Future of Public Universities

Massive changes are buffeting America's public colleges and universities, spurring experts to predict a radically different higher-education environment in coming years. A weakened economy has forced drastic cuts in state higher-education funding, leading many schools to raise tuition to record levels and put the brakes on expansion after years of pell-mell growth fueled by government spending. Meanwhile, colleges and universities are under pressure to rethink their traditional modes of operation as they try to compete with an explosion of new educational models, including for-profit institutions, distance learning and so-called MOOCs — massive online open courses that offer free, high-quality instruction to thousands of digitally connected students simultaneously.