University Leaders to Debate Funding Declines, Higher Ed Access, 7 pm, April 27

Four university leaders will explore whether reduced state funding is undermining access to affordable higher education in a debate at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27.

Debaters include Richard Levin, president, Yale University; Daniel Hamburger, president and CEO, DeVry Inc.; William "Brit" Kirwan, chancellor, University System of Maryland; Gail Mellow, president, LaGuardia Community College. Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for PBS NewsHour, will moderate.

To reserve a free ticket, call 202-662-7501.

The discussion will center on whether the business model of higher education is broken. Participants who agree will argue that as state funding continues to decline, universities are increasingly failing to meet their social responsibility to provide students with access to an affordable education. In addition, they say the quality of education is eroding as universities are forced to raise money from private donors, slash course offerings and reduce the number of full-time faculty.

Participants on the other side will argue that college enrollment is the highest in U.S. history, proving that the business model is working. They also maintain that online universities have had a minimal impact on college enrollment because most online students are adults and others who otherwise would not attend college.

The event is being produced by the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs in partnership with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and the Club. The debate will be webcast live at www.millercenter.org