The graceful decline of higher education - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jul 7, 2004

The graceful decline of higher education

Date: Jul 7, 2004

The 'public good' model

"The first model, adopted right after World War II, was the "public good" model. It was based on a consensus that higher education provided benefits that would be shared widely across all of society".

What a great article. As a child of the 50's I remember when the consenus was that the purpose of higher education is to provide benefits to be shared widely across of all of society. Had some of us realized that higher education would evolve into this 'make us millionaires on Hardy Street" model, we would have entered a different profession. Becoming a millionaire outside of acdemics would have been easier, quicker, and - above all - more honorable.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

"Most of all, universities have to recognize that public funding for public higher education, as the dominant source of support, has come to the end of its cycle. As we move forward, public universities will have to look to fundraising, entrepreneurial ventures, partnership agreements and tuition fees to find the money for their operating costs."

If you accept this statement, does that mean that SFT is forward thinking??? Probably not, but how do you make up for the lack of funding from the state? I am actually asking for new ideas not criticisms of what USM is currently doing.

Another point in the article is that you might have to limit access to maintain quality. Could it be that USM cannot support 16k students and we would do better with around 10k? Would the layoff of faculty/staff/administration for a smaller univ offset the loss in tuition revenue? Doesn’t Ole Miss have 10-12k students, how does its faculty/staff numbers compare to USM? Are they hurting for money like USM? What is the difference? Tuition amount is similar. Private donations? SEC sports? Grants? Are they more efficient? I am simply asking to generate suggestions. It is always easy to say what is wrong with the system, but it is not always easy to come up with alternative suggestions.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: asdf
"Most of all, universities have to recognize that public funding for public higher education, as the dominant source of support, has come to the end of its cycle.

Perhaps what you say is correct, asdf. Maybe public funding for higher education has come to the end of its cycle. If so, then public colleges/universities are losing much of the financial "edge" they formerly held over private colleges/universities which do not rely on state support. If the trend you cite continues, USM and other public colleges/universities will have to build a better mouse trap in order to compete with some of the fine private colleges/universities.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: asdf
""Most of all, universities have to recognize that public funding for public higher education, as the dominant source of support, has come to the end of its cycle. As we move forward, public universities will have to look to fundraising, entrepreneurial ventures, partnership agreements and tuition fees to find the money for their operating costs."

If you accept this statement, does that mean that SFT is forward thinking??? Probably not, but how do you make up for the lack of funding from the state? "

Asdf, your answer is that word right before the other word that SFT loves so much: FUNDRAISING. He seems to have missed that word in his "How to Be a Good University President" manual.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
"FUNDRAISING. He seems to have missed that word in his "How to Be a Good University President" manual. "

I always though that fundraising was the primary job of a university president, and that the academic side of things was delegated to a Vice President for Academic Affairs or to a Provost. Things seem to be bassackward here, don't they?

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Sonny
"I always though that fundraising was the primary job of a university president, and that the academic side of things was delegated to a Vice President for Academic Affairs or to a Provost. Things seem to be bassackward here, don't they? "

Yep, Sonny, you're right. In fact, here's a list of what fundraising can get you (from the latest Chronicle of Higher Ed--note TAMU, the university that's happy to have the likes of Gary Stringer on its faculty):

* The California Institute of Technology, $953.9-million as of May 31 (increase of $29.4-million in the last month); the goal is $1.4-billion by 2007.

* The Johns Hopkins University, $1.362-billion as of May 31 (increase of $16.9-million in the last month); the goal is $2-billion by 2007.

* The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $1.895-billion as of May 31 (increase of $15.8-million in the last month); the goal is $2-billion by 2004.

* Michigan State University, $830.2-million as of July 2 (increase of $18.4-million in the last month); the goal is $1.2-billion by 2007.

* Purdue University, $924-million as of May 31 (increase of $27.5-million in the last month); the goal is $1.3-billion by 2007.

* Stanford University, $953-million as of May 31 (increase of $13-million in the last month); the goal is $1-billion by 2005.

