Steer students to underfilled professions

The Detroit News is highlighting ideas from various groups to promote discussion on reform, restructuring government and the economy.

Idea 40: Use market forces to steer students to high-demand fields such as math, science and technology. Those who major in high-demand job fields could have their tuition cut in half, while those majoring in low-demand fields could pay 1.5 times the going tuition rate.

Why: All education is valuable, but some forms of education are more valuable than others. Michigan is producing more college graduates in fields with low or virtually no demand while high-demand fields cannot find native-born students to fill open jobs.

Benefits: The taxpayers of Michigan are subsidizing a costly, inefficient system that often benefits the status quo rather than preparing students for existing jobs and helping taxpayers get the most for their money. Identifying fields in need and helping steer students to those fields will give students a leg up on finding a job and keeping an educated work force in Michigan.

How: These changes would have to be made by the governor, Legislature and the independently statewide elected members of the State Board of Education and boards of University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State, along with the 13 other university boards appointed by the governor.

Obstacles: College administrators and educators in less-demanded fields would fight having their subject matter degrees being put at a financial disadvantage. In addition, the idea is likely to be fought by the independently elected university board members who would see this move as an assault on the constitutionally protected authority to provide leadership and supervision for institutions under their control.

Source: Tom Watkins, state superintendent

of schools, 2001-2005