5 Tough Challenges Facing Higher Education
“Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.”
Could it be worse?
Maintaining a positive attitude in the face of life’s challenges is tough, but some people have a knack for staying up when they ought to be down. Take the oil man who was called in by his banker to review his outstanding loans.
“We loaned you a million dollars to revive your old wells, and they went dry,” complained the banker. The old man looked at him with a straight face and said, “Coulda been worse.” “Then we loaned you another million dollars to drill new wells, and they were dry,” cried the banker. “Coulda been worse,” responded the old man. “Then we loaned you another million dollars for new drilling equipment, and it broke down,” the banker complained. “Coulda been worse,” the old man croaked. “I’m getting tired of hearing that!” snapped the banker. “How could it have been worse?” “Coulda been my money,” the oil man said.
Today, looking at the state of higher education, it is hard to say, “It could be worse.” So, get ready, I’m going to share some ominous facts and figures, but “spoiler alert” — there is a light at the end of this proverbial tunnel.
Signs of uncertainty . . .
The title of the article read, “At the Edge of a Cliff, Some Colleges Are Teaming Up to Survive.” Jon Marcus’ report for The New York Times hints at an uneasy feeling among leaders of colleges and universities. The pandemic, changing demographics, a shift in student interests and the FAFSA debacle are a few of the warning lights on the dashboard of higher education. Should educators be concerned? And why should it matter to you? Consider the following:
Undergraduate enrollment has declined about 8.5% since 2010.
Undergraduate enrollment dropped by 7% during COVID (2020-2022)
That was then, right? Not so, according to Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Clearing House: “We’re seeing smaller declines, but when you’re in a deep hole, the fact that you’re only digging a tiny bit further is not really good news.” Drops have not been reversed, and many 2020-2021 high school grads who ordinarily would have gone to college did not. Then Shapiro provides this sobering conclusion: “And they might never do so.”There were 100,000 fewer college graduates post-COVID (2022-2023)
Ninety-one (91) colleges closed their doors between 2016-2023
Knowing that half of these were religiously affiliated is disconcerting for schools like Lancaster Bible College.College degree is no longer “required” for many state jobs.
When Gov. Shapiro of Pennsylvania entered office, he immediately dropped the "college requirement" for 90% of state jobs (62,000). That was good news for many but an omen of uncertainty for those in the college ranks.Nearly two-thirds of high school seniors say a degree is not worth the cost.
If you are driving your car and see a warning light on your dashboard, pay attention. If you see several, you better pull over, stop the car, and check it out. This article is a call to do just that. We will examine five tough challenges facing higher education, why it matters, and what can be done about it.
Note: Where sources are not cited within this article, you will find them under “Notes” at the conclusion of this report.
The Five Challenges
Challenge #1 - The Demographic Cliff
There’s an old adage in basketball, “You can’t coach height.” The principle: No amount of coaching or coaxing is going to make a player taller . . . or faster for that matter. Height is what it is. So, demographics are what they are. Fewer babies means fewer students and the United States is having fewer babies.
Demographic Trends in the United States:
The general fertility rate in the United States decreased by 3% from 2022, reaching a historic low. In fact, with the exception of a one-year anomaly (2020-2021) the United States birth rate has been on a steady 2% annual decline from 2014 to 2020. (National Center for Health Statistics, April 25, 2024)
The implications for higher education are significant. As Kevin Carey notes, “The relationship between demography and higher education is always a two-decade delay of cause and effect.” We are seeing that effect as there are fewer students to fill seats in the almost 4,000 degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States. Beginning in 2025 (some researchers suggest 2026), the number of incoming freshman will decline precipitously, dropping an alarming 15%, or a loss of 576,000 students. (bestcolleges.com 1/27/23)
Demographic Trends in Pennsylvania:
Here in my home state of Pennsylvania, that grim news is compounded by a population growth that is not keeping pace with that of the country.
Additionally, migration trends are seeing people move out of the Northeast. According to the U.S. census, 327,000 people moved to the Northeast (which includes Pennsylvania) from elsewhere in the United States in 2018-19, while 565,000 moved out, for a net loss of 238,000 people.
