Once held up as a microcosm of American values and aspiration, colleges and universities in the United States are now facing a crisis of public opinion. Trust in institutions of higher education has plummeted in recent decades, says Joshua Wyner, panel moderator executive director of the College Excellence Program at the Aspen Institute. What precipitated this erosion? Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, weighs in:

The most common line of attack against colleges and universities today is that the value simply doesn’t outweigh the cost. Rising tuition fees and staggering student debt don’t lead to a substantially better life, goes the argument. Angel Cabrera, president of George Mason University, and Juan Salgado, chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago, want you to understand that the numbers don’t lie:

Yes, some colleges and universities have a hefty price tag. But Salgado and Cabrera say the value of a bachelor’s degree is unequivocal for most. 

Education for education's sake fits in amongst the highest ideals of Western society, but is it an archaic aspiration? With more students graduating with debt and skilled jobs becoming more competitive, are colleges and universities at risk of becoming irrelevant if they don’t prepare their graduates for gainful employment?  Angel Cabrera says that’s a false dichotomy:

Online colleges offer a lot of promise — lower tuition, flexible hours, innovative learning environments. Recent decades have seen college degrees from online programs explode in popularity, especially for non-traditional students. 

But do online degrees offer the same outcomes as traditional college degrees, and are they right for everyone? What about the crucial socialization that can happen during undergraduate years? Angel Cabrera and Janet Napolitano give their takes: