With the Big Three seeking a bailout from Washington, the Big Ten are following suit. Earlier this week the Carnegie Corporation of New York took out a two-page ad in the New York Times, signed by executives of 36 public universities, state university systems and higher-education associations, urging Congress and President-elect Obama to rescue them.
Mr. Obama has already promised to expand federal subsidies to higher education by increasing Pell grants and making student-loan terms more permissive. The university chiefs seek an additional "federal infusion of capital" -- as much as $45 billion -- to build new facilities, especially "green" ones. "To ensure a rapid response, only projects that are shovel-ready or on which construction can begin within 120-180 days should be funded," says the ad.
If our congress people thought that many tax payers were grumpy over bailing out the Big Three automakers, just wait until these makers of radicals and America Haters line up with their hands out.
Let me suggest some modest reforms these folks need to try before they come begging.
Have everyone making above $50,000 a year take a 10% pay cut.
Have everyone making about $120,000 a year take an additional 10% pay cut.
Change all financial need scholarship programs to a "best test score" applicant gets the money.
Eliminate tenure. You don't do the job, you're toast.
Make all "special studies" departments and programs privately funded.
Quit building. You can't afford it. (Neither can I.)
All out of state students pay out of state tuition.
Turn all cultural sojourner students, aka illegal aliens, over to immigration.
Eliminate sabbaticals, both paid and unpaid. If they don't want to work, let'em quit.
Eliminate all social type functions that the college or university is paying for.
All "retreats" and/or meetings must be held on campus.
All travel by groups or individuals paid for by the school must be by lowest cost, signed off on before the travel by the highest official of the school and published in the local newspaper for five days prior to the travel and noted on the school's Web page.
Sports programs must pay for themselves. Funds can be moved between programs at the school's discretion, but no funds from the school may be used.
I am sure there are other things but these will be a good start.
Link to WSJ.
Hat tip to Urgent Agenda.
