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A Time for Leadership and Honor
In its state report cards, ACTA grades public institutions pass-fail according to whether administrative costs or instructional costs increased at a greater rate. Sad to say, many more schools have received an "F" than a "P." Not surprisingly, given overall administrative bloat at colleges and universities, the Chronicle of Higher Education's annual report on executive compensation shows that 30 college presidents or chancellors received total compensation that exceeded $1,000,000. That number is up from 23 last year. The ranks of public university CEO's whose salary tops $500,000 have burgeoned as well from 6 in 2006 to 58 in 2010. On Halloween, appropriately, ACTA noted that the $50,000 club (schools whose tuition, room, and board exceeds $50,000) has expanded its membership to 100 schools, up from 58 the year before. Thus, as median household income falls, both tuition and upper-level administrative salaries climb. However difficult the job, however talented the college president, these compensations are unconscionable during the economic crisis facing higher education. Key academic programs have been cut at SUNY Albany, Louisiana State University, Florida State University, and more terminations are in the works. Even more destructive are the tuition increases, like the 32% jump in the University of California System, with other double-digit increases common elsewhere. As college and university presidents seek public and private funds in this crisis, they need to walk the walk of making students, not administration, their budgetary priorities.
Posted by Michael Poliakoff on November 16, 2010 at November 16, 2010 01:42 PM
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