I was particularly happy with a post that I finished for my college blog at CBSMoneywatch a few moments ago that focuses on one reason for spiraling college costs – US News & World Reports’ controversial college rankings.
US News rewards colleges and universities for spending lavishly. Schools receive ranking brownie points for overspending, but they don’t get rewarded for keeping costs down. US News’ methodology doesn’t care if colleges are affordable. Sad, but true.
I hope you all read my CBS MoneyWatch post that delves into detail about this curious factor in runaway college costs. Here is the post:
Blaming College Rankings for Runaway College Costs
Lynn O’Shaughnessy is the author of The College Solution and she also write a college blog for CBSMoneyWatch.com and US News.
Universty of California costs are without any control. UC President Yudof and Chancellor Birgeneau ($450,000 salary) have dismissed many much needed cost-cutting options. They did not consider freezing vacant faculty positions, increasing class size, requiring faculty to teach more classes, doubling the time between sabbaticals, cutting and freezing pay and benefits for all chancellors and reforming the pension system.
They said such faculty reforms “would not be healthy for University of California”. Exodus of faculty and administrators? Who can afford them and where would they go?
We agree it is far from the ideal situation, but it is in the best interests of the university system and the state to hold the line on cost increases. UC cannot expect to do business as usual: raising tuition; granting pay raises and huge bonuses during a weak economy that has sapped state revenues and individual Californians’ income.
There is no question the necessary realignments with economic reality are painful. Regent Chairwoman Lansing can bridge the public trust gap with reassurances that salaries and costs reflect California’s economic reality. The sky above UC will not fall
Opinions? Email the UC Board of Regents marsha.kelman@ucop.edu