* Texas A&M University at College Station, $792.9-million as of May 31 (increase of $7.4-million in the last month); the goal is $1-billion by 2006.

* The University of Arizona, $1.045-billion as of May 31 (increase of $7.2-million in the last month); the goal was $1-billion by 2005.

* The University of California at Los Angeles, $2.538-billion as of May 31 (increase of $41.3-million in the last month); the goal was $2.4-billion by 2005.

* The University of California at San Diego, $591.7-million as of May 1; the goal is $1-billion by 2007.

* The University of California at San Francisco, $1.332-billion as of June 1 (increase of $6-million in the last month); the goal is $1.4-billion by 2005.

* The University of Chicago, $1.037-billion as of May 31 (increase of $14.8-million in the last month); the goal is $2-billion by 2006.

* University of Iowa, $745.9-million as of June 30 (increase of $15.6-million in the last month); the goal is $1-billion by 2005.

* The University of Miami, $620.7-million as of May 31 (increase of $14.7-million in the last month); the goal is $1-billion by 2007.

* University of Michigan, $1.281-billion as of May 15; the goal is $2.5-billion by 2008.

* The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, $1.25-billion as of May 31 (increase of $20-million in the last month); the goal is $1.8-billion by 2007.

* The University of Pittsburgh, $700-million as of May 31 (increase of $10-million in the last month); the goal is $1-billion by 2007.

* The University of Texas at Austin, $1.553-billion as of May 31 (increase of $15.2-million in the last month); the goal is $1-billion by 2004.

* The University of Wisconsin at Madison, $1.217-billion as of June 29 (increase of $15-million in the last month); the goal is $1.5-billion by 2007.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" Yep, Sonny, you're right. In fact, here's a list of what fundraising can get you (from the latest Chronicle of Higher Ed . . .)

Very impressive, truth4uSM. Equally impressive is the fact that almost 1/3 (33%) of those schools have no major football program!

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Sonny
"

Very impressive, truth4uSM. Equally impressive is the fact that almost 1/3 (33%) of those schools have no major football program! "

Right, Sonny, that's because:

Major Football Program /= (does not equal) Lotsa Money

but instead:

Lotsa Private Donations = Lotsa Money

SFT, are you listening??

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" Yep, Sonny, you're right. In fact, here's a list of what fundraising can get you.... ."

Oops, my cut-and-paste job left off 2 universities (one of which I work for--/embarrassed face):

* Vanderbilt University, $955.6-million as of May 31 (increase of $7.4-million in the last month); the goal is $1.25-billion by 2005.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" Oops, my cut-and-paste job left off 2 universities (one of which I work for--/embarrassed face): * Vanderbilt University, $955.6-million as of May 31 (increase of $7.4-million in the last month); the goal is $1.25-billion by 2005."

And the LAST one:

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" And the LAST one: "

AARGH!

!

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" AARGH! !"

This is annoying...sorry I can't make this work, guys. The board gremlins are working against me today.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" Oops, my cut-and-paste job left off . . . Vanderbilt University . . ."

And not very long ago the president of Vanderbilt pulled in the reigns of Vanderbilt by abolishing the position of athletic director and reorganizing the administrative structure so that there would be more accountability to the office of the president. I am a hugh college football fan, but the football tail should not be allowed to wag the academic dog.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Sonny
"And not very long ago the president of Vanderbilt pulled in the reigns of Vanderbilt by abolishing the position of athletic director and reorganizing the administrative structure so that there would be more accountability to the office of the president. I am a hugh college football fan, but the football tail should not be allowed to wag the academic dog. "

You're exactly right. I came here right after it happened. This is a huge difference at Vandy as opposed to other schools.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

truth,

Do you have any idea how these donations help the general budget of these universities. I know it is probably different for each one. I recently read on another forum that USM's recent capital campaign wasn't doing much to help the bottom line because the monies were mainly directed to specific scholarships, etc. Is this normally the way capital campaigns get money, or do people normally just give money to a general university endowment? Being that I cannot afford to be a big giver yet, I am just curious.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: asdf
" . . . monies were mainly directed to specific scholarships, etc. Is this normally the way capital campaigns get money, or do people normally just give money to a general university endowment?"

