NYT - The Real Reason College Tuition Costs So Much

I have spent thousands of hours doing volunteer work at this point in my life. The work I have done has provided services to people and has allowed organizations to direct funds to other areas of need and along the way I have gained some pretty valuable work experience and learned more about myself than I possibly could have sitting in a classroom. Classrooms do not provide real world experience.

 

I'm not saying volunteer work is useless, I'm saying it doesn't make sense to integrate it into the university setting.  Did a PhD level professor select your volunteer assignments for you?  Did you write up research papers after each assignment?

 

One can volunteer at any time of their life.  I believe that being in college is like a full time job, where we pay good money for access to professors, lab equipment, peers, and other things that are only available at the University.

 

Students do need real world experience, but the best way to do that is via a real internship, or maybe working a real job in a gap year.

[regentrude]

I'm not saying volunteer work is useless, I'm saying it doesn't make sense to integrate it into the university setting.  Did a PhD level professor select your volunteer assignments for you?  Did you write up research papers after each assignment?

 

One can volunteer at any time of their life.  I believe that being in college is like a full time job, where we pay good money for access to professors, lab equipment, peers, and other things that are only available at the University.

 

Students do need real world experience, but the best way to do that is via a real internship, or maybe working a real job in a gap year.

 

Our engineering students regularly do volunteer trips with Engineers Without Borders. They use their engineering training to complete engineering projects - build water supply and treatment plants and such. I find this a very valuable experience for the students. Yes, they are full time students, but they do this during their spring and winter break. And the faculty mentors donate their free time.

Volunteering their specialized knowledge is beneficial to the community in which they work. It's not something they could do as single individuals, and it's not something a random volunteer without training could accomplish either.

Volunteering in soup kitchens as you suggested is great - but people with specialized skills can make a contribution others can't.

University organized and mentored volunteer trips definitely have a place.

 

I consider hands-on opportunities outside of the classroom very valuable for the overall student education. It is not just studying from books and taking exams. Taking what you learn and applying it to a specific project in the community is a learning opportunity that definitely has a place at a college.

Some courses integrate such things as "experiential learning" ( a term I hate) into the coursework. then it's no longer strictly volunteering, of course, but the benefit is the same.

[EmilyGF]

I do not interpret the statement about the house trip as "entitlement".

The socioeconomic differences at these schools are huge. One student works three jobs to put herself through school, while a classmate's parents have bought her a million dollar apartment downtown.

Being unable to go out to eat with the fellow students in your house once a month (which is what "house trip" entails in DD's house) may not be the most severe problem for a poor student, but it does set them apart from others - making students at the upper end of the socioeconomic spectrum aware of it is a good thing.

House trips also include things like ski weekends which I do consider extravagant. If my kids asked me for money for a ski trip in college, I would frankly say no. 

 

This is the thing: for each extra there is a reason it is there. Community service, foreign exchanges, extra money for house trips... for that matter, socioeconomic awareness committees, the administrators who run them, and the printers who make the banners. There is a reason for each one.

But that adds up.

 

(No horse in this race, BTW, so I'm exiting.)

Emily

[Sneezyone]

"Did a PhD level professor select your volunteer assignments for you?  Did you write up research papers after each assignment?"

 

During my undergraduate study, both of these things were true, and are a major reason why other Tier 1 universities visited us to find out how they could improve town/gown relations through civic engagement and volunteerism. The partnership between entry level sociology courses/professors and JEP was particularly strong.

[MarkT]

Our engineering students regularly do volunteer trips with Engineers Without Borders. They use their engineering training to complete engineering projects - build water supply and treatment plants and such. I find this a very valuable experience for the students. Yes, they are full time students, but they do this during their spring and winter break. And the faculty mentors donate their free time.

Volunteering their specialized knowledge is beneficial to the community in which they work. It's not something they could do as single individuals, and it's not something a random volunteer without training could accomplish either.

Volunteering in soup kitchens as you suggested is great - but people with specialized skills can make a contribution others can't.

University organized and mentored volunteer trips definitely have a place.

