I believe the increased costs stem more from administration bloat. For state schools in my state, capital funds for school buildings come from a different pool

I believe the increased costs stem more from administration bloat. For state schools in my state, capital funds for school buildings come from a different pool of money. And for any "student initiative" buildings, such as a rec center, current students vote to increase their student fees to help pay for them. Which is stupid. The are sacking their wants onto future students and increasing the costs for them with "non-education" related things. Most of these student fees are outlaid for more than 4 years. If you want a gym to workout in while a student, get a membership to an existing local fitness center. Don't force all the students to subsidize your wants.