Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Big Deal.

Katie Couric will now read the news for CBS. If you're interested in the details, check any online entertainment news site.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

The Victor$.

The Ann Arbor News, to their credit, put together an excoriating article on the skyrocketing tuition and out-of-control spending at the University of Michigan:


  • The yearly tuition for in-state students has grown at over three times rate of inflation since 1990
  • Despite state funding increases at 20% below the rate of inflation during this period, the University swelled its budget at twice the inflation rate.
  • Much of this increased spending was not for instructional and classroom activities, but for student services, "community programs", and a 30% increase in the university workforce, with much of this hiring for high-paid adminstrators and research technical staff
  • The University's capital expenditures - its aggressive building program - is being partially paid for by tuition increases
  • The pay increases for tenured faculty salaries increased at a rate 20% above the inflation rate; for deans it rose at twice the inflation rate
  • Half of the credit hours at UM are now taught by non-tenure track faculty and instructors; the number of professors increased by only 2%, non-tenure track instructors by 20%, while student enrollment rose by 9%

Why does the University of Michigan view itself beyond the common sense of a balanced budget? The state funding shortfall is only $50 million of a $1.2 billon budget - this is just out of control spending by UM, very cynically piled on the back of students, their parents, and Uncle Sam with low interest student loans.