Posted on 02/23/2011 4:34:25 AM PST by decimon
In his recent State of the State address, Texas Governor Rick Perry called for the state’s universities to begin offering a bachelor’s degree with a total cost (including tuition, fees, and textbooks) of only $10,000, in contrast to the current $26,800 to $45,300. If we include the cost to taxpayers, the total bill (at UT-Austin) runs to at least $95,000.
Can we really reduce that cost by nearly 90%, while maintaining or even improving quality? Yes, we can, if we do two things: intelligently exploit the huge economies of scale in higher education in Texas, with 950,000 students in college; and take full advantage of technology.
Students in our state universities spend most of their academic careers in large lecture courses. The word “lecture” dates from the Middle Ages, meaning “reading.” In the days before the printing press, when books were rare, it made sense for students to fill lecture halls so they could hear their teachers read aloud — this standard operating procedure of higher education is now 500 years old. With the availability of high-speed streaming, downloading, and wifi, the old methods make less and less sense.
At our state universities, there are as many as 100 different bachelor’s programs available, from Portuguese to textiles and apparels. There are few required classes in most majors: instead each university offers thousands of electives, each course being designed and delivered by individual faculty on an ad hoc basis. The vast cafeteria of offerings generates the need for thousands of different textbook titles, burdening students with hundreds of dollars of additional expense.
(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
>> $50k community college/tea-sip
Hey! Watch it! I resemble that remark.
But my ACC + UT degree cost me WAY less than $50K, and it has paid itself back many times since then.
Of course I chose to pursue an actual SKILL, not a PolySci or history degree.
Exactly the argument I was making in college too. It was the same for our physics classes too. Its not justified and is ripe with scandal. Reform in academia is over-due, is much needed, and none too soon.
Ugh, with grammar like that, no wonder nobody wants a degree from YYU.
Let's try again: "As an employer, are you more going to view a candidate ..."
I thought it was funny! It perfectly illustrated how fluent squarebarb is. Of course, since I don't speak or write Spamish I wasn't sure whether it was a mistake or not.
Quite awhile back I was correcting someone's grammar and commented a grammar faux pas myself in the effort. Someone had to point it out to me.
Good thing I proof read this else I would have had another.
>> Good thing I proof read this else I would have had another.
Uh... “proofread” is one word.
...
(JUST KIDDING)
>> top 25 football program and is BCS eligible... I don’t think you can get that for ten grand.
Judging by UT’s dismal performance last season, you can’t get it for ten million, either.
Thanks for the morning chuckle.
right here...
http://www.straighterline.com/onlinecollegecourses/?siteID=x9UhajBkJLA-FCN2ZgbUJQULKAE9JmRK0g
“Don’t apologize — “I am fluent in Spamish” may win funniest post of the day today.”
It’s the people effluent in Spammish that bother me.
I’m surprised that Rick Perry hasn’t asked UT to offer a degree in “Illegal Alien economies of scale”. His big bidness friends could teach the courses.
Your lab partner might be an actual illegal alien kid with a 2.5 GPA from his inner city high school. He was a top 10% kid and is probably on a full ride scholarship from La Raza!
Jan Brewer to Rick Perry..... “Hi Rick, are you a man or a mouse”
Perry..... “squeak (nibbles cheese) squeak”
She is a pre-nursing student. These are introductory science courses and little changes from one edition to the next.
Her books run under $10 each, and that includes shipping.
That could work but it’s still fairly expensive. $400.00 for three credits and additional expense for any texts and tests, like CLEP.
iStudySmart is another and that covers many more courses. But it also gets to be expensive.
The cheapest way is through independent study and ‘testing out’ through CLEP, DANTES, etc. Apply those credits to an assessment college (Excelsior College, Charter Oak State College, Thomas Edison State College) and you have a degree on the cheap.
That's OK it will only be $10,000 for indoctrination now! And the people cheered...
You know, I did hesitate over that and I am still not sure. I am too lazy to check it out. I'll just pretend that proofreed is one word and proof red is two. Yes, I am hooked on phonics.
And don't you mean that you "committed" a grammar faux pas?
Dang! You’re GOOD. We both missed that one.
You are now appointed head proofreader. I’m taking early lunch and the rest of the afternoon off. :-)
Oookay, let's throw in a Lingerie Football program so to keep things even :)
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