What’s happening in higher education is so heartbreaking. I adore universities. And yet... they increasingly don’t love us back. When I was offered access to a PhD program at a state flagship, I had to decline the offer of whole $12,000 a year for my teaching requirements, extreme debt or independent wealth being the clear expectation. Instead, I kept my (perfectly pleasant) corporate job and switched to looking at my academic pursuits as a hobby. A lovely hobby that has given me great pleasure, but also the only realistic option I had. While it worked out for me, what about all the interesting, brilliant, diverse would-be academics that we surely lose to their need to feed and house themselves?
Aside from seeking additional funding from the state, it seems to me that many costs could be cut— especially on the admin level. And if we want to get serious about a university’s mission to provide opportunities for advancement, I think we need to start by eliminating college athletics, which cause far more harm than good.
Fantastic article! The plight of adjuncts is shameful—they need a union but that’s a fairy tale possibility I assume. Reading this made my blood boil, especially when it comes to the boneheads in state legislatures who cut funding to public universities over and over. There were so many more tuition aid possibilities when I went to college. In VA, there was even a state program that paid for “displaced homemakers” to attend community college after a divorce left them with no money to get an education or qualifications to make a living. Can you imagine such a compassionate program today? I don’t know how kids from non-wealthy families cobble together enough aid or part time jobs to get through college today. Education should be a right, not a privilege for the rich. Metastatic capitalism is killing us.
Wow. Thanks for your response, John! I like your toned down position (as opposed to mine) regarding athletics. And I 100% agree with spinning D1 Football and Basketball into the elsewhere. Seems like this for-profit land is already emerging on the horizon. For years, I’d envisioned an amateur system like Ireland’s sports clubs, but either way… let’s separate these behemoth markets from higher Ed.
"Substack is saying that this thing has a reading time of 18 minutes, but I don’t think that’s accurate because it counts the pictures like they’re text. "
Not including the time spent following your links, reading reviews elsewhere of books you mention, etc.
I feel something like a curse since I’ve spent most of my working life in two fields that capitalism is destroying: newspaper journalism and higher education. In both fields, the rhetoric of their proper mission is used to paper over the failure of both to do the job a healthy democracy demands. The most disheartening thing is that there are solutions, but the lack of leadership to make the changes we need. And a lack of understanding on the part of the public.
Excellent piece. The quote from Carol Christ @UC Berkeley is well... disheartening while true. I completed a PhD at age 50 hoping to teach an after five semesters at community college, countless interviews, and no offers, I finally realized it wasn’t in the cards for me. But now I have a substantial tuition debt that I will be paying until I die. And yes, I suppose it is worth mentioning, that my PhD is in the humanities. I’m proud of it and equally sad this field is no longer valued.
Agree ... but particularly in case of research-intensive universities, don't overlook ever-increasing costs of financial oversight (and fears of being audited). Although in principle those should be covered by indirect costs the university receives from grants ...
John, I have some interest in the actual expense of educating students, so your calculation on your remuneration vs tuition your efforts provided was interesting. Was this calculated as number of students X credit hours / full load credit hours X MSRP tuition? Thanks, Allan
Very interesting. I came across your publication because I recently wrote about my college experience and the real value I got out of it, and why I don't think employers will do away with a college requirement any time soon (although the median does seem to point to that).
Wanted to share my thoughts with you and other readers who might be interested in another viewpoint:
What’s happening in higher education is so heartbreaking. I adore universities. And yet... they increasingly don’t love us back. When I was offered access to a PhD program at a state flagship, I had to decline the offer of whole $12,000 a year for my teaching requirements, extreme debt or independent wealth being the clear expectation. Instead, I kept my (perfectly pleasant) corporate job and switched to looking at my academic pursuits as a hobby. A lovely hobby that has given me great pleasure, but also the only realistic option I had. While it worked out for me, what about all the interesting, brilliant, diverse would-be academics that we surely lose to their need to feed and house themselves?
Having known many adjunct professors, this The Onion article has caused very sad chuckles for me and them: https://www.theonion.com/adjunct-professor-hoping-some-student-leaves-behind-war-1819578455
Unfortunately, not that satirical it turns out.
Aside from seeking additional funding from the state, it seems to me that many costs could be cut— especially on the admin level. And if we want to get serious about a university’s mission to provide opportunities for advancement, I think we need to start by eliminating college athletics, which cause far more harm than good.
Fantastic article! The plight of adjuncts is shameful—they need a union but that’s a fairy tale possibility I assume. Reading this made my blood boil, especially when it comes to the boneheads in state legislatures who cut funding to public universities over and over. There were so many more tuition aid possibilities when I went to college. In VA, there was even a state program that paid for “displaced homemakers” to attend community college after a divorce left them with no money to get an education or qualifications to make a living. Can you imagine such a compassionate program today? I don’t know how kids from non-wealthy families cobble together enough aid or part time jobs to get through college today. Education should be a right, not a privilege for the rich. Metastatic capitalism is killing us.
Wow. Thanks for your response, John! I like your toned down position (as opposed to mine) regarding athletics. And I 100% agree with spinning D1 Football and Basketball into the elsewhere. Seems like this for-profit land is already emerging on the horizon. For years, I’d envisioned an amateur system like Ireland’s sports clubs, but either way… let’s separate these behemoth markets from higher Ed.
Looking forward to reading your book!
"Substack is saying that this thing has a reading time of 18 minutes, but I don’t think that’s accurate because it counts the pictures like they’re text. "
Not including the time spent following your links, reading reviews elsewhere of books you mention, etc.
I feel something like a curse since I’ve spent most of my working life in two fields that capitalism is destroying: newspaper journalism and higher education. In both fields, the rhetoric of their proper mission is used to paper over the failure of both to do the job a healthy democracy demands. The most disheartening thing is that there are solutions, but the lack of leadership to make the changes we need. And a lack of understanding on the part of the public.
Excellent piece. The quote from Carol Christ @UC Berkeley is well... disheartening while true. I completed a PhD at age 50 hoping to teach an after five semesters at community college, countless interviews, and no offers, I finally realized it wasn’t in the cards for me. But now I have a substantial tuition debt that I will be paying until I die. And yes, I suppose it is worth mentioning, that my PhD is in the humanities. I’m proud of it and equally sad this field is no longer valued.
Agree ... but particularly in case of research-intensive universities, don't overlook ever-increasing costs of financial oversight (and fears of being audited). Although in principle those should be covered by indirect costs the university receives from grants ...
John, I have some interest in the actual expense of educating students, so your calculation on your remuneration vs tuition your efforts provided was interesting. Was this calculated as number of students X credit hours / full load credit hours X MSRP tuition? Thanks, Allan
Very interesting. I came across your publication because I recently wrote about my college experience and the real value I got out of it, and why I don't think employers will do away with a college requirement any time soon (although the median does seem to point to that).
Wanted to share my thoughts with you and other readers who might be interested in another viewpoint:
https://workinggirl.substack.com/p/why-college-was-worth-it-for-me-and