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INEFFICIENCYHigh tuition prices are also rooted in inefficient budgeting by universities nationwide. According to Steve Odland of Forbes, a large part of the problem is that universities are increasing spending on faculty at a disproportionate rate. Between 1993 and 2007, university spending rose thirty-five percent, and administration expenses increased by sixty-one percent. This disproportion signals that spending had to be cut somewhere to compensate for the increased funding for staff. Part of this problem is due to overstaffing as the percentage of staff per student rose 46% and administrative spending per student role sixty-six percent.
Another aspect that contributes to high staff costs is the pure experience and skill of the staffers themselves. Many professors are leaders in their field, who possess a wide breadth of a knowledge. This skill will demand a higher salary, as they have more leverage due to their abilities that not many can offer. Classroom equipment, especially for advanced programs such as STEM research, also tend to be quite expensive. However, these materials are essential for preparing students to succeed in their professional careers. Robert Archibald and David Feldman cover this issue in their article The Anatomy of College Tuition, stating that, “Colleges and universities have to adopt new practices and new technology even if doing so results in higher costs.” Colleges are at the forefront of academic progress, and must allocate funds for research in order to make the significant contributions they’re expected to make. The main drawback from this spending is the source of the funding. This technology demands more money, and that burden ultimately falls on the shoulders of students in the form of heightened tuition. Prices have been on the rise for decades and a college education is quickly becoming unaffordable for students nationwide. Many talented students are opting to forgo college because of the cost, in favor of pursuing other lesser ventures that leave them debt free. This disallows students from reaching their full potential, and could have a lasting effect on society. If university education was to become significantly more expensive, which it is on track to do, it is very possible that American society as a whole could begin to slowly deteriorate. An educated America benefits every American, so colleges cannot afford to cut funding. However by utilizing efficient spending, colleges will open the door to an education to more students without sacrificing programs that make college the valuable experience it is. |