The nation’s higher education institutions are grappling with more than just a passing PR problem. From rising costs to questions about the very definition of relevance and morality, substantive action and innovation are needed to regain public trust. Parents, students and employers want academic institutions to better reflect the needs and values of their communities.
In this climate, the unique educational programs offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are becoming more important and valuable. Enrollment in the Church Educational System continues to grow, bucking a national downward trend. Over the past two decades, enrollment at Church universities such as BYU, BYU-Idaho and BYU-Pathway has nearly tripled, from 60,000 in 2000 to nearly 150,000 today.
This growth stands out amid a downward trend as national observers worry about demand for higher education. Nearly a decade ago, Pew Research Center reported that an overwhelming majority of college graduates (86%) said a degree was “a good investment for me.” But this year, Pew released a report suggesting that only one in four U.S. adults thinks getting a four-year degree is “extremely or very important” to getting a “high-paying” job. Nearly 50% of Americans say a four-year degree is less important to getting a job than it was 20 years ago. While other countries have seen college enrollment rates rise, the U.S. has seen a 13-year decline in college enrollment rates.
Negative attitudes toward higher education reflect two trends: first, rising tuition costs are increasing the total cost of attendance; and second, much of higher education is not relevant to today’s job market. Moreover, in some places, colleges and universities are increasingly dominated by an agenda that does not reflect the moral values of most American families.
In these times, CES provides unique resources through its faith-based governance and spiritual mission. CES governance, financial stewardship, and innovative approaches make the Church’s educational services affordable and relevant, especially during times of uncertainty.
The benefits of a college degree include greater independence, improved reasoning skills, greater civic and community involvement, larger social networks, higher marriage rates, and greater understanding of different perspectives. Extensive data shows that college graduates earn significantly more over their careers than those without a college degree, meaning education overall remains a value proposition.
The Value of the Church Educational System
Of course, the value of an education increases as costs are controlled and student benefits are enhanced. Costs can be measured not only in tuition but also in the time it takes to graduate and the amount of debt required to earn a degree, while benefits are enhanced through increased learning, influential social networks, and professional opportunities. Innovations at BYU, BYU-Idaho, and other Church institute campuses are clearly helping to increase the value of a degree by controlling costs and increasing the benefits of education.
Regarding cost and affordability, the governance of the Church’s education system keeps student tuition remarkably affordable. Church schools are supported by substantial tithes, but they also require innovation to keep actual costs financially sustainable.
Providing an affordable education through subsidies like tithes, taxes, and donations is one thing. But answering the call of Church leaders to innovate for students and society is another. These efforts have led BYU-Idaho to three year-round courses, online learning and distributed chapels through BYU-Pathway, and BYU-Hawaii to take advantage of early academic progress through BYU-Pathway to spend less time on campus and earn a 90-credit bachelor’s degree through Ensign, BYU-Idaho, and BYU-Pathway.
There is also fiscal discipline present throughout CES. The foundations for this discipline were laid generations before we assumed our current role. This principle of thrift was practiced through generations of leadership to keep variable expenses below the rate of inflation. These small differences, applied over decades, also help support the affordable college tuition enjoyed by students today.
In fact, church schools offer some of the most affordable higher education opportunities. U.S. News ranked BYU second in the nation for graduating with the least debt and 11th for best value. BYU is ranked 20th in The Wall Street Journal’s Best Colleges in America rankings, which places great importance on the value added by universities. BYU-Idaho is ranked #1 for colleges with the highest first-year return on investment by Payscale. BYU-Idaho is also ranked #1 for college value by College Consensus. Finally, recent data also shows that BYU and BYU-Idaho students have significantly lower student loan default rates at 1.5% and 3.1%, respectively, well below the national average of 10.1%.
Relevance in the Church Educational System
Church education’s focus on employment, wise living and self-reliance is especially important today as some institutions of higher education move away from market needs and student-centeredness. BYU-Pathway’s credential-focused approach, Ensign College’s job-skills training, BYU-Idaho’s faculty work experience, BYU-Hawaii’s work-study program, and BYU’s curriculum integration and exciting learning opportunities are all aimed at improving students’ employment prospects.
But being relevant in today’s environment also means taking seriously our mission to prepare disciples of Jesus Christ who can be leaders at home, at church, and in the community — an approach that seeks to develop the whole student. This requires sustained efforts, including hiring faculty who share this mission, religious development and outreach, student success courses, and president’s prayer meetings that promote prophetic counsel.
While an educated workforce is crucial, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there are deeper spiritual reasons for getting an education. These include the spiritual nature of learning and the increased opportunities it provides for service to others. President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has stated, “In the Church, getting an education and gaining knowledge is a religious responsibility. We educate our minds so that we may one day render valuable service to someone else.” This is why the Church is committed to providing an affordable education that is valuable in the workplace and for students’ lifelong spiritual and intellectual development.
How the Church Educational System and its schools respond to the challenges facing higher education generally will reflect the revealed direction of God that continues to shape our course. Speaking specifically of BYU, President Dallin H. Oaks of the Church’s First Presidency said, “I firmly believe that the destiny of Brigham Young University is to become as foretold in the prophetic books. This great goal will not be achieved in exactly the same way that other universities have achieved greatness. Brigham Young University will be the Lord’s great university, by the Lord’s way, not the world’s way.”
These are the aspirations that inspire BYU, BYU-Idaho, and the entire Church Educational System to strive. The value of education to students, their families, and the Church reflects these vast, eternal expectations.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert is a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and currently serves as a Trustee of the Church Educational System. Alvin F. Meredith III is president of Brigham Young University–Idaho. C. Shane Reese is president of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