 

I consider hands-on opportunities outside of the classroom very valuable for the overall student education. It is not just studying from books and taking exams. Taking what you learn and applying it to a specific project in the community is a learning opportunity that definitely has a place at a college.

Some courses integrate such things as "experiential learning" ( a term I hate) into the coursework. then it's no longer strictly volunteering, of course, but the benefit is the same.

This is awesome that they volunteer but IMHO it is "Engineers Without Borders" job to help coordinate this effort not the college administration. A professor or two could certainly step up and volunteer their time for the Engineers Without Borders organization.

 

This thread is about rising college costs and what may contribute to them.

[regentrude]

Please clarify for me, because I think I'm not understanding something...

 

By "house trip", are we referring to a fraternity/sorority house? If so, doesn't it cost extra money to join the fraternity/sorority in the first place?

 

No.  At the university to which it referred, students who live in dorms are sorted into "houses". For small dorms, the house is the entire dorm. For large dorms, the dorm is split into several "houses". Think Hogwarts. Everybody belongs to a house, there is no additional cost to join.

Houses are a social unit. The idea is that the house becomes something like the students' family at college. Students do social activities with their house - movie nights, study breaks, secret Santa etc.They have house teams for sports or campuswide activities. They have house tables in the cafeteria, which I think is  a great system, because you always find somebody from your house to eat with.

In some houses, the "house trips" consist of a once-a-month outing into the city for dinner (it is never the entire house participating, just a subset of people from the house.)

 

(For the ski trips EmilyGF mentioned, my first thought was: which student at this school has time for that???)

[regentrude]

This is awesome that they volunteer but IMHO it is "Engineers Without Borders" job to help coordinate this effort not the college administration. A professor or two could certainly step up and volunteer their time for the Engineers Without Borders organization.

 

This thread is about rising college costs and what may contribute to them.

 

That is what is happening, and I do not think that these volunteer activities are a significant factor that drives up college cost. The students do fundraising to raise their travel expenses, and the faculty do volunteer. I do not think there is significant involvement from administration or a significant cost to the university... certainly not enough to be held responsible for the increase in cost.

[TechWife]

This is awesome that they volunteer but IMHO it is "Engineers Without Borders" job to help coordinate this effort not the college administration. A professor or two could certainly step up and volunteer their time for the Engineers Without Borders organization.

 

This thread is about rising college costs and what may contribute to them.

 

Yes, it is, which is why I am trying to make a point that some increase in college costs are legitimate and enhance a student's education. There are other expenses as well that may or may not fall into the legitimate category.

 

Personally, I wonder about universities located in mountainous regions who construct climbing walls for their students, for example. My alma mater did this. When I was there, students went climbing and rappelling on the real mountains in which the campus is located. 

 

ETA: While one climbing wall isn't solely responsible for increased costs, when it is combined with the dining hall that was replaced with the food court and the new apartment style dormitories that have been built on campus, it gives one pause. Colleges are offering more and more amenities to the students. If you ask the colleges, they say it is to attract students. If you ask the students, they assume the amenities will be there now because they are widely available in universities. 

 

 

[TechWife]

I'm not saying volunteer work is useless, I'm saying it doesn't make sense to integrate it into the university setting.  Did a PhD level professor select your volunteer assignments for you?  Did you write up research papers after each assignment?

 

One can volunteer at any time of their life.  I believe that being in college is like a full time job, where we pay good money for access to professors, lab equipment, peers, and other things that are only available at the University.

 

Students do need real world experience, but the best way to do that is via a real internship, or maybe working a real job in a gap year.

 

No, I did it myself because I am a mature adult with years of work, parenting and volunteer experience. Most college kids lack all of these components, other than the fact that they are considered legal adults. Pretty much what I do now has little bearing on programs that are available to college students - apples and oranges and all that. 

 

As I've said before, I just disagree with you. For me, education is much more encompassing than the academic. I don't see a reason for students to waste their free time - and college students do have a lot of discretionary free time. 

