Tuition's Cancer Tumors

Last month, I received an internal e-mail wishing well to an administrator, who spent more than 10 years at Cal State Fullerton, and who received a promotion at another university.  It so happens that I haven't dealt much with that lady, but I remember her as a nice person.  So in this commentary is not so much about her as it is about a big problem in too many higher ed institutions that's causing your tuition to grow unnecessarily.

The e-mail listed all the offices where she worked during her years at Cal State Fullerton.  Some of them have names like:

- Bureau of Research Development

- Freshman Support & Resource Group

- Center for Community Involvement

- Partnership for Internships

- Bureau of University Initiatives, Research, and Industry Collaborations

- Student Life Association

- Grant-Writing Support Center for Staff and Faculty

(I've changed their names to emphasize the general problem, rather than to pick on any specific office;  yet most universities have lots and LOTS of these entities): 

Here's a little secret:  30 years ago or so, not half of those offices existed, and universities did just fine.  While these offices didn't seem necessary then, they are now staffed with people who often have graduate degrees and therefore get salaries in the mid-to-high five-figures (and more than $100,000 for the heads of these offices).  If you add up all these salaries, almost every college is spending millions of dollars on strangely-titled personnel considered unnecessary 30 years ago. 

Where does the money come to pay those salaries?  Your tuition.

(And from taxes – your taxes - in the case of public universities).

Some administrators will disagree, pointing out that some of these offices run on foundation money or endowment funds (money given by charitable organizations or generous donors).  But then, ask yourself, why isn't the university using that money for student grants or for the general budget, namely, to lower your tuition?!

If you don't like this, what can you do about it?  Next time you hear university officials complain about their expanding costs as the reason why tuition must rise, don't buy into their argument.  Instead, tell them to cut their bureaucracy and focus on the classes.  Write to them directly.  Write letters to the editors.  Call TV stations.  Facebook about it, Tweet it!  Make a ruckus!  

It's a BIG problem, but a recent minor success has proven that public shame can force administrators to be a little less wasteful.