Sunny weather coupled with the prospects of lower taxes are also nudging many families to migrate to the sunbelt. And to fewer births and declining state population, you can add ”more expensive” as a reason to rethink college.
Pennsylvania ranks #5 in the states with the most colleges (CA, NY, TX, FL, PA).
Pennsylvania ranks #1 as the most expensive place to get a college education (PA, NY, CA, FL, TX).
Pennsylvania eliminated a college degree requirement from 92% of state jobs (65,000 positions).
The quality of the education, the reputation of the university, the beauty of the campus, or the success of the football team really doesn’t matter much if there are no students in the classroom. The demographic challenge is real.
Challenge #2 - College Debt
Hold on to your wallet. The second challenge facing higher education is college debt. The debt is enormous and it has implications for colleges, the national economy, and for most students, their financial future. In an article entitled, “The Toll of Student Debt In the U.S,” New York Times writers Ella Koeze and Karl Russell reported that “the amount of student debt held in America is roughly equal to the size of the economy of Brazil or Australia.” Yikes! If that isn’t enough to start checking your pockets for loose change, consider these “debt downers” as reported by Wall Street Journal writer, Josh Mitchell in his book, The Debt Trap:
College loan defaults: By 2016, 3,000 people defaulted on a student loan every day (190).
Student loan debt nearly tripled from 2007, to $1.4 trillion (200).
In 1990 (adjusting for inflation), only 2% of all borrowers had balances above $50,000.
In 2014, balances over $50K numbered 71% of all those carrying student debt (192-93).Taxpayers are on the hook for $500 billion in unpaid student loans (7, 208).
From 1980 to 1990, consumer prices rose 62%. Typical family earnings rose 68%. One year of private college, 145%; public college, 113% (76).
What to do?
While some politicians want to exercise a stroke of the pen and make all that bad debt go away, is it that easy?
Paying off student debt by adding to the national debt, already a walloping $35 trillion dollars ($104,500 per citizen), is an exercise in financial procrastination. What’s more, all that debt has become a financial and emotional barrier for families and students considering college. Debt — the current debt and the looming implications — is a significant concern for higher education
Challenge #3 - Value: Is a college education worth it?
These days, the prestige afforded a college education has, like the leisure suit and disco ball, fallen out of favor. The question being asked by analysts, news pundits, and families across our country is, “Is a college education worth it?” Of course every college president, every trustee, every admissions officer, and every faculty member is going to respond, “You bet it is!” But statistical analysis among parents and students does not reveal the same optimism.
Gone are the sunny days of big college enrollment. Sure, some Ivys and upper echelons of higher education have wait lists, but even many state schools, especially outside of the sunbelt, are reporting steep year-over-year declines. Some of this is simple demographics, but what’s worse is that the shadow of doubt is eclipsing even the most ardent believers in higher education. The public mood has changed:
Almost 50% of Americans believe a college degree is less important for getting a good-paying job today than it was 20 years ago. (univstats.com – State data 2024).
Only 22% of U.S. adults say the cost of college is worth it even if someone has to take out loans.” (Pew Research Center, May 23, 2024, “Public views on the value of a college degree”)
Nearly two-thirds of high school seniors now say a degree is not worth the cost, according to a survey by the left-leaning think tanks New America and Third Way.
Campus social unrest, not everywhere for sure, but highly reported by the press, is fueling some of this doubt. In the most recent commencement season, Catherine Kim, writing for Politico, states: “Over 50 schools. Nearly 2,000 arrests. One canceled graduation ceremony — so far.” (“What’s Really Happening on College Campuses, According to Student Journalists”, by Catherine Kim, Politico, May 3, 2024). Some students are asking, “Do I want to enter that arena?” and “Will I be safe?”
Ideological wars notwithstanding, many prospective students are being lured and lulled by the prospects of generous salaries without the time and cost of a four-year degree. If a 3-month coding boot camp will net me a starting salary of $70k to $100K, do I really want to invest all that additional time on a college campus — incurring debt rather than drawing a salary? In a similar fashion, many high school graduates are turning to tech schools which provide a shorter road to a career-path or are opting for certificate or non-degree-granting options in trades such as plumbing, heating and air conditioning (HVAC), or automobile mechanics. These options are attractive from the perspective of time, cost, and an appealing salary upon completion.
