Our Educrats Get Schooled

Read with interest the article "Online classes not always a money-saver" in the Houston Chronicle this past Sunday.  OffHisMeds has written before, at length, and generally with disdain about our educational Elites, particularly those at the university level.  There exists not a more coddled and insulated group in society, at once cognizant that even a cursory scrutiny would reveal that they rarely earn their keep, whilst simultaneously contemptible of the people who pay for their existence.  This explains, by the way, why the Education Establishment regularly submits a scholarly study that rationalizes their own existence, proclaiming higher education not only an astonishing bargain, but the birthright of every American regardless of their ability to pay, the future indebtedness of as-yet unborn generations be damned.

 

It's been a great run since the end of WWII.  Salaries were high, hours were short, tenure was a religion, accountability was non-existent, and the actual methods by which professors could earn ever more money for ever less work were seemingly exhausted only by one's imagination, or rather lack thereof: Expense accounts, subsidized housing, stipends, performance bonuses, conferences, exchange programs, state grants, federal grants, private grants, COLA, sumptuous benefit and retirement packages, sabbaticals......the list went on and on.

 

And things went on swimmingly until student loan debt started some years back to approach levels greater than that of all consumer debt.  The people writing the checks started asking questions.  No longer could our Professoriate simply demand more money from increasingly cash-strapped state governments or through ever more generous student loan programs, and the usually reliable contributions from the federal government became less so.   The double digit generational rise in the cost of education was soon unsustainable.

 

In this environment it was no surprise that on-line college courses would become so popular.  High quality instruction for a much lower price.  What's not to like?  It was also no surprise that most of the online courses available through Texas' major universities would be as expensive - or even more so - than their more conventional counterparts. As has been illustrated repeatedly in the past generation, our education establishment has shown about as much restraint in controlling the cost of the services they provide as the federal government has, which is to say: none.

 

Texas is by no means unique.  Nationwide, the inflation-adjusted price of a four year university degree has more than doubled in the past 25 years, and for a markedly inferior product. Along comes online education, and the predictable reaction of our Educrats - as reflected in the article attached - is to a) overprice it, and b) talk it down, and c) dither.  But as much as our universities would like to think otherwise, they are no longer the only game in town, and their reluctance to develop cost-effective online programs is not only a slap in the face to families on a budget, but will put these same schools at a distinct competitive disadvantage in the future.
 

Gone are the days when universities could coast along with the status quo, continue to inflate their prices and simply expect state and federal governments to cover the difference with evermore taxpayer dollars and evermore heavily subsidized college loans. High quality, inexpensive online classes are the future, and Texas' schools need to lead, follow, or get out of the way.

 

Best they should lead.
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Educators don't get it

Regarding "Online classes not always a money-saver" (Page B2, Sunday), it's not surprising that most of the online courses available through Texas' major universities are as expensive - or even more so - than their more conventional counterparts. As has been illustrated repeatedly in the past generation, our education establishment has shown about as much restraint in controlling the cost of the services they provide as the federal government has, which is to say: very little.

The inflation-adjusted price of a four-year university degree has more than doubled in the past 25 years, and in my eyes at least, for an inferior product. Along comes online education, and the predictable reaction of our educrats is to a) overprice it, and b) talk it down, and c) dither.

But as much as our universities would like to think otherwise, they are no longer the only game in town, and their reluctance to develop cost-effective online programs is not only a slap in the face to students on a budget, but will put these schools at a distinct competitive disadvantage in the future.

Gone are the days when universities could coast along with the status quo, continue to inflate their prices and simply expect state and federal governments to cover the difference with ever more taxpayer dollars and evermore heavily subsidized college loans. High-quality, inexpensive online classes are the future, and Texas' schools need to lead, follow or get out of the way.

Best they should lead.

Pete Smith, Cypress

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/letters/article/Letters-Online-classes-George-Will-Hamas-4094642.php