4 ms·

Very good paragraph here: >The truth is that teaching is a diminishing priority in universities. Years of AAUP reports indicate that budgets for instruction ar

by Balgair 10y ago

Very good paragraph here: >The truth is that teaching is a diminishing priority in universities. Years of AAUP reports indicate that budgets for instruction are proportionally shrinking. Universities now devote less than one-third of their expenditures to instruction. Meanwhile, administrative positions have increased at more than 10 times the rate of tenured faculty positions. Sports and amenities are much more fun. The author alludes to sports and nice dorm rooms as the place where the money goes, but is that true? Do they really take up all of the slack that was once the use for instruction? That can't be right. There has to be a lot more corruption than that these days. Still, if the University really has become High School 2.0, then this makes sense in a way. But the real question we then have to ask is what happens then to the MA/S? Is that then the new BA/S? I have been told so by many hiring managers that it is the case. Follow the logic here, that then means the PhD is the new MA/S. Perhaps these students are smarter than the author lets on.

apozem 10y ago
Sports and luxuries for students have absolutely become the focus of universities. It's hard to sell an ethereal "better education." It's easy to show off your new athletic dorms and massive scoreboard. I know that's absurd, but that's how administrators seem to think. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/15/athletics-cost-colleges-students-millions/2814455/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/15/athleti... http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/sports/wp/2015/11/23/running-up-the-bills/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/sports/wp/2015/11/23/runnin...
- slackstation 10y ago
  This is what happens to a market when the person paying for it and person receiving the service are seperated. It can be generational (parents pay for kids education) or time (a person buys something at 20 that they will pay off at 45). I also think that the prestige of a degree combined with less and less real world application of that degree has something to do it with. I think that the market value for certain degrees is falling below the market price for said degrees and what you are hearing is people complaining loudly. I think if there really was a serious market for pure academics and high value, quality degrees someone would be tapping that market already. There is plenty of expertise, plenty of study in the subject and plenty of players would would be ready to provide that service. I think far, far too many people look at college as a four year luxury party with a side of academics rather than the other way around. People going to college today seem like the most privileged demanding consumers. The new source of costs in colleges which eclipses academics today is services that didn't exist 20 years ago. It's gone way beyond merely housing and a few health services. Colleges are giving students what they want and what they want is scoreboards not lower student-to-professor ratios or cutting edge research. People have always wanted more cake and circus. College is just as consumer driven in this culture as anything else.

by Balgair 10y ago

apozem 10y ago

Sports and luxuries for students have absolutely become the focus of universities. It's hard to sell an ethereal "better education." It's easy to show off your new athletic dorms and massive scoreboard. I know that's absurd, but that's how administrators seem to think. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/15/athletics-cost-colleges-students-millions/2814455/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/15/athleti... http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/sports/wp/2015/11/23/running-up-the-bills/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/sports/wp/2015/11/23/runnin...

slackstation 10y ago
This is what happens to a market when the person paying for it and person receiving the service are seperated. It can be generational (parents pay for kids education) or time (a person buys something at 20 that they will pay off at 45). I also think that the prestige of a degree combined with less and less real world application of that degree has something to do it with. I think that the market value for certain degrees is falling below the market price for said degrees and what you are hearing is people complaining loudly. I think if there really was a serious market for pure academics and high value, quality degrees someone would be tapping that market already. There is plenty of expertise, plenty of study in the subject and plenty of players would would be ready to provide that service. I think far, far too many people look at college as a four year luxury party with a side of academics rather than the other way around. People going to college today seem like the most privileged demanding consumers. The new source of costs in colleges which eclipses academics today is services that didn't exist 20 years ago. It's gone way beyond merely housing and a few health services. Colleges are giving students what they want and what they want is scoreboards not lower student-to-professor ratios or cutting edge research. People have always wanted more cake and circus. College is just as consumer driven in this culture as anything else.