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> According to federal figures, as of a few years ago, the number of non-academic administrative and professional employees at US colleges and universities has

> According to federal figures, as of a few years ago, the number of non-academic administrative and professional employees at US colleges and universities has more than doubled in the past quarter century, outpacing the growth in the number of students or faculty.[a] Just as an aside - this does include professional staff, which is advisors, academic support staff, and other student facing services. The problem with higher ed statistics like that is that it makes no effort to separate the assistant to the assistant to the assistant provost from the academic coaches. One of the two of those positions actually provide value to the student experience.

secabeen 7y ago
It also doesn't include the payroll and financial assistants to the department receiving $30 million in grant funding to hire researchers. The salaries of those staff come out of the $30mil in grant money, but in the aggregate data, it looks like the university is spending more.
jimbokun 7y ago
> One of the two of those positions actually provide value to the student experience. It's not clear at all that academic coaches provide value to students. Being advised by actual professors would provide far more value to students.
- Loughla 7y ago
  >It's not clear at all that academic coaches provide value to students. Whoa there, I need a citation for that, and I need a strong citation for that. It literally flies in the face of higher education research. Here's one study from the WWC, indicating strong evidence of effectiveness for coaching: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/study/72030 https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/study/72030. And that was after 30 seconds of searching. Actual professors provide value to upper-division students who (a) have a major already, (b) have study skills and other skills necessary for success, and (c) are at their terminal institution. For the other (on my campus) 65% of students, coaches are more effective in terms of completion and spring to fall retention.
  - jimbokun 7y ago
    Hmm, was not aware of that. I was thinking of how I would have preferred a professor as a mentor, but maybe looking back from the perspective of someone who has already achieved a, b, and c.

secabeen 7y ago

It also doesn't include the payroll and financial assistants to the department receiving $30 million in grant funding to hire researchers. The salaries of those staff come out of the $30mil in grant money, but in the aggregate data, it looks like the university is spending more.

jimbokun 7y ago

> One of the two of those positions actually provide value to the student experience. It's not clear at all that academic coaches provide value to students. Being advised by actual professors would provide far more value to students.

Loughla 7y ago
>It's not clear at all that academic coaches provide value to students. Whoa there, I need a citation for that, and I need a strong citation for that. It literally flies in the face of higher education research. Here's one study from the WWC, indicating strong evidence of effectiveness for coaching: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/study/72030 https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/study/72030. And that was after 30 seconds of searching. Actual professors provide value to upper-division students who (a) have a major already, (b) have study skills and other skills necessary for success, and (c) are at their terminal institution. For the other (on my campus) 65% of students, coaches are more effective in terms of completion and spring to fall retention.
- jimbokun 7y ago
  Hmm, was not aware of that. I was thinking of how I would have preferred a professor as a mentor, but maybe looking back from the perspective of someone who has already achieved a, b, and c.