The Policy Environment - Coursework Example

The Policy Environment 05 April The Policy Environment Public policy is a systematic process through which a government through its systems of laws, regulatory measures, funding priorities handles a public problem. It involves government appointed public officials, at the federal level, state level, local level and the agencies concerned. Policy issues are controversial problems that a government can legitimately address through its agencies; in regards to education, they include the choice of school, he setting of the agenda, the formulation of the policy, and the eventual adoption of the policy. This paper primarily focuses on discussing the implementation of public policy using the three dimension of power namely explicit use of power, mobilization of power and shaping consciousness with an example of Shauniqua Epps a student from Philadelphia. Explicit exercise of power is where the use of authority, force, power, economic dominance and persuasion can directly be observed and debated upon by a third party (Fowler, 2012). The main reason for the foundation of public universities was to give access to students within the sates of origin an affordable college education. Financial shortfalls from the poor students enhanced by those colleges pushing up tuition fees and shifting their aspect of financial aid has resulted to the needy students being given less and, ironically, more to the wealthier who actually do not need the help. Several mechanisms have been applied by the public college administration to refrain grants to the poor students. Records indicate that public colleges and universities have recently reduced the amount of financial aid in the form of scholarships in spite of the large amount of grants they continue to receive from the central government (Wang, 2013). This has forced a large number of needy students to be forced out of public universities or rather afford a four-year college campuses. An example of Ms. Epps, a bright high school student from Philadelphia, who would have to come up with about $4000 per year, almost a half of what her single mother receives from the social security fund to attend her dream college Lincoln University. Low-income students have resorted to community and non-profit colleges and even some do not actually graduate; they fall out to go and look for jobs. Ms Epps is just one amongst many from a poor family background who was forced to enroll in a community college after failing to afford tuition for the prestigious Lincoln University and other three colleges. Her economical background persuaded her to go to her least desired institution whose record according to Wang, shows that half of the freshmen do not actually return for the second year (Wang, 2013). Mobilization of bias is a dimension where power is not directly used but it is manifested through actions of the people involved. This dimension makes it hard to notice power as being used to enforce or influence an action (Boulding, 1990). It rather reduces restrictions to issues that can be raised for debate, as the agenda cannot be substantiated. In the US education system, bias has been expressed through terms and conditions placed on the methods of awarding college aids and financial assistance to students (Fowler, 2012). For instance, in Lincoln Public University, scholarships have been granted based on Athletic background or merits of the students’ SAT scores. In 2009-2010 budget, it is reported that roughly $ 3million institutional aid went to specific merit-based scholarships, athletics, international students, and study abroad. The only aid relegated to the needy students was only available through separate donor supported scholarships (Wang, 2013). Financial leveraging, as an advent excuse by the college administrations for shifting their methods of enrollment from a merit base aspect to the students who can afford perspective, has so far been seen as bias (Fowler, 2012). Colleges are awarding discounts to tuition fees to the students who have less need for aid or wealthier backgrounds, but have considerably high SAT scores. This has been argued that it will bring in more tuition dollars boosting institution’s financial base, reducing pressure and constraints on its financial status, which would have been the case of admitting students who need scholarship and financial aid. According to Fowler (2012), students are even enrolled from other states even though they are not necessarily bright but at least they can afford to pay the tuition fee. Indiana University is an example of institutions that have applied this system of enrollment, commonly termed as “smart students who can pay.” Other colleges have the excuse that if they enroll more students who can pay tuition, it will increase the chances of the universities offering financial aid to the needy students as it will have a sound financial base to support them. This bias consequently leaves needy students to eventually resort to a two year community colleges or rather opt to find a job immediately after high school. Ms. Epps had to forego her dream university for a community college, which has a high prevalence of lower graduation rate (Wang, 2013). Shaping of consciousness through which an individual uses his/her power to get what they think is good for someone else through controlling of their thoughts is another common phenomenon. Several institutions that influence these phenomena include family, mass media, schools, religions, language amongst others; they are basically very important in shaping an individual’s consciousness (Boulding, 1990). The idea of colleges getting students who are able to pay their college fees and relegating those who ca not to unfavorable options has consequently affected their developments, as they are left behind. According to Wang, in the Barons’ 1995 college rankings guide, more public colleges have been ranked lower in the competitively tier, and by 2013 the trend worsened .The system of enrolling capable students who can pay with less consideration on their SAT scores has with effect reduced the education standards of these institutions. Institutions such as Lincoln University have in one way tried to reduce this trend through their options of admitting students from community colleges for their last two college years with effect setting articulation agreement partnership with 11 community colleges. This transfer of students from Community Colleges to a four-year college has rather increased the graduation rates to a large ratio for those students who are from low income, the minority, and the first generation levels of the society, thus further empowering and improving their future standards of living (Wang, 2013). The circumstantial empowerment of the needy students through the transfer from community college to a four-year college campuses has so far come with both advantages of probability to graduate but also with disadvantages handicapped through its implementation. The transfer does not guarantee one being placed in a college with all required standards, the support the universities receive from the government is always not the same for all campuses, and some campuses do not receive enough funds in form of grants to enhance the full provision to the needy students with basic university education. This selective awards of grants to institution with less considerations of the needs of a particular college or campus further increase their inefficiency of not providing a good environment for future graduation. Low graduation rates lead to lower rate of employment or lower income for the unskilled laborers. More educated workforce on the other hand has several benefits such as stronger tax base for the federal states, economic growth, and improved standards of lining (Wang, 2013). In conclusion, the collective strive for public universities to enroll wealthier students without the concern from their merit but rather on their financial base is a major concerns and the government, through its education system, should regulate powers and policies to create a balance across the board. References Boulding, K. (1990). Three Faces of Power. NY, USA: SAGE Publications. Fowler, F. C. (2012). Policy Studies for Educational Leaders: An Introduction. Merrill Publishers. Wang, M. (2013). Public Colleges Quest for Revenue and Prestige Squeezes Needy Students. ProPublica- The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://chronicle.com/article/Public-Colleges-Quest-for/141541/ Read More