> In my estimation, it's possible at each of these schools (and many others) to eliminate or nearly eliminate 3-5 top Student and Academic affairs officials, an

> In my estimation, it's possible at each of these schools (and many others) to eliminate or nearly eliminate 3-5 top Student and Academic affairs officials, and their support staff, without anyone noticing for days or even weeks and without any long-term negative impact. The problem is that these administrators are loyal to the top of power pyramid at the university (the president & the board of trustees), and conversely the top relies on them for support and means of asserting its power. As a result these midlevel administrators and deans enjoy protection from above. Then the question is who can work through the motions to get rid of these administrators? Undergrads only spend 4 years in school, doubtful they care enough during their first two to participate in university politics. Grad students and faculty have pressure to produce research, teach/TA, or get tenure. Then you have the issue of incentives: administrators have much more to loose compared to those who would prefer to get rid of them and save a few $100s on tuition. As a result administrators will fight much harder than those trying to get rid of them. Realistically budget cuts mean class sizes increase by 20%, and students pay more tuition (more work for the professors, less attention for the students per dollar). Hopefully online universities continue to gain traction and disrupt traditional schools.