Robert Zemsky gives his vision for three-year college programs

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, Penn GSE’s Robert M. Zemsky has been at the forefront of advocating for transformative changes. A professor in the Policy, Organizations, Leadership, and Systems Division of Penn GSE, Zemsky has advocated the adoption of three-year degree programs for 15 years, aiming to address pressing concerns over the cost, accessibility, and relevance of obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

In The Chronicle of Higher Education, journalist Kelly Field writes how the push for three-year degree programs arrives at a critical moment, as the traditional boundaries between two- and four-year colleges increasingly blur. Community colleges across the nation are expanding their curriculum to include four-year degrees, aiming to meet local workforce demands and make higher education more accessible. This evolving scenario underscores the urgent need for reforms, aligning with Zemsky’s vision for a more adaptable and efficient higher education system.

Highlighting the challenges facing the sector, Zemsky remarks, “It’s pretty clear that higher education is in a funk. There’s a sense that we have to do something to make the product better, more relevant, and less costly to students.”

Read more at The Chronicle of Higher Education.