Research by Teachers College President Arthur Levine reveals that less than one in five college students today are traditional 18 to 22 year old undergraduates who live on campus.

Adult learners are not just a fad in higher education, but rather a trend that has arisen from several causes; many want the extra edge in the job market that additional education can provide, many businesses now encourage their employees to update their knowledge, and distance learning has provided a flexible opportunity that otherwise wouldn't exist in a traditional campus environment.

Many traditionalists view these changes with trepidation, as their perception of higher education revolves around the campus environment. Dr. Levine states, "It can be said that higher education is making the mistake of thinking it is in the campus business, when in reality it is in the very lucrative education business."

The article, entitled "Catch the Trend: Most Collegians are Adults" appeared in the August 26th edition of the Sacramento Business Journal.

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Published Sunday, Sep. 15, 2002