When President Obama took office in 2009, he adopted the ambitious goal of raising college graduation rates in America to 60 percent, translating to five million additional college graduates by 2020. Achieving this lofty goal has already proven easier said than done, as education costs continue to increase nationwide. This month, the President called a meeting with college officials, who were invited to the White House to discuss with the President how to make college less expensive and more productive. The task is far from negligible, as many issues must be addressed before Washington will see an improvement in the current state of the community college system.
The Latest Meeting
According to a report at Inside Higher Ed, the latest meeting between President Obama and college leaders was unusual on three counts. First, the meeting was called rather last minute, with college officials scrambling somewhat to make it to Washington for their appointment. Second, the meeting was held behind closed doors, without journalists or others privy to the shared information. Finally, the President attended the meeting instead of a representative from the President’s staff, as is the norm with most meetings.
The Washington meeting was well-attended, with representatives from large state systems, private institutions, and a community college system in attendance. The three representatives from state systems included Nancy Zimpher, chancellor of the State University of New York; Francisco Cigarroa, chancellor of the University of Texas System; and William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University
