Is Obama’s college goal as unattainable as NCLB’s 100 percent proficiency?

The Chronicle of Higher Education published a chart I have been waiting to see: how many more degrees would have to be given out to reach Obama’s college completion goal by 2020. The data come from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Let’s see: California would need to increase degree attainment by 5.2 percent a year, starting now. Meantime, state higher ed funding there is being slashed, enrollments are being cut, and fees are being raised. I spent years as a math major but don’t need to multivariable calculus or abstract algebra to tell you that this does not compute. What kinds of innovation can bridge this gap, and are any being proposed (or, better, pursued)? Discuss.