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Why Are We Killing Geese
That Lay Gold Eggs?

By December 11, 2024No Comments

image of chalk board with university sketched on it - gold eggs in corner

It would be easy to blame the law of unintended consequences for many decisions being made at national, state, and local levels, but I fear there is more at work than simply failing to anticipate the “second bounce of the ball,” to use Judith McKenna’s expression[i]. Specifically, I’m referring to direct, indirect, subtle, and not-so-subtle attacks on one of the nation’s crown jewels: higher education.

The nation’s research universities are the envy of the world. Many states consider them to be economic engines. The intellectual capital they generate produces patents and spawns high-tech industries. Truly, they have been geese that produced gold eggs. Yet, many have been attempting to kill them.

Several decades ago, the nation faced the challenge of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields not being attractive to sufficient numbers of American students. We were unable to meet the needs of a technologically based economy. The challenge was aggravated by such fields not being attractive to underrepresented minorities and women. However, the nation’s research universities could attract the best and brightest international students.

First, they came in large numbers from Europe, then from China and India. To ensure that the nation wasn’t solely dependent on “importing” qualified students, research universities embarked on programs to make STEM fields more attractive to underrepresented minorities and women. While the “import” strategy worked, the “grow our own” strategy hasn’t been as successful as anticipated or needed.

Then comes the decade of the 2020s, during which an anti-intellectual movement emerges. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would blame it on nation’s that aren’t friendly to the U.S.A. Surely, they aren’t trying to attack what has been one of our nation’s greatest strengths—our research universities. Or are they?

If so, they are making headway through a two-pronged strategy: attack our immigration policies and attack our diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Stated simply: the nation can’t win high-tech battles by depending almost entirely on STEM fields attracting American white male students.

This isn’t a partisan issue. Why have politicians made it one? This isn’t a red-issue or a blue-issue. It is a red, white, and blue issue.

Based on board scores, the brightest gender segment of the nation’s youth is its women. In addition, the brightest African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American students are competitive with the brightest White students. The challenge is getting them to pursue degrees in STEM fields. There is a proven way to recruit them. It’s the same way universities are recruiting the best athletes—with money and opportunity!

Unfortunately, efforts to recruit underrepresented minorities and women to STEM fields via scholarships and fellowships are being challenged at federal and state levels. Geese that lay gold eggs are being led to the slaughterhouse by elected leaders. What are they thinking? Rather, why aren’t they thinking—thinking about the long-term consequences of their actions?

People must be heard who believe that being smart is better than being dumb, who believe that getting more bright students to major in STEM fields will strengthen the nation, and who believe that a diverse pool of STEM graduates is the fuel needed for the nation’s economic engine. Will you speak up? If not you, then who? If not now, then when?

 

Next: Sending Flowers to the Living

 

[i] White, John A., Why It Matters: Reflections on Practical Leadership, Greenleaf Book Group Press, Austin, TX, 2022, p. 253.