The Association obtains survey results on US college administrators’ opinion on the change issues facing by the industry as reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education.  The results of the survey confirm past and recent studies which have been conducted by the Association of American Education Analytics. Some of the general conclusions made by the study may statistically be inappropriate (incorrect).  AAEA also questions if alpha, inter-rated reliability, validity and other forms of standard required tests have been applied on the constructs and the results.  Readers need to be aware of such possible flaws.

Specifically, AAEA would like to make the following comments on the Chronicle’s study, assuming that the methodology research is appropriate and that the sample (20 % response rate) represents the “true” population.

1. Low response rate could reflect many things such as the respondents care less about the importance of the survey or it can reflect that majority of the college administrators (Presidents) do not know what to say or do not want to give the true answers or it could simply show that they are confused and do not have any clue what is going on and where the industry and the country’s higher education system are heading to.  Perhaps, the above mentioned reasons occurred and are motivated by a “play safe” strategy because they are afraid of losing their current position?
2. The results are reported based on four-category of Likert Scale.  However, the report could be made better, more informative and may lead to a better understanding of the respondents’ opinion if more rigorous categorical statistical analyses such as CMH hypothesis tests are conducted on the collected data.
3. Most of the respondents agree that a drastic change needs to be done.  However, it seems very clear that they do not know the direction to go as reflected from their answers.  The majority of US college administrators think that the “politicians” are the true agent of change who can bring change on-campus.  In other words, the majority of them is waiting for the politicians to tell them what needs to be done?  We need to caution readers that the general statement made by the Chronicle may not completely true since the respondents can be classified into two groups of samples i.e., non-profit private and state colleges.  Again, Chi-square hypotheses tests need to be carried out in this case.
4. Point 3 above may tell us that a wait-and-see strategy is adopted in most US campuses.  Lack of initiative may again reflect the “play-safe” strategy.  They just do not want to take even the smallest calculated risk to change the organization that they are managing?
5. Point 4 may tell us that the American public has to be more patience to see significant changes that they have hoped for.  College education cost may keep going up.  It may not be impossible that one may see by the end of 2014 the accumulation of student loans will reach a new record of $2 trillion.
6. Point 5 above may lead one to believe that if no one can and is willing to make a drastic change then the only possible entity that can take the responsibility is the government.  Therefore, the Satisfactory Academic Program, College Affordability Rating and future compliance audit (which relate the compliance test results to college accreditation and/or disbursement of any type of federal funding and financial aids) should be welcomed by the US college administrators.  But, we have all heard that may not be the case?  Then the question that one may have is what does the college administrators really want to do?  Do they have the motivation to make the US higher education to be more affordable and that to make the US as a country to be more competitive in the world or do they try to maximize their own utility function with the expense of others?  Perhaps, the answer is yes.

Please tell us what do you guys think?