I opened the local birdcage liner to an article about a local college - Clarion University - that is suffering from a quickly-declining enrollment picture.
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/n...nded-athletic-offereings/stories/201411200254
Their response is, basically, to increase the number of athletic scholarships. Tangentially, they are thinking that they are in a bit of trouble with the so-called "Title IX" requirements, so there will be a new focus on athletic scholarships for women - probably in newly-created athletic programs created for that purpose. Women's field hockey, golf, or whatever.
Hmmm.
Declining enrollment, so they propose to offer "free" tuition to more people. And not for academic superiority, but for their ability (or not) to play silly childrens' games.
This is madness, on steroids.
The purpose of a university is to educate young adults. Athletics are a DIVERSION - a means of taking time to relax and get away from the rigors of one's scholarly pursuits.
I truly wonder whether they even considered the possibility of striving to PROVIDE A SUPERIOR EDUCATION for the education dollar, then publicizing that initiative. Focusing, for example, on fields that promise maximum employability after graduation, or better chances of gaining admission to graduate and professional schools? Isn't that more in keeping with the purpose of the Institution?
Would any prospective students care? Apparently the people at Clarion University don't think so.
Fairly or un, I often wonder why it is possible for public high schools to offer so much more "education" for the education dollar than a typical university. Consider:
A typical high school year is comprised of 6 hours of instruction per day for, say, 180 days each year. That's 1,080 hours of instruction for, let's call it $15,000.
A typical college year is comprised of two semesters of 15 weeks each, and 15 hours of instruction per week. That works out to about 450 hours of instruction. Even adding some hours for testing and miscellaneous crap, it's about half as much instruction time per year as a typical public high school. Compare the tuition at your favorite university with that $15K number.
And why is it possible for a high school teacher to teach for 30 hours per week while a college instructor can only teach for 9-12 hours per week? And keep in mind that a high school teacher must actually TEACH the material to people who are largely indifferent, while a college instructor has students who are pre-qualified, presumably motivated, and in their classes voluntarily (and paying good money for the privilege, if you must know).
And philosophically, a college student is 75% responsible for the learning process, while a high school student is, say, 25% responsible, with the teacher being responsible for the other 75%.
Consider the huge difference between "higher education" in the U.S. and university education in most of Europe. They have admission strictly on merit, NO sports, and (generally) free tuition. We have college seats available for virtually every misfit who can figure out how to get it paid for, we are fixated on sports and other irrelevancies, and charge an arm and a leg for the "education" that is provided.
Perverse, isn't it?
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/n...nded-athletic-offereings/stories/201411200254
Their response is, basically, to increase the number of athletic scholarships. Tangentially, they are thinking that they are in a bit of trouble with the so-called "Title IX" requirements, so there will be a new focus on athletic scholarships for women - probably in newly-created athletic programs created for that purpose. Women's field hockey, golf, or whatever.
Hmmm.
Declining enrollment, so they propose to offer "free" tuition to more people. And not for academic superiority, but for their ability (or not) to play silly childrens' games.
This is madness, on steroids.
The purpose of a university is to educate young adults. Athletics are a DIVERSION - a means of taking time to relax and get away from the rigors of one's scholarly pursuits.
I truly wonder whether they even considered the possibility of striving to PROVIDE A SUPERIOR EDUCATION for the education dollar, then publicizing that initiative. Focusing, for example, on fields that promise maximum employability after graduation, or better chances of gaining admission to graduate and professional schools? Isn't that more in keeping with the purpose of the Institution?
Would any prospective students care? Apparently the people at Clarion University don't think so.
Fairly or un, I often wonder why it is possible for public high schools to offer so much more "education" for the education dollar than a typical university. Consider:
A typical high school year is comprised of 6 hours of instruction per day for, say, 180 days each year. That's 1,080 hours of instruction for, let's call it $15,000.
A typical college year is comprised of two semesters of 15 weeks each, and 15 hours of instruction per week. That works out to about 450 hours of instruction. Even adding some hours for testing and miscellaneous crap, it's about half as much instruction time per year as a typical public high school. Compare the tuition at your favorite university with that $15K number.
And why is it possible for a high school teacher to teach for 30 hours per week while a college instructor can only teach for 9-12 hours per week? And keep in mind that a high school teacher must actually TEACH the material to people who are largely indifferent, while a college instructor has students who are pre-qualified, presumably motivated, and in their classes voluntarily (and paying good money for the privilege, if you must know).
And philosophically, a college student is 75% responsible for the learning process, while a high school student is, say, 25% responsible, with the teacher being responsible for the other 75%.
Consider the huge difference between "higher education" in the U.S. and university education in most of Europe. They have admission strictly on merit, NO sports, and (generally) free tuition. We have college seats available for virtually every misfit who can figure out how to get it paid for, we are fixated on sports and other irrelevancies, and charge an arm and a leg for the "education" that is provided.
Perverse, isn't it?
