A focus on three years, when most take five

A pair of headlines this morning pose a curious question: What's the hot trend right now in higher ed? Three-year degrees? Or five?

My story about Minnesota universities studying how they might streamline baccalaureate degree programs into three years included this paragraph:

That thought is echoed by a headline on a New York Times blog this morning: "The Rise of the Five-Year Four-Year Degree."

That story notes:

There are several reasons for this, the story notes, including the fact that more students are working more hours than they used to. The story also says:

I'm interested to hear what you make of these competing "trends." Where should universities be focusing their energy? Is cutting time to degree a good way to cut costs? Do you agree that taking longer than five years is "an accepted norm"?