Isabella Xiong

Ethnics 21
Jonathan Tran
2 Nov. 2016
Thematic Reflection: The Role of a University within Society
Universities and colleges have always been the forefront of providing higher education to
students and teachers alike. Unlike a regular K -12 schooling system, universities are institutions
that promote greater and more complex learning skills. As such they also serve to impart
knowledge in hopes of educating students with experience and intellect that they can in the
future use in the real world. But throughout the decades and changes of eras, the purpose of
universities and what role they play within society has changed dramatically. Even my own
perception of what Universities are and what purpose they serve has changed because of
exposure to new information and ideals.
Originally Universities in the US were formed to educate and supply young white men of
aristocratic backgrounds into future colonial leaders. They were modeled after English
Universities and taught the classics such as Socrates and Aristotle (Halverson). However, it
wasnt until the industrial revolution that higher education began to take a more open door policy
to its students and what it needed to teach. From this point and onto the modern era we live in,
Universities now served to educate students in specialize fields of the workforce. The problem
with this type of learning system, adopted as the new educational system, resulted in a
production-like assembly line of students as if in a manufacturing plant (Sir Ken Robinson).
Creativity in all its respects were thrown out the door and what was emphasized test taking skills
around the memorization of large quantities of facts.

Colleges and Universities go on faster scheduling than lower levels of education, which
can be either semester or quarterly base. Because of just how short and fast classes are, its no
wonder that by default many colleges and professors resort to the traditional learning of students
must memorize and asses skills by taking tests. The problem with this learning method is that
students are literally being taught to store facts and information as if theyre computers.
Professors complain that students show difficulty in expressing higher level thinking skills when
asked to go beyond the text. But you cannot blame students for simply doing as what they we
told (Finster). If professors want to see more student engagement and quality work, they must
first change their teaching methods. This will allow students to relearn learning and thus spur
more stimulus in creativity and critical thinking skills.
Its a known fact that because we go into college as adults, its our own responsibility to
show up to our classes or not. Many college professors themselves dont even bother to try and
take attendance since they believe too that the responsibility revolves solely on the student. In
some ways, I can agree with this belief but in other ways I cannot. For starter if students choose
to cut classes, it might not be because they are lazy or they just spent a whole night out drinking.
It may as well very be the fact that the professor is unpassionate, distant, and just plain boring for
the student. Professors should try their very best to be as engaging and caring as possible because
this will give students more of an incentive to stay and participate in their class (Brown).
Nevertheless, students too need to prioritize their education and academic success if they want to
do well in school. In this instant both the students and professors need to bring about change in
their attitudes towards what higher education means to them.
The meaning of higher education has different meanings and emotions associated with it
depending on who you ask or speak to. For a lot of us college students we often dont understand

why we go to college. Of course, if you ask us right now we would probably say were going to
college so we can get a degree and a high paying job. In fact, many of us choose majors that
were not even sure about but due to family pressure we go along with one such as nursing. To
get that degree our mindsets tells us to take the required classes and pass them (Jones). Thus, we
do not truly understand why we need those classes or what they could give us besides units. One
of the first steps we can take to change the way how students define higher education is for
colleges and universities to encourage more than academic success. Most universities want
prestige for their college and if they have a reputation of higher turnout rates for their school,
than they can receive more funding. But if colleges and professors alike stressed also the
development of the growing student, then students will take more out of the classes and events
they attend. Going to college shouldnt be a burden nor a horrible experience for students. It
should be the foundations of where we begin the very first steps of our lives into adulthood. And
I plan for my start to be as enjoyable and memorable as I can possible make it be.