These college prexies go to school to learn how to be administrators. They are compensated for cutting costs ... faculty salaries, classrooms, etc. They are also shutdown artists as one presidential candidate, Elizabeth Zinser said when applying for the job at the U of Idaho in about 1991. She got the job and Idaho is a vacant place now.
Al Vinof ID6:58PM December 29, 2008
You can justify the silver lining all day that education is worth it but as a "consumer" of education products I am looking for the best deal. My children will not follow a traditional course through school but are currently studying at the least expensive local community college which after graduating with an associates in math will move on to a more recognized university.
The information they are learning is exactly the same as a large university for a tenth of the cost and they will have no debt when leaving school unlike many others. To those who feel they need to provide all forms of extra counseling and support and drastically increase the cost of school I say BS, there isn't a silver lining of super skilled professors its more like a silver spoon in the mouths of those adding the least to basic education in the higher education environment.
bobof UT6:13PM December 03, 2008
An OUTRAGE. The increase in college costs has been far outstripping inflation since I went to college 25 years ago. If these universities were private companies, they would have been bankrupt long ago. How do you boycott in protest? You cannot. Perhaps the Attorneys General could charge them with price gouging.
Catherineof IL5:54PM December 03, 2008
…for people not directly involved in education. What a shame. The "CEO-as king" mentality has infected academia.
SRPinPGHof PA4:37PM December 03, 2008
University professors need to be compensated so that the university themselves can continue to attract the most gifted and able teachers and researchers. Such tenured scholars will then generate the traditions so necessary to turn our the most competitive professionals. Reliance on part time help does not benefit the student and the society. This is a disturbing trend which should be halted. Pay scales should be such that the professor should not look to the private sector for a job and he/she should be able to live as comfortably as any one with his level of training. Low pay for profs simply means poor education for the students. Highly paid college presidents should always bear this in mind.
Dr. Dhanayshar Mahabir8:37AM December 01, 2008
Nice article, but the news within is not nearly as bad as it may sound.
One thing we're learning from the automotive industry's collapse is that to win in a harshly competitive environment, you have to be able to innovate. This applies to cars, companies, and whole countries. The U.S. may have the world's largest economy today, but it cannot continue to outpace competitors financially unless it also continues to outpace them innovation-wise.
Innovation requires a good education. Yes, education can sometimes be a bit stifling, but most of the time, understanding the basic tools of innovation helps you become more innovative. It's like becoming a carpenter's apprentice. On the one hand, you may feel stifled by the fact that the carpenter keeps forcing you to build old-fashioned furniture. But on the other hand, you can't build new innovative furniture unless you learn how to use the basic tools of carpentry.
Some people in our government and industry understand this need for good education. Thanks to them, the U.S. has an absolutely superb body of research universities. These universities churn out hundreds and thousands of masters degrees and doctoral degrees a year. Most of the students who earn these degrees end up working in industry, but their top dream is to go back and work in research universities. Research, after all, is fun - and so is teaching.
Because of all of the above, there is unprecedented competition for tenure-track jobs at top universities. Every time a university announces a tenure-track position, it will typically get hundreds of applicants, many of them just truly outstanding.
The above facts all explain why the tenure track has become fiercely competitive, and why only the best of the best can get into it, leaving many equally talented individuals on the sidelines. This is both a blessing and a curse, though: the best of the best are pretty darn expensive. They know how much money they can make working in the industrial world, and they demand equal pay from universities.
The above facts might explain why universities are increasingly reliant on non-tenure faculty: they are often equally good teachers and researchers, and they don't cost nearly as much. So the trend is to hire more and more of them. It's cheaper, and it works.
The fact that universities are increasingly hiring non-tenure faculty means that they can now grow very quickly outside the tenure world. Tenure is very restrictive, because you can't fire a tenured professor, so you need to be extremely cautious in hiring him/her in the first place. You don't need to be nearly as cautious with non-tenure faculty, and this allows you to take greater risks and expand much quicker. Lecturer hiring is becoming popular these days, but research scientist hiring is happening even faster, and allowing universities to grow at unprecedented speeds. You need top managers to guide this growth. They'll demand top dollar - and they're certainly worth it.
Samof MI12:24AM November 20, 2008
Until Americans rebel against the ruling elite, they will continue to transfer wealth from our pockets to theirs. Parents, students, and tax payers must stand up and shout, "No more!" The shouting must then be followed by direct action. Our collective failure to take action against the abusers will result in the continuation of more of the same.
Here in Arizona, the system is calling for huge tuition increases while the president of ASU draws an obscene salary and perquisites compared to the average income of the students he supposedly is serving. Like other universities and colleges, ASU is staffed increasingly with part-time adjuncts.
Sadly, no one is reporting any outrage or resistance from the governor, the legislature, or the citizenry.
We get what we deserve.
JonSEof AZ11:41PM November 18, 2008
Ditto on the previous comment. What a racket.
of MI9:00PM November 18, 2008
You pay these guys/gals half a million a year to fill up the classrooms with temps. And the Boards of Regents (whatever) think that's cool. Idiots buy the product. Heck of a racket for those few who get the gigs. The rest of us are the chumps.
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Just Sayn of MI 11:40AM November 04, 2011
Al Vin of ID 6:58PM December 29, 2008
bob of UT 6:13PM December 03, 2008
Catherine of IL 5:54PM December 03, 2008
SRPinPGH of PA 4:37PM December 03, 2008
Dr. Dhanayshar Mahabir 8:37AM December 01, 2008
Sam of MI 12:24AM November 20, 2008
JonSE of AZ 11:41PM November 18, 2008
of MI 9:00PM November 18, 2008
of 1:35PM November 18, 2008