The Democratization of Higher Education in America

American higher education is currently undergoing an enormous and rapid expansion. Between 1939 and 1961 the number of students enrolled in colleges and universities and earning credits toward degrees rose from about 1.3 million to over 3.9 million (1). This three-fold increase has resulted almost completely from increasing rates of enrollment, since the population of college age—that is, the 18 to 21 year olds—was almost exactly as large in 1939 as in 1960 (2). The difference is that in 1939 college and university enrollments comprised about 14% of the 18–21 year old population, while by 1961 that figure was about 38%. This rate has been increasing at an average of 1% a year since the end of World War II.

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World War II and Institutional Shifts

Contending with Modernity ◽

10.1093/oso/9780195098280.003.0017 ◽

1996 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Gleason

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

World War Ii ◽

Korean War ◽

Colleges And Universities ◽

World War ◽

Catholic Colleges ◽

American Higher Education ◽

Steady Growth ◽

Catholic Colleges And Universities ◽

The Korean War

World War II set the stage for an era of tremendous growth in American higher education, growth in which the Catholic sector shared fully. Between 1940 and 1960 the number of Catholic colleges and universities increased by one-fifth (from 193 to 231), faculties grew by about 85 percent (from 13,142 to 24,255), and enrollments almost doubled that percentage, zooming from just under 162,000 to just over 426,000, an increase of 164 percent. Sheer growth was thus the most basic of the institutional developments that took place in this era, but it presented itself more as a series of crises than as a process of continuous accretion. The first crisis, brought on by the wartime draft and the attraction of highpaying jobs in defense industries, imperiled the very existence of the colleges by depleting their pool of potential students. Then came the overwhelming surge of postwar veterans that almost swamped the system. And just as educators were regaining their balance from that onslaught, the outbreak of the Korean War threatened to start the cycle all over again. Korea proved to be a mere dimple compared with World War II, but steady growth did not really begin until 1953.

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Roger L. Geiger. American Higher Education since World War II: A History. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2019. 400 pp.

History of Education Quarterly ◽

10.1017/heq.2020.47 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 675-678

Author(s):

Robert Cohen

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

World War Ii ◽

World War ◽

American Higher Education ◽

Princeton University

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Setting the Vision for Campus Outreach and Engagement

Handbook of Research on the Changing Role of College and University Leadership - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-6560-5.ch017 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 274-284

Author(s):

David M. Deggs

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Community Engagement ◽

20Th Century ◽

Colleges And Universities ◽

Teaching And Research ◽

College And University ◽

American Higher Education ◽

University Leaders ◽

Student Benefits

Outreach and engagement are essential functions of American higher education. Despite having historical commitment and missions aligned to community engagement, many colleges and universities struggle to prioritize community engagement efforts within and across institutions. Community engagement is often viewed as a lesser priority behind teaching and research and is thus an afterthought. This chapter explores the development of community engagement in American higher education in the 20th century and key initiatives that underscore its importance to fulfilling college and university missions and goals. Motivation and rewards for faculty along with student benefits are also explored. Finally, actions that should be taken by college and university leaders to ensure that community engagement is prioritized are discussed.

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