Education Commons^™

In higher education circles, happiness doesn't get much play. While there's plenty of talk about student satisfaction, parental expectations, faculty morale, administrative attitudes, and legislative resolve, we don't ask basic questions about what it means to be happy in academia.

Perhaps discussions of happiness in higher ed are misplaced. After all, were not here to make anybody happy; we're here to get stuff done. There's teaching and learning to accomplish. Scholarship to undertake. Committee work to endure. Policies to implement. Dollars and people to manage.

Furthermore, concern about what makes for happy students can lead us toward that education model …

As tuition has risen and students have assumed larger debts, a national debate has arisen about the value of postsecondary education. Jeffrey Selingo brings a new sense of urgency to conversations on affordability and return-on-investment by focusing on people.

As Selingo repeatedly reminds his reader, when it comes to life after college, it’s not so much about where you go but what you do. Selingo contends that students looking to launch into independent adulthood soon after earning a bachelor’s degree should pursue an education heavy on authentic, knowledge- transferring work experiences. Given the advantages to be garnered through internships, cooperative …