College Discussion - View Single Post - How do people view University of Michigan??? against other universities

hoedown · 05-09-2008, 08:57 AM

First you trash U-M, then you make fun of Omaha? O, woe is me!

Please understand that M-Care is NOT the health system! For Pete's sake; it's an insurance plan! LOL It was a big sale, but it had nothing at all to do with selling off any assets of the health system.

Michigan's got some big classes and that's not great for everyone. But look at English comp--enrollment is limited to 18, and that's a freshmen class that just about everyone takes. And one of U-M's biggest classes is with Ralph Williams, who was voted U-M's best professor something like 9 times out of 10. People WANT to take that class. It would be a crime to limit it to 15 people and tell the other 335 students to bug off.

And to my novi friend, I think you got wooshed by my Zingerman's comment.

Just about every institution mentioned in this thread thus far is one I would consider impressive, for what that's worth. We're not comparing ground round to filet mignon here.

The idea that U-M is going down the tubes doesn't square with the big picture. The state's financial situation is not great, but we've weathered a bad state economy before. The $300 million is important to the U, but it's a pretty small slice of the revenue pie. Frankly, in times of trouble higher education can be a growth industry. All those Michiganders who can't count on making $80,000 a year working the line in a Ford plant anymore are going to have to get a college degree to make that kind of money elsewhere. And they want their kids to have degrees too. Traditionally Michigan hasn't sent many of its kids to college and that is going to change, which was the crux of the Cherry Commission report. I think all universities in Michigan could see strong enrollments in the future. In the meantime, U-M has seen its greatest growth in nonresident apps, so demand is not diminishing outside the state.

Sure, the state of Michigan's problems deserve some concern, but I think students would be foolish to make enrollment decisions based on that, or to assume U-M is going to decline precipitously. That is not going to happen.

05-09-2008, 08:57 AM	#102
hoedown Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: MI Threads: 5 Posts: 3,127	First you trash U-M, then you make fun of Omaha? O, woe is me! Please understand that M-Care is NOT the health system! For Pete's sake; it's an insurance plan! LOL It was a big sale, but it had nothing at all to do with selling off any assets of the health system. Michigan's got some big classes and that's not great for everyone. But look at English comp--enrollment is limited to 18, and that's a freshmen class that just about everyone takes. And one of U-M's biggest classes is with Ralph Williams, who was voted U-M's best professor something like 9 times out of 10. People WANT to take that class. It would be a crime to limit it to 15 people and tell the other 335 students to bug off. And to my novi friend, I think you got wooshed by my Zingerman's comment. Just about every institution mentioned in this thread thus far is one I would consider impressive, for what that's worth. We're not comparing ground round to filet mignon here. The idea that U-M is going down the tubes doesn't square with the big picture. The state's financial situation is not great, but we've weathered a bad state economy before. The $300 million is important to the U, but it's a pretty small slice of the revenue pie. Frankly, in times of trouble higher education can be a growth industry. All those Michiganders who can't count on making $80,000 a year working the line in a Ford plant anymore are going to have to get a college degree to make that kind of money elsewhere. And they want their kids to have degrees too. Traditionally Michigan hasn't sent many of its kids to college and that is going to change, which was the crux of the Cherry Commission report. I think all universities in Michigan could see strong enrollments in the future. In the meantime, U-M has seen its greatest growth in nonresident apps, so demand is not diminishing outside the state. Sure, the state of Michigan's problems deserve some concern, but I think students would be foolish to make enrollment decisions based on that, or to assume U-M is going to decline precipitously. That is not going to happen.