The media can work two ways:
Promoting our school or looking for negative things to report. Primarily their job is to sell news, unfortunately even if it means to provide negative publicity they will do so because it sells. Negative news spreads faster than positive news.
Why as school officials we have to be careful what we say and who we say it to, follow all procedures in case of auditing, we don't want descrepancies.
Media is making it difficult as they are giving students a reason to find things wrong when any issues arise. I find at our school we are truly there for the student and go above and beyond to make them successful. There is no room for error for the faculty & staff. In addition schools are being forced to look to other areas to make up the lower enrollment numbers caused by the media and this could take the focus off the student. Media needs to do better research and see how hard faculty work to help sutdents in the private arena before passing judgement.
Linda,
I agree that we need to ensure keeping focus on the student. It's sad that the regulations meant to protect students actual cause schools to incur costs that could take away from investing in the educational side. School's need to find the right balance to ensure student satisfaction while also maintaining compliance.
Traci Lee
Media can influence regulators with the investigations and findings of colleges and career institutions who violate their own policies. This can bring more strict regulations from legislators.
The increase in negative media coverage particularly “for-profit career schools and colleges†has raised many questions. Claims of fraud, aggressive and abusive recruiting, and loan practices by some schools has called for regulatory bodies to focus on reviewing and establishing new more stringent regulations.
The media has influenced both the regulatory and education industry in several ways from where I sit. First, the media influences a number of consumers awareness about the education industry. Second, the regulatory industry has to respond with measures which protect and provide transparency to consumers based on media findings. Finally, education like most things have become a business traded on the NYSE and require checks and balances for consumers to potentially benefit from educational opportunities which the media highlights both the tangible and intangible.
The media always shows the negative side of everything. This, of course, always brings repercussions. For us, it's usually in the for of stiffer regulations.
Let's face it...news sells and bad news sells best. We need to include our students in every aspect of their college experience so there are no surprises and no "got-cha" moments. A student's education must be a team effort or the student will look to blame when their expectations fail to be met.
I believe the media has had a negative bias towards the for-profit post-secondary schools for a number of years. I think some media outlets feel that a school should not be making a profit from educating students and because of the profit motive, that they must be doing something wrong.
There have certainly been a few abuses within the industry but the media makes it sound like the whole field is corrupt. It is interesting that the media is now turning on the non-profit segment due to high tuition costs and increasing debt loads on their students.
John,
Great point - there have also been a few "scandals" that captured media attention for some well-known public universities. I think it continues to be important for colleges to encourage communications on success stories to continue to get positive messaging to the public.
Traci Lee
Ron,
Well stated. I agree that there is shared responsibility for outcomes and transparency of expectations should help in achieving ideal results.
Traci Lee
In this case I do not believe the media intentionally influences the industry. They are subservient to the the influences of those that send information (releases, stats/facts, video taped interviews, etc.) to media in order to affect the industry through the media. Those forces with the deeper pockets, the most consistent campaigns and those who intend to achieve a greater gain in results will have a larger impact through the media. In this case, the Ohio state goverment is winning.
I agree, very rarely do you hear of positive stories focusing on career colleges. I belive the response to career colleges would be much better if the general public were able to hear how we have changed the lives of so many students for the better. There are many things that career colleges are doing right, although we can always improve.
Traci,
The media today has the ability with the technology available to communicate in faster and in an efficient way. It can be so fast that career colleges must operate on a high level of transparency as shoppers (news reporters) come to our schools to break the latest story and broadcasted to the world within minutes of recording. The moment the legislators get a hold of the story they will use it in a negative way, not looking at the positive impact that career colleges makes to many students that will never go to a four year college.
Jorge
Media has an influence in the regulatory enviroment in the education industry because it is opening up the eyes of the public and giving them the tools to ask questions.
The public is no longer the innocent child that will just take your hand and follow you. The public is now asking the hard questions and regulations and requirements in the education industry make it easier for the education industry to give the public what it needs to make informed choices.
Jorge,
You make a good point about the instantaneous communication and the breadth of reach that exists with today's technology. I agree that transparency is key. The challenge will be trying to provide "apples-to-apples" information since there are so many complexities between various schools that a prospective student may be comparing.
Traci Lee
I think the media has influenced the regulatory environment in the education industry greatly. The media is focused on sensationalism and sales, therefore it has driven fear-based and overly reactive decisions and regulatory actions that in the long run may or may not prove to benefit the consumer they are designed to protect.
However, the media’s efforts will only lend to the industry growing stronger and more competitive. The negative images cast by the media are only fueling the industry to increase community outreach programs that benefit students, community members, and local and state representatives. The increased scrutiny is pushing to tighten internal controls within the industry’s institutions, thus setting the stage for stronger business and education program operations and ultimately student achievement outcomes.
Kara,
Great summary of the impact of media, including a positive perspective of what may be achieved. Thanks for sharing!
Traci Lee
The media plays a huge role in the regulatory environment of the education industry. The media has exposed many schools of mal-practices and has shown that these schools should not be accredited due to their inconsistancies. We as an industry need to step-up our work ethic and make sure that we are being 100% compliant in all aspects. Moving past the stigma the public has for post secondary schools and colleges is going to be difficult and will require our industry to be vigiliant in our standards and practices.
andrew,
Well stated! I think you summarized the needs exactly right! It will take time to convince such parties to migrate away from the stigma which grew over a period of many years.
Traci Lee