Challenge #4 - The speeding train
A few weeks back, my wife and I watched the Apple + documentary “Steve! (Martin) A documentary in two pieces.” Steve Martin is 79 years old and has dominated comedy for decades. We were finishing the end of the first segment. At this point in his career (about 1980), Steve Martin was still relatively young. He was in Las Vegas doing a show. As Steve looked out on his audience, he noticed that one seat was empty. The comedian said it fed into a sadness that he was feeling . . . because he didn't want to go downhill. For an entertainer used to performing before packed houses, that empty seat just might be an omen of a career on the decline, a career which had been in the stratosphere.
Against that backdrop, Steve said, “[My comedy act] was conceptual, and once the concept was understood there was nothing left to develop. I sort of created my own dead end.” And then he said the following, which really got me thinking:
“I felt I was on a speeding train called stand-up comedy. Coming in the other direction was a speeding train called movies. My job was to get off the stand-up train and throw myself on to the movie train. And I thought, “Ah, I get to start over!” ”
As Part One of this documentary came to an end, our TV screen scrolled blank for a second or two, then these words followed:
In August 1980, Steve finished his tour. He was the biggest comedian in show business, ever.
The screen scrolled again …
He never did his act again.
Higher Education’s Paradigm Shift
Steve Martin’s “speeding train” is a metaphor for a “paradigm shift.” Higher education is in such a shift.
From “in-person to digital”
From traditional degrees to non-degree learning experiences
From national attitudes of “you need this to succeed” to “you really don’t have to go to college.”
In short, the landscape of higher education is changing. That’s hard because change is hard. Traditionally, higher education has moved at a slower pace (think three-legged turtle). Institutions that have only invested in face-to-face instruction and/or have few offerings in the health sciences are now finding themselves “competing” with modality (digital), mindset (“It’s the career, stupid!”), demographics (fewer students to go around), and educational opportunities that are challenging the notion of the four-year model (non-degree granting higher education).
“He who chases two rabbits, catches neither.”
Higher education is in a dilemma: How does it retain the old paradigm while embracing the new?
There is a Russian proverb that says, “He who chases two rabbits, catches neither.” But chasing two rabbits is precisely what is called for in this day: In-person and digital; traditional and non-degree learning opportunities; the one-stop college and educational partnerships.
Challenge #5 - The Anxious Student
Students entering college today are bright, creative, interested, and . . . part of a generation unlike any other in the history of higher education. They are the first generation to be raised in the age of the smartphone. Research suggests that all that screen time has not been conducive to the psyche or maturity of our youth.
Jonathan Haidt is the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business. In his New York Times bestseller, The Anxious Generation, Professor Haidt establishes a direct line from the introduction of the cell phone to the rise of mental illness among college-age students.
Haidt demonstrates that the disappearance of unstructured play and time with peers in the formative years, coupled with the rise of screen time and the impact of “media influencers” has significantly impacted social learning and attunement to the negative. He writes:
Prestige-based social media platforms have hacked one of the most important learning mechanisms for adolescents, diverting their time, attention, and copying behavior away from a variety of role models with whom they could develop a mentoring relationship that would help them succeed in their real-world communities. Instead, beginning in the early 2010s, millions of Gen Z girls collective aimed their most powerful learning systems at a small number of young women whose main excellence seems to be amassing followers to influence. (61)
In summing up his chapter, “What Children Need To Do In Childhood,” Haidt writes, “As childhood was rewired—especially between 2010 and 2015—adolescents became more anxious, depressed, and fragile.” (65) Consequently, students arriving on colleges campuses are coming with challenges vastly different than the generations before them. Just how different those students are can be seen in their self-reported disabilities, which Haidt notes below:
One must be careful not to employ too broad a brush in describing this generation of undergraduate students, but Haidt, for one, pulls no punches as to the impact of screen time.
