Are Universities a Thing of the Past?

This may be strange to hear this from a retired University Professor but just as fashions and musical styles change with time, so does the importance of advanced education.

Decades ago, it was imperative to frequent the hallowed halls of the learned institutions for at that time it was a common law that in order to compete for a good job, you had to have a college degree or face the reality that you would not have a chance at decent employment.

Today’s work force has changed and for one to amass great debt for advanced degrees seems questionable now that there are countless job openings going unfilled and at the same time wages are at an all-time high. Let’s look back to an earlier time when an advanced degree actually meant something.

1960

I had just graduated from high school and entered college to study music. I had a very focused view of my future for all I wanted to do was play my trumpet. I was encouraged to pursue my goal and for four years, I practiced my horn. Eventually I refined my expectations by deciding I wanted to join the Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd and eventually teach in a college or university.

1970

After being granted my BM degree, my wife and I moved to DeKalb, Illinois to further my education at the University of Northern Illinois. I quickly became disenchanted with my decision and decided North Texas State could better further my education.

The move to Denton, Texas was a very good decision, and I was able to study and perform at a level I was content with. Performing and teaching in the Dallas area was very rewarding for it also placed me in an area where I could accomplish one of my lifetime goals: teaching at a university. My invitation came by phone from the director of the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa at 10:00 AM on a Friday. I accepted the job and was asked if I could start teaching the following Monday. At that time the expected advanced degree was the BM degree. I had no interview nor audition. I was hired sight unseen by just a recommendation from my trumpet teacher.

1980

The early days at UNI where some of the best years in my teaching career for the brass faculty were in demand for concerts and 50 concerts a year were common. The level of musicianship at that time was outstanding for we were recruiting the best students from the state and our program was without doubt a department to be reckoned with.

1990

Changes in administration reflected a different approach to student recruitment and because of these changes, enrollment and musicianship began to level off. No longer were positions filled by personal recommendations and the expected degree for employment was then the doctorate. Earlier job openings would have twenty to thirty applicants. During the 90’s the list of highly qualified applicants exceeded fifty to one hundred and no one was even considered if they did not have a doctorate.

2000

By now, the number of graduates applying for university teaching jobs exceeded the number of job openings. We had successfully flooded the market with more graduates than there were jobs. Some of the most gifted performers were facing the reality that after spending a small fortune on higher education, all they could do was continue going to interviews and auditions only to find that even the most gifted could not get employment.

2010

Now, with the uncertainty of our economy, very few job openings surface for everyone is protecting their current positions at the University level. Students are more aware of the extreme cost of an education when faced with the prospect of limited job openings. In the music teaching field, teachers are now reconsidering a career in music education because of the many unexpected changes in our schools. Every day we have reports of school shootings, added teaching requirements, added workloads and differing opinions as to how and what must be taught.

2020

More teachers are leaving the teaching field because of the continuing difficulties in the classroom. Class enrolment has increased and at the same time the number of students unable to understand the English language. The Wuhan Virus has directly influenced the musical offerings in the number of performances as well as the student enrollment in programs.

Summery

What we expect in the next decade will not follow the norm for we are in uncharted waters and the outcome cannot be predicted. One thing I do know is that the Universities have lived through the golden years of their existence and will never flourish as it has in the past.