Replies

One other critical point I forgot. One of the first things we’d have to do would be to end the protectionist policies of granting tenure to professors. Why should they be shielded from foreign competition?

I’m shocked that all business, and particularly economics professors, haven’t, with great indignation, voluntarily refused the protectionist advantage of tenure which they enjoy. What could possibly be more anti-competition?

You are not well informed about the higher education industry. The existing higher education industry is not going to outsource instruction. The accreditation agencies would not allow it on a large scale. State legislatures and endowmments would object. The extent to which outsourcing was used would not lower costs. The universities would still increase tuition at the same rate. Higher education is a cottage industry, shielded from competition by accreditation, state legislatures, and endowments. Tenure is not a major issue in the big picture. Many states have post tenure review. Since the vast majority of professors are not in unions, non productive faculty are routinely given no pay increases, poor teaching assignments, and lots of administrative work.

I made some sensible suggestions for changing the industry. The change is not going to come from the existing industry. It will take a champion with single-minded devotion to lower costs and improve quality. The existing higher education industry would vilify and discredit any efforts. The effort would need to bypass the existing industry and sell its product directly to consumers (students, parents, and employers).

If a champion could arise, the existing higher education industry would contract leading to lower employment for everyone in the industry including professors. I would either find a way to ride the new industry or find other meaningful work. I would not scream and pout or blame Bush. Higher education is so important to our economy that we desperately need to dramatically lower costs and improve quality. Unfortunately most in the higher education industry would vehemently disagree with my position.