Academe' Now Squawking for Government Cheese.

Believe it or not, after a few decades of tuition increases well above the inflation rate, colleges and universities want even more money, claiming a hunk'o Uncle Sugar Daddy's Big Bailout Cheese Wheel.

Here's the ten year history of tuition for LSA students at Michigan:

• 1999-2000 $6335
• 2000-2001 $6515 (+2.8%)
• 2001-2002 $6935 (+6.4%)
• 2002-2003 $7485 (+7.9%)
• 2003-2004 $7975 (+6.5%)
• 2004-2005 $8200 (+2.8%)
• 2005-2006 $9215 (+12.4%)
• 2006-2007 $9725 (+5.5%)
• 2007-2008 $10,445 (+7.4%)
• 2008-2009 $11,035 (+5.6%)
• 1999-2009 +$4700 (+7.4% APR)

When are the administrators of this institution going to face reality? Why do students and their families (or the rest of us, by way of government financial aid) bear the burden, year in and year out, of the academe's dreams of grandeur?

Artes, Scientia, Veritas.

The Ann Arbor News reports that a University of Michigan professor is under investigation for hiring a female UM law student to...well, to...you know...and it got a bit out of hand. Our hallowed alma mater has reassured us, however, that there are strict rules in place to govern faculty-student romantic relationships, such as the requirement to file a "Conflict of Interest" working plan with the appropriate departments. We are much reassured.

Death, Taxes, and Higher Costs for a College Education.

As surprising as the Spring Peepers in the spring, the University of Michigan With The Huge Endowment has announced that room and board will increase above the rate of inflation for the 2008-2009 academic year, with the following blabber to justify it:

“Our commitment to supportive and dynamic residential experiences is at the heart of our mission for the students,” says Carole Henry, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of University Housing. “We are creating new living spaces that respond to the needs of today’s and future students — not only personal comforts, but also places for community and learning opportunities. That we can strengthen the connection of social and academic vitality for our students has tremendous value.”

Ye Gods, we are doomed. Any of that Wild Turkey left?

The Academic Circus.

Long gone are the days of a college professor relishing a vigorous debate with her students on a lecture thesis. Now you sue your students for anti-intellectualism and violating your civil rights. The Wall Street Journal has the details here. Pass us the Wild Turkey, would you please?

Newt's Response to Obama.

Newt Gingrinch spoke to the American Enterprise Institute last Thursday; his speech was entitled "The Obama Challenge: What Is the Right Change to Help All Americans Pursue Happiness and Create Prosperity," a reply to Obama's now-famous "race speech". Gingrich provides a list of well known problems and their solutions, mostly dealing with the disasterous confluence of bad government and bad culture, that have been historically ignored or deflected by the Left with accusations of racism. If we really want a dialogue that transcends the decades-long stalemate on improving minority communities, Newt's speech is an excellent beginning.

Boolah-Boolah.

An increasing number of American universities are setting up shop overseas, as reported by the New York Times. The pros: these institutions could be excellent vehicles to disseminate Western values (like freedom and religous tolerance) and culture (more Faulkner, less 50-Cent). The cons: American universities may collaborate with local tyrants and fanatics in censoring their normal curricula and indulging anti-Western attitudes, and such overseas campuses may be developed at the neglect of the needs of American students and through their tuition.

Whither Tuition?

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman heads of to Africa to promote "research and academic ties" with the countries of Ghana and South Africa. The press release makes the goals sound very noble and worthy. Just over breakfast one could dream up a hundred noble and worthy projects that the University could start or expand. Given the dire economic circumstances of the state, perhaps some focus on programs that assist Michigan's economic competitiveness may be a higher priority. Or perhaps spending less, asking the state for a smaller increase in assistance, or saddling the students and families with a smaller increase in tuition might be a priority, too.

Endowment Hoarding.

Today's Ann Arbor News features a story on the University of Michigan's whopping $7.1B endowment, which has doubled since 2003 (a return of 14.9% per annum). UM keeps raising tuition (7% last year) and begging for more state funding, while spending only $200M of the endowment toward operation of the school.

What is an $7.1B endowment for? How about decreasing the onerous costs borne by students and their families? For example, if the green eyeshades at the U can average a return of half of that for the previous five years, then after budgeting inflation (about 3%) they could still apply the net $320M toward school operations and - gasp! - rollback tuition for 40,000 students by $3000 per student. This would be a decrease of the present tuition and fees by 30%!