Salaries of public college chiefs rise, median tops $400,000

[chashaobao]

<p>Re: katliamom #112</p>

<p>

…I think it’s time for people to educate themselves on how the 21st century university works – because the very language you use (“fifedom”) indicates your understanding of today’s schools is somewhat antedilluvian.

</p>

<p>I am parent of a college age kid, I don’t mind being called old. My kid definitely thinks I am pretty old. And I have seen a few fads come and gone in my lifetime so far. </p>

<p>

… Online courses, “weekend” colleges for part-time students, study abroad, recruitment of international students and out of state students – all these are examples of programs that generate money for schools. And that require administrative staff.

You have given some very bad examples as forward looking, money-generating, 21st century programs. </p>

<p>*“weekend” colleges for part-time students *– I don’t know what public university you have worked for. But many flag-ship public universities have extension programs providing evening, weekend, and summer classes for full-time working students. UC extension has been in existence since the 1890s. In California, most if not all of the over 100 community colleges and 23 Cal state universities provide evening and weekend classes for continuing and working students. To them, this is not some new-age, money making scheme, but it is one of their core missions.</p>

<p>Study abroad – this is truly a more recent phenomenon for majority of college students. These programs are often advertised as programs to teach students the knowledge and skills to live and work in a globally world. Do you really want to tell the students that it is just a tool used to overcharge them and help fill the university’s coffers? Wasn’t the purpose of money generating to lower the students’ costs? Or is it to fleece the students to feed the administrators?</p>

<p>*recruitment of international students and out of state students *– Again this is nothing new. UVA and U Michigan have been doing this successfully for at least a couple of decades. When I was in China the last few years, I’ve seen a growing recruiting efforts by US colleges and private high schools through rolling international college fairs. The public colleges I saw there were mostly lower tier universities, like CA state Northridge and Central Michigan University, and community colleges. The flag-ship research universities, which we are mainly discussing in this thread and are generally in the top 100 USNews ranking, do not need additional staff for recruitment; they can simply admit more international applicants. The science and engineering departments at these research universities have been admitting large number of international graduate students for over 30 years, without the need of additional staff. But I can certainly see some deans of admissions want to have offices and staff in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Dubai etc.</p>

<p>Online courses – This may be the future of college education, but I don’t know any college or any one that has figured out a way to make money out online courses, let alone making real money. University of Phoenix might be an exception.</p>

<p>– * Continues … *</p>