The Cost of Running a Public University
Money -The Universal Language of Universities
By: Cameron Gibson, Alex Dishinger, Logan Farrow, Luver Lopez
"All that glitters is not gold." These wise words can be heard in a SpongeBob SquarePants episode entitled, "All That Glitters." Quotes such as this suggest the idea that if an object or service is too good to be real, it is indeed not real. Having public universities become free of charge is a dream that millions of young students would love to see a reality someday, but sadly it cannot happen. Or... can it?
If we were to consider the possibility of a cost-free institution, the first step would address the costs that arise from a public university and all of its aspects it requires to function. It is difficult to determine a concrete amount when each university releases their annual reports with different categories (Weissmann, Jordan). The Department of Education, however, states that it would take 62.6 billion dollars to make universities free (QS Staff Writer). The majority of those funds would go to staff salaries, which would only benefit the students. The reason for that benefit is when more teachers are hired, the classes become more individualized; when classes become more individualized, it leads to better instruction for the students. The next largest portions are spent maintaining the premises along with the libraries and computers (Weissmann, Jordan).
The American education system currently requires that students pay high dues for education, but what about students in other countries? Germany has a free university education system. Not only is it free to German citizens, but also to other students who might travel internationally to study there. Though they call it free education, it must be pointed out that the education is being payed for with higher tax rates. Considering, however, that beforehand the tuitionswere a mere $630, it may not be that huge a deal (Schuman, Rebecca). The United States should take a page from Germany's handbook, examining why Germany's system works and how it greatly benefits many of its students.
As of right now, public education costs billions of dollars. That is why we need a solution that helps minimize expenses and use funding more efficiently, while not cutting down the paychecks of faculty. It CAN be done, but the government needs to make a solid decision that has a clear influence, not just pretty words and ideas that might work.
Works Cited:
Weissmann, Jordan. "Here's Exactly How Much the Government Would
Have to Spend to Make Public College Tuition-Free." The Atlantic.
Atlantic Media Company, 03 Jan. 2014. Web. 29 Jan.2015.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/01/heres-exactly-how-much-the-
government-would-have-to-spend-to-make-public-college-tuition-free/282803/
QS Staff Writer. "University Budgets: Where Your Fees Go."
Top Universities. QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited,
27 Oct. 2012. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/university-budgets
-where-your-fees-go
Christopher Denhart. "There Is No Such Thing As A Free College Education." Forbes.
Forbes Magazine, 3 Oct. 2014. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ccap/2014/10/03/there-is-not-such-thing-as-a-
free-college-education/
Schuman, Rebecca. "You Can Now Go to College in Germany for Free,
No Matter Where You're From. Should You?" The Slate.
The Slate Group LLC, 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/10/10/germany_college
_is_free_there_even_for_foreign_students_why.html
Hudson, David. "The President Proposes to Make Community,
College Free for Responsible Students for 2 Years." The White House.
The White House, 08 Jan. 2015. Web. 02 Feb. 2015.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/01/08/president-proposes-make-
community-college-free-responsible-students-2-years