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the boomer generation faculty increased their salaries greatly.

tenure was installed in the 1950’s to protect faculty from mccarthyism,

but did just the opposite: tenure kept conservatives out of the academy,

and afforded faculty salaries beyond their worth.

also, in the 90s faculty reduced their teaching by 1/3.

the boomer generation faculty increased their salaries greatly.

Faculty salaries are part of the equation, but a smaller/less important one than others.

The big issue is a self-reinforcing feedback loop between the demands of sought-after students, the costs of meeting those demands, and the availability of "cheap/free" money in the form of student loans.

Colleges need to attract the best/brightest students possible. But those students only make up about 10-15% of the actual student body. They DO help kick up various statistics, like average SAT scores of incoming freshman classes. Which are needed to appeal to the prospective students that fill out the remaining 85-90% of the student body and are the ones that actually pay the bills.

This means that colleges over-invest in technology and facilities. State of the art IT (SmartBoards - and associated infrastructure - in EVERY classroom!), world-class sports facilities. Substantial art holdings. Gourmet dining facilities. Etc, etc ... all designed to make the school appeal to the best candidates possible, because the next tier or two or three down wouldn't think of going to a school where they aren't in classes with the best. More/better facilities/technology -> "better students" who in turn demand even MORE/BETTER facilities/technology.

All of that costs $$$. Lots and lots of $$$. Fortunately, $$$ is available via STUDENT LOANS. Can't afford to go to college? F*CKING FINANCE IT (apologies to Judge Reinhold in "Ruthless People"). The availability of student loans acts as an enabler for colleges/universities to expand facilities/offerings/services well beyond what the student body would be able to pay if they couldn't finance their education.

A nasty side-effect of this feedback loop is that colleges/universities are seeing their alumni giving revenue streams shrink. Why? Because their grads need to spend THEIR income to pay off debts. This only serves to further drive increases in tuition ...