At Public Universities, Warnings of Privatization- NY Times October 16 200

[Coastie for Truth]

At Public Universities, Warnings of Privatization

Taxpayer support for public universities, measured per student, has plunged more precipitously since 2001 than at any time in two decades, and several university presidents are calling the decline a de facto privatization of the institutions that played a crucial role in the creation of the American middle class.

Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University, said this year that skyrocketing tuition was a result of what he called "public higher education's slow slide toward privatization."

Other educators have made similar assertions, some avoiding the term "privatization" but nonetheless describing a crisis that they say is transforming public universities. At an academic forum last month, John D. Wiley, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that during the years after World War II, America built the world's greatest system of public higher education.

"We're now in the process of dismantling all that," Dr. Wiley said.

The share of all public universities' revenues deriving from state and local taxes declined to 64 percent in 2004 from 74 percent in 1991. At many flagship universities, the percentages are far smaller. About 25 percent of the University of Illinois's budget comes from the state. Michigan finances about 18 percent of Ann Arbor's revenues. The taxpayer share of revenues at the University of Virginia is about 8 percent.

This is a "clear and present danager" to the middle class, to America, to America's shrinking scientific and technologcal leadership, and to the ideals of the Morrel Land Grant College Act.

[Dem Agog]

1. Reason #5,258,971 why I won't have children...

People having kids today will have a terribly tough time getting them educated past high school. Not to mention that those kids may find themselves living an adulthood in a horrible world bereft of the resources stripped and raped so earnestly before they were even born.

Every day that passes I am more and more glad I have chosen not to bring a child into this world...

[shrike]

9. I don't have kids, but am making the commitment to educate

at least one, possibly four.

My niece is a few years away from college, and I'm planning to contribute financially until she gets her degree. Her parents aren't poor, but they aren't rich, either, and between the three of us we should be able to get her through. I don't want her to take out a loan unless it's do-or-die. Nothing worse than leaving school and being saddled with debt.

My other niece may need my help, and then there's my two step-grandsons, 11 and 9: both are very bright, and though one may decide to work with his hands, the other will definitely be college-bound. So the kid (me) will be working her ass off for years to come. Now I know why I don't have kids -- the ones that are already here need me.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. For a blue state, New York sure does set a bad example.

I think tighter regulation on Wall Street will make them a bit less arrogant.

[Igel]

3. This has been happening for a long time.

In the '90s at UCLA (UC in general) the level of funding dropped until 1995. Then it was conditionally increased, in a really funky manner (UC would raise fees; the legislature would 'buy out' the fee increase).

Good times: increase all spending, increase entitlements.

Bad time: cut entitlements last, cut what can be cut first--typically higher ed. Can't cut public school funding easily in Calif.

Federal spending, fees/tuition increases, cost cutting, and donations/endowments made up the difference.

My BA is from one land-grant college, my MA from another, and my (I hope) PhD from a third. But job openings are mostly at private schools.

[NVMojo]

4. this is a serious issue and will guarantee that only "elites" will be

college educated in the future ...which is a Bush regime goal, in my opinion.

[nvliberal]

5. Yep.

Education and labor unions are the two tickets to upward mobility for the masses, and if you are of the view that only the rich are entitled to benefit from society, you want to keep the membership in the top tier as small as possible.

These bastards are sick, sick, sick.

[MountainLaurel]

6. That seems to be the goal

Of course, somebody has to do the scut work, and that'll be what those community colleges Bush was touting during the debates will be used for.

[Hand]

7. Surprised they didn't mention Colorado!

Mt brother is in the process of suing to state of Colorado for failing to adequately fund education in general and higher education in particular. Example, the U. of Colorado (Boulder) receives SIX PERCENT of its funding from the state. The rest comes from tuition, which is so high that a huge proportion of students are automatically frozen out. It's acknowledged to have become a de facto private institution for students who can afford it.

And that sucks. :grr:

[Rodger Dodger]

8. RE: Dr. Lingenfelter comments

"Lets just say that the cycles happen and get back to work to restoring the funding." Struck a cord with me. Do the cycles he is referring to have any connection with which party is in office? Perhaps not but one thing certain: the trickle down theory of the conservative party is not working.