Taken as a whole, the dozens of experiments that Jean Twenge, Zach Rausch, and I have collected confirm and extend the patterns found in the correlational studies: Social media use is a cause of anxiety, depression, and other ailments, not just a correlate. (148)
As a consequence “mental health” has jumped to the forefront of college concerns. The Three R’s of education are still important, but right up there with Reading, wRiting, and ARithmetic, is Relational health. Nurturing an educational environment while navigating the impact of the smartphone and social media on mental health is an essential component of the educator’s toolbox, one for which many are unprepared.
Five Challenges . . . and more!
I titled this article, 5 Challenges Facing Higher Education, but in reality there are more. To the challenges of demographics, debt, doubts about the value of higher education, the anxious students and that speeding train, The Digital Express, one can add “The Challenge of the Moment.”
The Challenge of the moment …
I assumed the office of the President of Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School on February 1, 2020. That was about 45 days before COVID upended the world. As I write this, I think about all that our employees and students have endured since that time. Mind you, our institution was just saying “Good bye” to a dearly loved president. Then came COVID, then the national upheaval surrounding the death of George Floyd, the continued financial impact of COVID on our college, political unrest surrounding a heated presidential race, January 6th, the rising concern over college debt, and most recently the war in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and FAFSA.
Let’s focus on FAFSA, the troubled and greatly maligned rollout of the federal government’s “new and improved” Free Application For Federal Student Aid process. In short, it was a disaster, hindering the college application process for students across the country and creating enrollment and financial havoc for institutions of higher learning.
The FAFSA Simplification Act, enacted by Congress in 2021, significantly overhauled how federal student aid is awarded.
The implementation was rife with delays and errors. The new form, typically available Oct. 1, was not available until December.
40% of FAFSAs were tainted with [federal] processing and data errors. (AICUP President’s Update, 4.11.24)
Through August 2024, only 49% of the high school class of 2024 completed a FAFSA. That’s a 9.9% drop from last academic year.
(FAFSA Tracker - National College Attainment Network (ncan.org)
In Pennsylvania, as of May 3, 2024, FAFSA completions were down 16%. And PHEAA applications (state financial aid grants) were down 16.3%. That’s over 55,000 fewer than same time last year, including 15,000 potential freshmen. (AICUP President’s Update 5.9.24)
Ripple effects: awarding institutional financial aid, college housing, course registrations, staffing levels (professors, coaches, support staff, etc.).
The 25/26 FAFSA will also be delayed (U.S. Dept. of Ed says further testing this fall with a December 2024 rollout).
The FAFSA rollout has been challenging and will continue to be as the government has again delayed their next rollout from October to December of this year. But this is just one wave that pounds on the shores of higher education. Another will certainly follow.
Why does it matter?
So cry me a river! Education has its challenges like every other sector of society. Why should I be concerned? In short, because Higher Education still wields incredible impact in our country and in our states and communities.
LEADERSHIP IMPACT: Higher education helps lay a necessary foundation for critical thinking, relationship building, and problem solving; all critical components necessary for leaders of today and tomorrow.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Four-year degree generates an annual return of 14% over a 40-year career, even beating the stock market.
STATE & LOCAL IMPACT: Here in Pennsylvania , higher education is the fifth-largest industry in Pennsylvania. It supports 1 in 32 jobs and provides 1 in every 30 dollars in our state’s economy. Here in Lancaster County, five independent nonprofit colleges attract more than 8,000 students annually, making a significant contribution to our local community by employees, county residents, contractors, and vendors.
COMMUNITY IMPACT (the common good): Higher education helps people grow, provides job training, delivers volunteer hours, provides local economic impact.
PERSONAL IMPACT: Despite feelings to the contrary, today one needs more than a cell phone, Google, and CHAT GPT to venture into adulthood.
College is formative for what it delivers inside and outside the classroom.
Source: I am indebted to Tom Foley, President of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) for much of what you just read. Tom and his team do an exceptional job of showcasing the impact of higher education in our state. You can read more in Tom’s OpEd, “The continued importance of earning a college degree.”
So What? Now What?
Yes, higher education is facing some challenging times. But what does that mean to me?
