UNC-system to match degrees with jobs

Among the multitude of questions facing the UNC system and its future, members of the system’s strategic planning committee started with the basics Wednesday — how many students should universities graduate?

The UNC-system Advisory Committee on Strategic Directions has been tasked with helping to craft the system’s next five-year plan by the end of this year. The plan aims to make universities more efficient, ensure students have the skills required by employers and potentially set degree attainment goals.

Given that about 28 percent of the state’s 25-to-64-year-old population had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2010, Dan Cohen-Vogel, senior director of institutional research for the system, presented three degree attainment options for the system.

The first would focus on meeting the workforce demands for entry-level jobs — which might just require an associate’s degree — and actually decrease the percentage of the state’s population with at least a bachelor’s degree to 23.4 percent.

The second would increase that percentage to about 32 percent and match current projections, while the last goal would be in line with the top five most educated states and the most ambitious — 40.6 percent.

Cohen-Vogel stressed that none of the projections address the fact that state residents with a higher education tend to avoid costly social programs like Medicaid and are more civically engaged in their communities.

UNC-system President Thomas Ross said any degree attainment goals set by the system must be attentive to employers’ needs.

“There are ways that we can produce more degrees at less cost and get some of the benefits, but it’s a question of whether the jobs will be there — that’s the bet one has to take.”

Bachelor’s degree holders under the age of 25 have been hit particularly hard by the recent recession. In 2011, 53.6 percent were jobless or underemployed nationwide.

Art Pope, CEO of retail conglomerate Variety Wholesalers, Inc., cautioned against trying to predict the state’s future workforce demands too closely. He said schools must offer flexible and adaptable opportunities for students as new technologies and industries emerge.

UNC-CH has attempted to do just that, said Daniel Gitterman, a public policy professor.

Gitterman said a broad-based liberal arts education, critical thinking, writing skills and tangible experience outside the classroom have all been integrated into the University’s curriculum. He said a community college transfer student recently asked him, “What’s the return on my investment?”

“I feel a responsibility to show her we have delivered her something of value,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.