[regentrude]

I agree with most of your points, but not this:

 

 and college students do have a lot of discretionary free time. 

 

Some do. In less demanding fields, at less demanding schools. But as a blanket statement, it is not true.

 

I have never in my life worked as hard and as long hours as when I was an undergraduate.

I certainly have a lot more discretionary free time than my DD, and also than many of the students I teach.

[pehp]

That is what is happening, and I do not think that these volunteer activities are a significant factor that drives up college cost. The students do fundraising to raise their travel expenses, and the faculty do volunteer. I do not think there is significant involvement from administration or a significant cost to the university... certainly not enough to be held responsible for the increase in cost.

 

He may be referring back to my posting about my relative who works in administration at a large university....with a fairly sizeable staff, salary, benefits, travel allowance, conference budget, etc, cultivating and facilitating volunteer and engagement opportunities. In this case, it's not a volunteer faculty member who is doing this but rather a team of individuals who are definitely paid by the university. (My relative has a PhD and does not teach--the sole job is the one described.)   And it's one of *many* factors that drives up college costs, certainly not the only one.  Like the way getting Starbucks here and there adds up in the personal budget, these expenditures add up.  Which I know everyone knows!!! 

 

I used to work in university development--we were 'administration'.  At our small private school we were a team of about 20-25 people.  I was among the lowest paid at $24,000 (with all my benefits, etc)--in 2000-2001. The higher-ups made much more and traveled constantly. I had an all-expenses paid trip to L.A. from the East Coast as well as conferences in other places, so the perks were very tidy and nice for me.  It was a fabulous job for me (first job out of graduate school, before I went to law school).  But I like to think that because we fundraised a $250million capital campaign, our salaries were 'paid for' and not *too* much of a drain on the university.  Most schools that size never, ever launch a capital campaign that large, but we had a very wealthy alumni base.  

 

 Whether these administrative expenditures carry the same value as their cost is its own debate.  But they are still real expenses that definitely collectively add up--even the 'volunteer coordinator' types of jobs.  

[regentrude]

deleted because I was mistaken about the unavailability of downhill skiing near the great lakes

[J&JMom]

I think rising college costs have many contributing factors, but two stand out for me:

 

1) Loans are seen as a viable way to pay for an education. This can lead to overpaying because of easy access to increasing lines of credit regardless of ability to repay because it is "good debt" and "an investment".  Therefore, schools can charge more because loans are available for eager enrollees.  If the money wasn't so readily available, schools might be forced to reduce prices. Supply vs. demand, baby. 

 

2) Increasing infrastructure.  I attended Liberty U distance learning program for a master's degree, and, as an alumni, I receive the quarterly magazine detailing building projects to increase pride in my alma mater as well as an unveiled attempt to open my wallet to fund these projects.  The school has an ice rink, snowboarding arena, and a 90,000 square foot student union complete with swimming pool, rock climbing wall, and indoor soccer field.  Dozens of new dormitories boast apartment style layouts, and the cafeterias offer a plethora of customized dining options.Is all of these necessary for an education? Or to attract new students with the wiz-bangery?  It must be working because enrollment is at all-time high as well as the price tag.

 

I think back when I start my undergrad at modest Texas university in 1988. Tuition was $16 a credit hour or $48 a class.  You could earn that in just 12 hours working at McDonalds.  Now that school costs almost $200 a credit hour - $600 a class!  We have purchased pre-paid tuition contracts for our boys because no investment can keep pace with increases like those.  

[Teachin'Mine]

I just looked at Liberty and their COA is under 30K.  To me that's sounds reasonable although unaffordable to us.  Tuition is approx 20K.  Being in Virginia, Indoor fields allow athletes to practice in any type of weather.   The improvements do usually result in a better overall experience for the students.  Indoor pool, ice rink ... nice!  It's not a partying school, so that probably saves them a lot of money in security, vandalism, etc. and they're putting upgrades into the things students can enjoy.  But I do understand that some parents would prefer a lower cost no-frills education.  I suppose the closest to that is a good priced state school within commuting distance.