College tuitions rising fast

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Saturday, December 17. 2011

College tuitions rising fast

But where does the money go? Not to faculty salaries.

Not to salaries in the Liberal Arts, anyway. A quote:

In general, the parental costs of college are spiraling upward, but the increases are largely not going into the pocket of the full-time faculty member. We drive a Honda Accord and a VW Jetta, respectively, and most of my colleagues drive similar cars.

The BMWs, the Lexuses, the Infinitis, and the sports cars belong to the students, at least those whose high-end parents most typically bemoan the costs of sending their students to us.

BMWs in college? That's lame. I sent all of my kids to college with Ferraris, didn't you? For their self-esteem.

Posted by The Barrister at 13:26 | Comments (13) | Trackbacks (0)

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I used Vegas and Astras. Had six kids, with up to three in college at a time in the '70s and '80s. Bought Vegas and Astras with blown engines for a pittance, spent my nights rebuilding engines and rehab'ing the vehicles, then put them in service on campus until they were wrecked or died. It was almost a second job for about ten years.

I'm sure not rich, but I'm a good mechanic and all around fixer-upper. That's how to live well on a little.

#1 b on 2011-12-17 17:52 (Reply)

Bottom line, admin costs. More of 'em, higher rate of salary increases. Quel suprise.

#2 Sam L. on 2011-12-17 19:26 (Reply)

From the article, "The BMWs, the Lexuses, the Infinitis, and the sports cars belong to the students, at least those whose high-end parents most typically bemoan the costs of sending their students to us."

That is hardly surprising since most financial aid is means tested. Colleges and universities are quite open about their wealth redistribution where those with money pay more so those without it can pay less. I read an article a very long time ago that pegged "saving for you child's college education" as the worst investment because of this "pure Robin Hood" social engineering.

#3 tyree on 2011-12-17 21:14 (Reply)

I mantain a network at a frat at one of these schools. The kids all have BMWs, Mercedes and Audi's. The worst cars are Acuras and Infinitis. They all seem to have excess money, but whine constantly and are total pigs. These ill-mannered entitled kids are the result of the everybody wins, everybody gets a trophy, mom and dad spoils me rotten lifestyle.

#4 KF on 2011-12-17 21:14 (Reply)

Where did Mom and Dad get the money?

#4.1 grant1863 on 2011-12-18 00:13 (Reply)

Did you know: Did you know that every grant from the National Science Foundation to a researcher (Professor) at a university is split approximately 55/45? That is to say the university gets 55% just for managing the grant monies (not supervising the research--just the secretarial services).

Did you know that every grant made from the National Science Foundation to a researcher(Professor) has additional costs added to it? How about this formula: the school gets the first 55%
the dean, or senior intellect (whether working on the project or not) is given a nice stipend usually equal to 3 months of her salary. Next in line on the budge is the department gatekeeper: she will get another amount equal to 3 months of her regular salary. She, like the dean of the school will have no hands on, nor input to the research project; they are just included for "services". Dean helps with the politics of getting the rest of the school to permit the proposal to even go to the NSF. The department "developement, or research officer" will get her 3 months of additional salary for the same reason--she allowed the proposal to continue on it's way up the chain. THEN and only then do you see the income/salary that the actual researcher gets. Under all of these "salaries and costs" are the "others"--you know: the ex-wives, the abandoned mistresses, the new "partners", the daughters of daughters, etc., etc. So the legitimate researcher will receive a small portion of the monies granted to the actual research project. Which explains why NSF grants such huge amounts of money for so many trivial research projects.

#5 faculty wife on 2011-12-17 21:18 (Reply)

never owned a car until I'd been working (yes, earning a living, paying the rent, things like that) for 5 years.
Bicycles, public transport, and for a while a company car had to do.

And I fully expect my kids (if I ever get any :) ) to have to survive without cars as well until they can pay for their own.

#6 J.T. Wenting on 2011-12-18 00:24 (Reply)

My niece threw a snot-flinging fit when her step-father would not buy a car for her to drive off to college. She refused to go. Dad called her bluff. She was an idiot then, and she's an idiot still. But my brother-in-law saved thousands of dollars.

#7 Deborah on 2011-12-18 00:52 (Reply)

I'm sitting here chuckling over the imagined scene of me ranting at my father, demanding a car or I'd refuse to go to college. Oh, me. Oh, my sides.

#7.1 Texan99 (Link) on 2011-12-18 10:48 (Reply)

Here is all you need to know about government spending:

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2011/12/horrifying-chart-that-democrats-and.html

... in other words: the "one time stimulus" has been folded into the annual budget every year since the Dems took over Congress.

LOOK AT THE CHART linked to above. Do it - now.

#8 Ben David on 2011-12-18 04:01 (Reply)

Oh, goodness! I hear that comment in the voice of a college professor friend of mine. He used to blame all his college's fiscal woes on 'the Republican legislature' of our state. Now he grouses about 'the Tea Party.'

When pressed about the college's budget, he admits that the books could be brought into balance if they would just get rid of a dean or two (and the associated administrative bric-a-brac). But that, he admits, will never happen.

#9 RNB on 2011-12-18 10:52 (Reply)

Your friendly fellow blogger Neptunus Lex had the perfect answer to young folks who want to go off to college in a BMW or similar top-of-the-line vehicle. He said to his daughter when she expressed this wish, "Whatever you feel that you can afford, my dear."

Le mot juste, is it not?

Marianne

#10 Marianne Matthews on 2011-12-18 15:54 (Reply)

faculty wife, thanks for that. Forced wealth redistribution is the core of leftists thought so it just makes sense that the universities should be so involved in it

#11 tyree on 2011-12-18 21:35 (Reply)

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Saturday, December 17. 2011

College tuitions rising fast