Indeed, other countries are moving in our direction. To the extent that the quality and responsiveness of American higher education compares favorably with the rest of the world, market forces are at least partly responsible. We are competitive. We are responsive to needs of students and communities. There is greater variety.
Students have a choice.
Corporations and governments have a choice. Our system rewards innovation and creativity. It drives excellence. If one campus falls asleep at the switch for even a brief moment, academic competitors will pass it by. And so, as McPherson concluded, no sensible person would want to sever the links between colleges and universities and the marketplace.