I'll throw in my 2-cents worth here. I used to write "unrestricted gift" on the check when I contributed to any of my three alma maters. I have full confidence in those schools to use the money wisely. If I were giving to USM at the present time, however, in no way would I make that gift "unrestricted." I would earmark it for a specific use, because I have no assurance that it would be used wisely at the present time.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: asdf
"truth, Do you have any idea how these donations help the general budget of these universities. I know it is probably different for each one. I recently read on another forum that USM's recent capital campaign wasn't doing much to help the bottom line because the monies were mainly directed to specific scholarships, etc. Is this normally the way capital campaigns get money, or do people normally just give money to a general university endowment? Being that I cannot afford to be a big giver yet, I am just curious."

I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer to your question. I do remember that when the Capital Campaign at USM was started, there was a poll asking all faculty/staff what they thought the priorities should be (back in the good old days of some semblance of shared governance at USM). I'm sure each university defines its priorities according to its own measures.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
""

I would imagine that it's usually easier to raise money for tangibles like scholarships and buildings than to raise unrestricted funds. Donors can point to something or someone and say "I am responsible for that; it is part of my legacy." Yet, it is unrestricted funds that most benefit a university from an operations standpoint. Trying to raise money of either type for USM right now must be like selling the products of a company in bankruptcy.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: asdf
""Most of all, universities have to recognize that public funding for public higher education, as the dominant source of support, has come to the end of its cycle."

Would someone explain how anything comes to the end of a cycle? Perhaps public funding has reached the low point of its cycle, but if it's reached the end then it ain't a cycle, dangnabbit, Pepino!

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: asdf
"Most of all, universities have to recognize that public funding for public higher education, as the dominant source of support, has come to the end of its cycle."

If the state is unable or unwilling to support its system of higher education, maybe it should get out of the education business altogether. The private colleges seem to be doing a fine job with limited resources. Turn the property over to them. This suggestion applies only if the state is unwilling to provide the necessary support.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" Would someone explain how anything comes to the end of a cycle? Perhaps public funding has reached the low point of its cycle, but if it's reached the end then it ain't a cycle, dangnabbit, Pepino!"

Ah, si, Senor Gran'pa; excellent point. That's what I love about this board. I will never again hear "end of a cycle" without this totally derailing my train of thought.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

Hey Invictus and Ram,

You guys are THE REAL MCCOY!

Jo

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" Would someone explain how anything comes to the end of a cycle? Perhaps public funding has reached the low point of its cycle, but if it's reached the end then it ain't a cycle, dangnabbit, Pepino!"

I do not believe asdf misused the term "end of a cycle." Witness the following uses in astronomy and physics:

How Stars End Their Lives

What happens to a star at the end of its cycle depends on its mass.

When the waveform is re-reversed, the tails will appear at the beginning of the wave and the pre-delay will be at the end. A small amount of pre-delay helps to prevent the sound stopping dead at the end of its cycle. Now, simply process the reverb into the waveform

Date: Jul 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Big Bad Wolf
" I do not believe asdf misused the term "end of a cycle." Witness the following uses in astronomy and physics: How Stars End Their Lives What happens to a star at the end of its cycle depends on its mass. When the waveform is re-reversed, the tails will appear at the beginning of the wave and the pre-delay will be at the end. A small amount of pre-delay helps to prevent the sound stopping dead at the end of its cycle. Now, simply process the reverb into the waveform"

I love this board!

Date: Jul 7, 2004

Waveforms. Physics. And here I was, thinking about washing machines.

Date: Jul 7, 2004

RE: End of a cycle

Date: Jul 8, 2004

RE: RE: RE: RE: The graceful decline of higher education

Date: Jul 8, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Punster
"..... Marlon Brando?"

Punster, You slay me! (LVN too. I almost spit out my coffee on the computer screen last night - one of those laughs that sneak up on you.)

Jo

Date: Jul 8, 2004

Oh, I have to concede to Punster on this one. Too funny!