A Baker’s Dozen Myths About Higher Education – UC President Mark Yudof!

Dear Commons Community,

​University of California President Mark G. Yudof presented a list of 13 myths about higher education during a speech at the California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting. While based mostly on data at the University of California, they have applicability to higher education in general including CUNY.  Here is a sample:

“Myth#1: The cost of producing UC degrees and credit hours has gone up over the last decade

I hear this myth all the time. And it’s frustrating, because this cost has actually dropped by more than 15%, in constant dollars, since the 1990s.

This cost has dropped in part due to a broad range of system-wide efficiencies: common IT systems; reduced employee travel; thousands of unfilled faculty and staff positions; one-third fewer employees at the UC Office of the President; a higher student-faculty ratio, and so on.

What has gone up, however, is the student contribution, or co-pay, to these degrees. At the same time, the state’s contribution per student has plummeted—by 60% in the last two decades.

To put this see-saw in perspective, UC students now cover roughly 46% of general fund support. But 20 years ago, their share hovered around 12%.”

Worth the quick read!

Tony

 


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