Tobins (2009) Statement regarding the purpose of higher education systems.

From the viewpoint of a representative of a higher education institution, explain whether you believe the notion of the “people’s university” is more of a symbol than a reality today. Analyze whether higher education institutional operations are being effectively designed to increase diverse students’ enrollment, retention, and completion at public colleges and universities. Describe your thoughts on this topic and include two external peer-reviewed citations (e.g., a journal article or policy report) that include information about enrollment statistics, demographic trends, or stratification of higher education systems.

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Tobin’s Statement: America’s public flagship universities were created to meet the social and economic development of the states that chartered them, to serve as the great equalizer and preserver of an open, upwardly mobile society to provide “an uncommon education for the common man.” Any resident, regardless of socioeconomic status, who fulfilled a standard set of academic requirements, would, in theory, be admitted to one of the state’s public higher education institutions. In principle, the flagship university of the late 19th and early 20th century was an institution that served everybody, but in an era when few people completed high school (and many who did pursued non-college proprietary curriculum), the notion of the “people’s university” was more of a symbol than a reality. (p. 11)

Symbol or Reality: In one to two sentences, describe whether you believe the notion of the “people’s university” is more of a symbol than a reality today.
Design of Institutional Operations: Analyze whether institutional operations are being effectively designed to increase diverse students’ enrollment, retention, and completion across colleges and universities.
Substantiate Claim: Describe your thoughts on this topic and include two external peer-reviewed citations that include information about enrollment statistics, demographic trends, or stratification of higher education systems.