PARENTS: Every parent carries the responsibility to “train up a child in the way he/she should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Some Hebrew scholars interpret this as Barnes notes: “The way he should go - Or, according to the tenor of his way, i. e., the path especially belonging to, especially fitted for, the individual's character. The proverb enjoins the closest possible study of each child's temperament and the adaptation of "his way of life" to that.” That is to say, “college is not for everyone.” Some youth should be encouraged and challenged to attend higher learning, but for some, a different path is better suited One of the joys (and challenges) of parenting is helping our students make that determination.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: Solomon’s oft repeated advice to his son is this, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7 et al). How important is this Solomon? The wisest of the wise says, “She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.” (Proverbs 3:15-18 ESV). Of course, this is not to say that the college or university is the only place to glean wisdom and insight; it is not. However, the university provides a rare opportunity to immerse oneself in preparation for life and career. Life is full of tradeoffs; one must consider whether by-passing such an opportunity for the prospects of a more immediate monetary payoff is best for him or her.
EMPLOYERS: In Lancaster Country, like many counties and cities in our country, higher education provides a boon to the local community and economy. How could your industry be impacted by a downturn in higher education or the loss of a local college? How many of your clients, customers, or vendors are connected to higher education? What ripples will it have on your business? Your community? In the Frank Capra classic, It's A Wonderful Life, the angel apprentice Clarence says to George Bailey, "Strange isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" The absence of a college or university leaves an awful hole. How can you partner in ways that prove mutually beneficial? In an article for Forbes, Bill Frist notes, “Industry-led partnerships forged between a business and an education partner around a specific employment need are some of the most impactful models for education-to-work pathways.” This article is an excellent read. (Closing The Talent Gap: From K-12 To Career (forbes.com)
In a January report to the presidents of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), President Tom Foley pondered the talent gap in our state and the role of higher education to fill it. He writes, “Specifically, 60% of Pennsylvania jobs require workers with some higher education, while only 53% of Pennsylvania adults have it. The talent gap exists across economic sectors, and it’s growing. To play its part in closing the gap, it is estimated that between 2020 and 2030 the commonwealth will need to award 5.5% more associate degrees, 8.1% more bachelor’s degrees, 15.7% more master’s degrees, 6% more doctoral degrees, and 4% more post-secondary non-degree credentials.” One implication is that our state will need more from our colleges, not less.
DONORS: All colleges and universities benefit from the generous support of their donors. For private colleges and universities, who don’t receive state funding like public universities, these gifts are the lifeline for scholarships and capital improvements. Tuition dollars do not fund capital projects. Understandably, these days banks do not view higher education as a “growth market.” Consequently, dollars for capital projects are few. It takes the support of patrons in gifts small and large to help bring education, opportunity, and a brighter future for a new generation of college students. Of course, patrons must assess how to best steward resources they have spent a lifetime accumulating, but like investors who take “the long view,” higher education not only beats the stock market in return, it enhances the human capital that builds strong families, businesses, churches, and communities. As one who represents my institution and serves alongside many others in similar roles, we express our hearty gratitude for the continued confidence and support from the friends of our respective institutions.
EDUCATORS (AND FUTURE TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS): Educating future generations is a noble and necessary calling, albeit not the most lucrative. Your work is important, for without you, “Who will teach the children?” Janet Loehrke’s article for USA Today highlights the incredible need for individuals to serve in the teaching profession: She writes, “The Annenberg Institute at Brown University found in a recent study there were an estimated 55,000 vacant full-time teaching positions in the U.S.” She adds, “According to an analysis from the labor market think tank ADP Research Institute, the supply of teaching applicants hasn't kept up with the demand.” See “Where are all the teachers? Breaking down America's teacher shortage crisis in 5 charts.”
EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS: Education of all sorts is significant work, serious work, and enjoyable work (most of the time). Since Harvard’s founding in 1636, Americans of all stripes have recognized the importance of rigorous preparation for the future. Were those efforts directed primarily toward the kind of person one would be or the kind of job one would secure as a result? I’ll leave it to the educational historians to provide the definitive answer to that question. What all would agree on is that education is preparatory, designed to equip one for a better life. To continue those efforts, educators must embrace the changing landscape of higher education, its modalities, and its students. If higher education has enjoyed the stability of a Cruise Ship, that is, passengers aplenty, calm seas, rich amenities and mostly happy passengers; today’s environment is more akin to an Aircraft Carrier, on alert, attuned to changing conditions, more focused on its mission than taking in the views. This new reality can be difficult to embrace, but institutions that “get it” and act on it are better prepared to flourish professionally and as an institution. Clarifying its mission and how best to fulfill it, appropriately pivoting to the digital modality, and collaborative efforts with business, churches, non-profits, as well as other educational institutions are paramount. If your institution is facing challenges, you’re not alone, you’re not an anomaly. These are challenging days . . . and why you are at the helm.
