what should our graduating seniseen know in this economy in this role in time? it plays in the role of higher education. it does. clearly, they have to know how to read and write and speak. more than that, they have to know how to absorb new knowledge. we can t predict what they re going to need to know ten years from now. we know they have to have a set of skillso they can absorb new technology, understand the new things that are coming at them. th s very important. high education has a role. we need to drive down requirements for the schools. in the 19th century, we increased in the quality of the schools by higher education saying you can t come in unless you have these skills. unless you have taken these courses. we did that in wisconsin when i was there. it helped to transform the secondary school system. we gave the secondary schools seven years to meet the new requirements at the university of wisconsin madison. hier education has a role here. in demanding that kids be better