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Thank you for commenting. It is important to know that all public colleges and universities and most private institutions are not “owned” by anyone. So they d
by jschveibinz 3y ago
Thank you for commenting. It is important to know that all public colleges and universities and most private institutions are not “owned” by anyone. So they don’t have shareholders, and profit is not a consideration.
https://collegeaftermath.com/university/who-is-the-owner-of-a-private-university/ https://collegeaftermath.com/university/who-is-the-owner-of-...
There are some for-profit degree mills in the US that are owned by corporations, but these businesses are not the focus of my comments nor were they the focus of the original article.
Even though most colleges and universities are not businesses focused on profit, they are indeed focused on growth and development. They do this (theoretically) for several reasons: 1) to protect the good name of the institution for the benefit of the students and alumni; 2) growth is better than stagnation or decline; and 3) administration is required and incentivized to do it. This costs money.
Where does the money come from? Students (tuition), research (government and industry), and donations from alumni and industry.
There is stiff competition between institutions to 1) attract students and 2) attract funding and donations.
This competition creates a market. The universities and colleges have to provide value to students and donors-more perceived value than other institutions-to gain their interest and dollars.
There used to be more government subsidies for public institutions, but those days are gone.
Not all institutions are successful in the marketplace. My comment was that ultimately, students (and their parents) have the power to change the way that colleges and universities serve them by voting with their wallets.