We get to do this!
Taken together, the challenges facing higher education and those who serve it are daunting; definitely not for the faint of heart. At the same time, these challenges provide wonderful opportunities to do what educators and other leaders have been doing since our nation’s earliest days, i.e. discovering ways to equip the next generation with the critical thinking skills, information, tools, and wisdom to make a difference and contribute to the common good.
I like to tell our team at Lancaster Bible College, “We get to do this!” It is a tough gig? Absolutely. Is it a great gig? Without a doubt!
About the author:
Tommy Kiedis, Ph.D., D.Min. serves as the 6th President of Lancaster Bible College, which provides accredited university-level education (undergraduate, masters, doctoral level) for multiple careers with a focus on the Bible and a biblical worldview, Christ, and Christian character. We promise our 2500 students that we will equip them to flourish in college and life, inside and outside the classroom, from the conviction that Christ is real and the Bible is true.
Notes:
Signs of the times . . .
8.5% Undergraduate decline since 2010. See “U.S. Enrollment Decline Fact & Figures” April 11, 2024.
7% drop - National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, reported in “College enrollment declines for third straight year since pandemic.” The Washington Post 10/20/22
100,000 fewer college graduates 2022-2023, see National Clearing House, “Undergraduate Degree Earners,” April 11, 2024. Also, Forbes
Undergraduate drop 3% - College enrollment is nowhere near pre-pandemic levels, experts worry - The Washington Post
91 Closures - Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President’s Update 5/9/24
Dropping “College requirement” for 92%, or approximately 65,000 Commonwealth jobs.” (Fortune, January 2023)
Challenge #1 . . . The demographic cliff
Kevin Carey notes . . . from “The incredible shrinking future of college” in Vox.com, November 21, 2022. Accessed September 5, 2024.
Demographic trends in Pennsylvania. You can read the interesting article, “The incredible shrinking future of college” by Kevin Carey. See also census data: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/geographic-mobility/historic.html
University rankings by state and costs from “College Statistics by State” at www.univstats.com, accessed September 5, 2024. Author notes conflicting opinions regarding these rankings.
Challenge #2 . . . College Debt
See Josh Mitchell’s The Debt Trap: How Student Loans Became A National Catastrophe. New York: Simon & Schuster (August 3, 2021)
I utilized the National Debt Clock for US Debt figures. See www.https://www.usdebtclock.org/
Challenge #3 . . . Value: Is A College Education Worth It?
Data from 1,000 respondent survey from Third Way and New America was completed in 2021. Covid may have unduly influenced that opinion. See “Is College Worth It? Consider These Factors Before Enrolling,” at Forbes.com, which provides some counter argument.
Challenge #5 . . . The Anxious Student
“Prestige-based social media platforms . . .” from Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. New York: Penguin Press, 2024, p. 61.
““As childhood was rewired . . .” from Haidt, The Anxious Generation, p. 65.
Chart: “Self-Reported Disabilities, College Freshmen” from The Anxious Generation, p. 71.
The Challenge of the Moment
FAFSA challenges have been widely reported across many news outlets.
I am indebted, as are so many college presidents, to Mr. Tom Foley, President of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP). Tom and his team do a masterful job of providing regular environmental scans of all matters related to higher education, especially as it relates to our constituent group. His regular reports are a goldmine of necessary and helpful information and assessment.
So What? Now What?
I am indebted to Mrs. Judy Heckaman for her insightful additions to this section. Judy has read and re-read this post, providing both editorial improvements and suggestions to fill in some gaps of my thinking.
“The way he should go . . .” See Barnes notes as well as those of Hebrew scholars Kiel and Delitzsch at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/22-6.htm (accessed September 5, 2024)
