EVEN THOSE WHO ARE LUCKY TO STILL BE EMPLOYED ARE NAVIGATING
NEW WATERS.
♪ >> RICHARD IS A MAN OF MANY
TALENTS.
HE IS A WORLD TRAVELER.
>> TRAVELING IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS.
>> CAN SPEAK SIX LANGUAGES.
>> [SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES]
>> PERHAPS MOST IMPRESSIVE IS HIS PROFESSION, WHICH QUIETLY
POWERS MOST OF OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
>> I HAVE BEEN TEACHING FOR 10 YEARS AT SOME STATE UNIVERSITY
AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR.
A TENURED PROFESSOR HAS A PERMANENT POSITION, THEY ARE
BENEFITED, THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY OF THOSE POSITIONS
AVAILABLE.
A LOT OF UNIVERSITIES ARE CUTTING BACK ON TENURED
POSITIONS BECAUSE ADJUNCT PROFESSORS ARE CHEAPER.
WE CAN BE CUT AT ANY POINT.
>> THIS CAN BE UNSETTLING FOR ADJUNCT PROFESSORS WHO MAKE UP
75% OF THE ACADEMIC WORKFORCE.
>> A LOT OF ADJUNCT TEACHERS ARE EITHER STRUGGLING BECAUSE THEY
MIGHT GET A COUPLE CLASSES THIS SEMESTER AND IT IS BARELY ENOUGH
TO LIVE ON, OR THEY MAY HAVE TO SUPPLEMENT TEACHING WITH OTHER
JOBS.
>> THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE MATTERS WORSE AS ENROLLMENT HAS DROPPED,
FEWER STUDENTS, FEWER JOBS, AND MANY OF THE TEACHING POSITIONS
THAT ARE AVAILABLE HAVE SHIFTED ONLINE.
>> MY LIFEBLOOD IS TEACHING.
I HAVE NEVER TAUGHT AN ONLINE CLASS BEFORE AND HONESTLY, NEVER
REALLY WANTED TO.
>> BUT NECESSITY MAY BE THE MOTHER OF INVENTION AND TO STAY
EMPLOYED, HE EXCHANGED HIS DELAY DRIVES TO VARIOUS CAMPUSES FOR A
MAKESHIFT STAND UP DESK IN HIS HOME AND ADDED A SEVENTH
LINGUIST TO HIS RESUME, HE HAS LEARNED TO SPEAK ZOOM.
>> I FIGURED OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK BUT I REALIZE THAT IT IS
ABOUT DOUBLE THE WORK OF TEACHING A CLASS IN PERSON
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF SETUP.
I’M GETTING PRETTY GOOD AT IT.
IT IS NOT THE SAME AS IN PERSON BUT IT IS A PANDEMIC AND BE DO
THE BEST WE CAN.
WHILE THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IS UNKNOWN,
EXPERTS, SUCH AS THE WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY VP FOR
ENROLLMENT, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF KIDS.
>> IN NORTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER
NUMBERS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS FINDING THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE
YEAR AFTER YEAR.
>> THE BENEFITS OF COLLEGE EDUCATION ARE WELL DOCUMENTED.
>> EARNING POTENTIAL IS HIGHER THEREFORE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
WE ALSO KNOW UNEMPLOYMENT IS GENERALLY LOWER.
>> THESE NUMBERS ARE GENERALLY COVID PROOF AS THE WERE INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE EXPERIENCED HIGHER RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
>> STUDENTS CAN EARN THEIR BACHELOR DEGREE FOR AROUND
$10,000 FOR TUITION AND FEES.
THAT MAKES A COLLEGE EDUCATION ATTAINABLE FOR MANY STUDENTS.
>> ONE GROUP OF STUDENTS WORCESTER STATE IS TRYING TO
BRING BACK INTO THE FOLD IS YOUNG MEN WHO REPRESENT 42% OF
THE STUDENT POPULATION AFTER A DECADE OF WANING ENROLLMENT
BELOW THEIR FEMALE COUNTERPARTS.
>> 100 MALES THE COLLEGE IS WHAT DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE 100 MORE
MEN TO CONSIDER COLLEGE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
>> THIS IS ONE OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS AT WORCESTER STATE THAT
HAVE FOUND SUCCESS BY ENGAGING YOUNG, OFTEN OVERLOOKED MANY,
MANY STUDENTS OF COLOR, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
>> THE UNIVERSITY IS WORKING TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO SEE
THEMSELVES AS COLLEGE MATERIAL, VALUING THAT INVESTMENT AND
GETTING THAT BACHELORS DEGREE.
>> ANGEL IS A FRESHMAN FROM WORCESTER AND HIS FIRST SEMESTER
WHO CREDITS THE PROGRAM WITH INSPIRING HIM TO PURSUE A
DEGREE.
>> THIS WAS A FREE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT COLLEGE IS
LIKE, IT HAS ALSO GRANTE B ACCEPTANCE INTO WORCESTER STATE.
BUT I FEEL LIKE IT DID MORE FOR ME BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW IF I
>> HE CAME TO CAMPUS DURING THE SUMMER TO PARTICIPATE IN A PLAY.
>> THEY END UP CASTING -- CASTING ME.
I ENJOYED IT.
I HAD A QUARTER NADER HERE AND SHE CAME TO ME AT NORTH HIGH.
SHE WANTED ME TO COME TO WORCESTER STATE.
A LOT OF MY FRIENDS DON’T HAVE THOSE PEOPLE AND OUTLIVES THE I
WANT TO LEARN HOW TO BUY A HOUSE.
NO ONE IN MY FAMILY HAS EVER OWNED A HOUSE.
THAT IS ANOTHER REASON I WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE DROP IN MALE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT, THERE
IS ALSO A DECLINE IN FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS.
LOW INCOME FAMILIES HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
THE PANDEMIC, WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO GUIDANCE COUNSELORS
AND SUPPORT STRUCTURES TO HELP NAVIGATE WHAT CAN BE A VERY
CONFUSING COLLEGE AID PROCESS.
FINALLY TONIGHT, A BRIGHT FUTURE