Two words, “Foreign Students.”
It seems to me that all of us, in whatever state we live in, are supporting our state universities. These universities should be intended, in my opinion, for residents of our own states. Then, if there is room available after all state residents have been accepted, then accept out of state or foreign students.
Out of state or foreign students should not be getting preferences in any way in admissions. We taxpayers support these institutions of higher learning for our own state’s students.
Years ago, in-state students got preference. Nowadays, it appears that no longer applies.
But it should apply because we taxpayers pay for these universities. Taxpayers in other countries or other states do not pay their tax money to run these places.
Left out are the in-state students looking for a reasonable cost of a college education from their own state university.
Just like Washington, DC politicians no longer represent the interest of Americans, state universities (with the exception of a few solidly conservative states in the South, Midwest and Intermountain West) no longer represent the interests of their state residents.
The solution isn't to p*ss and moan or even, as some have suggested, try to reform the entrenched educrat bureaucracy. The solution is to start guiding your children, your friends and your grandchildren to private universities (or the few remaining public ones) which represent our values. These options are not only far more reasonable costwise (because their tuitions aren't subsidizing departments full of anti-American XYZ studies professors), but they deliver an equal or even better quality product.
A close relative of mine just started medical school at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia this month and was astounded to find that the quality of facilities, teaching, labs, etc. was even better than her first look-see at LU before she decided to apply.
News flash: You can spend your money on that kind of stuff when you aren't forced to subsidize termites. And your customers (students) can get a tuition break in the process. The advantages of taxpayer funding are vastly overrated.
Again, I'm excepting a few solidly conservative states in the South, Midwest and Intermountain West. Texas A&M, Clemson University, WVU, Wyoming and a few other state subsidized schools are well worth looking at. Just realize that they are the exception, not the rule for state subsidized schools.