Richards
Hilda Richards, Chancellor of IU Northwest
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Richards
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We have just concluded the month of January, which is always a period of
intense activity. It is also the time when many people make New Year's
resolutions that will shape their destiny. For an increasing number of
people, these plans involve making themselves more marketable and
obtaining a college education. We find that upwards to 85 percent of our
students come to us for the purpose of developing the knowledge and
skills that will make them successful in their lives and careers.
At Indiana University, we use the slogan "Quality Education...Lifetime
Opportunities" because that is what the investment in higher education
affords‹a lifetime of opportunities. This investment in education pays off
by expanding one's life and career options. It allows an individual to
choose a pathway to success however success is defined. More Hoosiers
are now exploring this investment in themselves, but we must be diligent
in our efforts to make this an option for more people.
We must continue to promote education as a lifelong process. At IU Northwest, we are prepared to meet the needs of residents in northwest Indiana. Through a broad range of certificate and degree programs with courses offered in the morning, afternoon and evening, and classes offered in Gary, Portage and Schererville, IUN is playing its role in making higher education a realistic option.
We believe that as a state and a nation, we must be committed to developing the minds and skills of all of our people, not just an elite few. The shifting educational requirements of the workplace are making it imperative that we educate a larger and more diverse population to levels never before required. Those who do not acquire education following high school will face limited economic futures. We are already experiencing the effects of a mismatch of skills and the educational requirements of today's workplace. We see the evidence in the widening gap between the incomes of the rich and the poor.
We are facing economic polarization that splits the haves and the have nots by education. The Council for Aid to Education reports that the single most important factor in determining level of income is the level of education. They project that only college graduates will hold their own economically over the next 20 years. Those with some college will see a decline in real income of 14 percent, but those with only a high school diploma will lose 18 percent and high school drop-outs will decline by 25 percent.
Here in Indiana, we are making progress. The desire to pursue college is not lacking, but we must find avenues to improve access to education and better prepare those who are seeking higher education. The IU Career and Post Secondary Advancement Center reports that there is a state-wide trend toward more high school students planning to continue their education. A questionnaire completed by 11th-grade students last year indicated that 63 percent expected to achieve a four-year college degree. It was not long ago when fewer than half of Indiana high school graduates considered pursuing college.
We are here to help our students graduate and become successful. We strive to provide a solid academic experience for our students so they will possess the keys of knowledge and be prepared to enter through the doors of success and fulfillment.