Posted on 07/26/2010 7:27:05 AM PDT by AccuracyAcademia
In a bizarre twist of fate, many college students may be living even better than their parents while at school. And these days schools are not only competing for students, but also for luxurious perks to lure those students, ranging from free skiing to free laundry service, free computers, and personalized birthday cakes.
Ohio University’s Richard Vedder calls it the “country-clubization of the American university,” adding that “a lot of it is for great athletic centers and spectacular student union buildings. In their zeal to get students, they are going after them on the basis of recreational amenities.” Dr. Vedder is a professor who studies the economics of higher education.
We’re not talking small potatoes here.
Case in point:: the $45 million dollar Campus Recreation Center at the Georgia Institute of Technology, described as an “architectural marvel,” used part of the 1996 Olympic Games structure, and expanded it into a 300,000 square foot, five-level facility featuring a 184-foot water slide, a three-story climbing wall, a café overlooking the leisure pool, a roller hockey rink and other amenities.
(Excerpt) Read more at academia.org ...
Why?
Apparently lowering tuition as a means to attract students didn’t occur to anyone in academia.
They’ll be sucker bait for anyone who can lead them to believe that they’ll be able to maintain this luxurious standard upon graduation.
AMEN! I had bank loans, was turned down 1970 -1973 for fed. student loans, they said my parents “made too much money” I think my mom made about $35 a week back then and my dad didn’t make much more, he was a cigar salesman in Okla. So I had loans and worked summers at a glass factory in Okla which was NOT air conditioned. It was 110 inside that plant and 106 felt cool when I got off work and felt the outdoor temp. Now this was an excellent incentive to get out of college and to find a better job! I never lived in a nice place. We didn’t have much money for food. Back then at the student union coffee was 5 cents. Thank goodness, I did have that! My kids have had nice dorms, and nice apartments, etc. They live better in college now than we do at home.
Anyway... I chalk those good ol' days to being a character builder.
College students need to be challenged to become productive and efficient in a competitive world... this trend to 4- and 5-star treatment I don't know if it does/does not help... I know I would not want to pay for it as a current student or as a parent.
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