& Contracts

Tuition& Fees Gifts &

Endowment

CapitalInvestments

University ofMaryland

Institutional Financial Aid奖助学金 To low-income students

To attract “the best and brightest”

To maintain and increase ethnic/racial/gender diversity of student body

Students Three out of four American college

students are considered nontraditional Eighty percent of students work during

the academic year Half attend part time Sixty percent of bachelor’s degree

recipients attend more than one institution through credits transfer

Admissions Decisions录取决定 Are based on a fixed set of academic

criteria, include high school coursework grade point average (GPA) and class rank admissions test score—SAT and ACT nonacademic characteristics, such as

demonstrated leadership ability, creativity, and community service

Curriculum and Degrees

Associate degrees, typically awarded after 60 credits. The bachelor’s degree, most common type of degree

awarded Two components—general education (1/4 to ½ courses)

and the major field of study Students choose their major either upon enrolling or

after completing their second year of studies The master’s degree: enroll 75 percent of graduate

students A professional degree provides access to advanced

professions in fields such as law and medicine. The doctoral degree (PhD)

University of Maryland College Park

2004 Six Year Graduation Rates马里兰大学 2004 年毕业率