I've spent my career imploring institutional leaders to "meet students where they are" in relation to adult undergrads, graduate students, and online students at both levels. So, a recent article from the Chronicle (Meet Students Where They Are? Maybe Not) caught my attention. I was not surprised, given the Chronicle’s dual focus on faculty and traditional undergraduates, that it completely ignored all those student groups that now comprise the majority of enrollment.

The author suggests resurrecting admissions tests, eliminating faculty evaluations, and stopping other things that faculty are pushed to do to lower their standards. It is not that I am necessarily against some of these things, but they worry me none the less. Why? Because I would wager that if the professoriate has their way they would be applied to students of all ages (and work backgrounds) in the name of ensuring "quality."

Why do I think this? Because over the last 15 years, they successfully eviscerated "Adult" focused schools and units that had been successfully educating returning students since the early 1980s -- always on the unimpeachable basis of ensuring that they don't have "two qualities of degrees." Call me a cynic, but I know that in many cases these moves were driven by "day school" departments wanting control (and the associated revenue) of these booming units and programs.

We need to get back to an understanding that the needs of 18-22 year olds and returning student differ dramatically (this was the academic "science" called andragogy back in the day) and to have different requirements is not lowering your standards, but understanding meaningful differences based on age and work experience.

Here is a whole different list that I propose for institutions to "meet students where they are" (for any type of returning student.):

1. Accept their previously earned credit, especially all non-major courses. No institution has a lock on how to teach English Literature or Intro to Business.

2. Eliminate requirement like community service, or coursework meant to expose 18 year olds to the "real world" or "different ways of seeing): These people have been out in the world, are working, have families.

3. Think through how ALL coursework that has been designed for 18 year olds with no work or life experience should be altered to reflect these different types of students.

4. Eliminate application requirements that have no meaningful predictive value but take time and attention that could be spent elsewhere. Drop recommendations (how many students nominate someone that will be negative), discontinue essays (in the era of AI they will become irrelevant), and carefully consider standardized tests for all but the most prestigious programs.

5. Revise administrative procedures for those who enrolled to reflect that you are serving busy people, juggling multiple life responsibilities. Think through how policies and requirements match up for people who are not living on campus with nothing else more important to do that jump through administrative hoops once class is done.

Let’s talk about how to implement any and all of these on your campus!