Growing up in Lyman, Idaho, early July was typically associated with two things: nearby Rexburg’s Whoopee Days Fourth of July celebration, and my dad, Leon, working hours on end to get the first crop of alfalfa hay harvested.
There was always great urgency around the harvest. We never had the flashiest farm equipment, but Dad is a great mechanic and always seemed to troubleshoot and repair the breakdowns in ways that still mystify me.
When the swather broke down, my job was to quickly deliver the right tool, whether that was a Phillips-head screwdriver or a half-inch wrench — a critical role so that we could resume harvest.
Last week, Supreme Court cases fomented debate and questions about the accessibility and affordability of college. Created to be selective, some universities relied on affirmative action and student loans to provide opportunities for excluded populations. Without the tools of affirmative action and student loan debt relief, fears exist that some of our country’s most elite institutions will be out of reach for Black, Latino or low-income students.
There are other tools to unlock the promise and social mobility of postsecondary education. That’s not to minimize the impact these Supreme Court decisions have on our community, but it’s like showing up to a swather breakdown with a hammer and crowbar when a screwdriver and wrench will do.
When universities measure their quality by who they exclude, establish legacy programs that benefit alumni and donors and prompt a culture that leads to celebrity admission scandals, they rely on exorbitant costs and enrollment barriers to benefit the few.
On the contrary, Utah has established a higher education system designed to benefit the many. Open-enrollment degree-granting institutions like Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Southern Utah University, Utah Tech University, Utah Valley University and Weber State University open our doors to all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or income.
Technical colleges provide even lower-cost certificates in areas that lead directly to high-paying, high-demand jobs.
As open-enrollment institutions, we strive to meet students where they are, giving them the confidence and competence to succeed and recalibrate their hopes for an even brighter future.
As dual-mission institutions, WSU, Utah Tech and UVU offer associate degrees like a community college, along with four-year and graduate degrees that seamlessly stack to allow students easy on- and off-ramps to educational credentials.
Weber State doesn’t have affirmative action admissions. We welcome all students and strive to ensure that race, ethnicity, gender or income do not influence access to and success in our programs. Dating back to our founding as Weber Stake Academy in 1889, the school was open to male and female students, as well as to all nationalities and religious denominations, with tuition charges to “be within the reach of the humblest in the land.”
Utah’s policies around college affordability have a dramatic impact on lowering debt burdens. As a state, we have the lowest percentage of undergraduate students who take out student loans, the second lowest federal student loan debt per capita and Utahns in the graduating class of 2020 had the lowest average debt at graduation.
Strategic investments of taxpayer dollars by the Utah Legislature and efficiencies on campuses help to keep tuition costs down. At Weber State, we’ve saved nearly $18.6 million in natural gas, electricity and water costs since 2010, recently outsourced our student health center, and are expanding the use of no-cost teaching and learning materials in place of expensive textbooks.
To further help WSU students with affordability, the Dream Weber program grants eight semesters of free tuition, general student fees and textbook support to students enrolled in 12-semester credits whose annual household income is under $50,000. ‘CATapult scholarships provide a final boost for students nearing graduation who face financial stumbling blocks.
But can an education at open-enrollment, low-cost institutions yield transformative pathways that rival the education of an elite institution?
Yes, it can and does at Weber State. In a 2022 study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, “Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI,” a Weber State degree ranks in the top 10% nationally 10 years after graduation, 40 years after graduation, and every increment in between for the return on investment.
Given the data and outcomes, and as president of Weber State, it’s easy to express my pride in being part of the higher education enterprise that doesn’t rely on the tools of affirmative action and loan forgiveness to open opportunities. Nonetheless, our work is unfinished, and we aim higher to heavily prioritize inclusivity and affordability.
Let’s continue to expand and extol Utah’s model for higher education that results in students successfully harvesting a transformative education with the right tools – open access and affordability — instead of the broken-down pursuits of selective institutions that rely only on student loan debt and affirmative action.
(Brad Mortensen)
Brad Mortensen is president of Weber State University.
