In his new book, “Degrees of Risk: Navigating Insecurity and Inequality in Public Higher Education,” sociology professor Blake R. Silver examines some of many ways that college students can slip through the cracks at public colleges and universities. In the following Q&A with The Conversation U.S., Silver expounds on what he discovered while doing research for his book – and how higher education leaders can better serve their students.
Colleges don’t set out to make life complicated for their students, but they often play a direct role in creating and amplifying uncertainty. This is one of the central findings of my new book.
Following a period of comparable economic security during the mid-20th century, public colleges in the U.S. experienced steep funding cuts. The result was that many of them instituted policies and practices that appealed to affluent students and families. For example, they created flexible programs of study and organized an array of optional resources like a buffet of opportunities.
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