Math anxiety
America is falling behind other nations in mathematics ability, and it’s beginning to show up in our public policies. Consider these facts:
A recent federal report found the cost of attending a public four-year institution rose by 22 percent between 2001-02 and 2004-05, and tuition and fees for in-state students at those institutions grew by 33 percent, more than for any other sector of higher education.
Some public colleges tend to place the blame for the college cost crisis at the doorsteps of their state capitols, saying that support for higher education at the state level has been displaced by increasing appropriations for Medicaid and K-12 education. Even if true, students and families have had to pick up more than their fair share of the shortfall.
What else but math deficiency could explain this metric: One major public research university (which incidentally awards Ph.D.s in mathematics) recently received a $1.1 million cut from its state legislature and responded with increases in student tuition and fees totaling $30 million.
Colleges seem to be emulating the states that support them. The Rockefeller Institute of Government reports that all 50 states are now in “structural deficit.†The Institute defines structural deficit as “ongoing revenues are insufficient to cover ongoing expenses.â€
Not to be outdone by their public counterparts, some private colleges are discounting their tuition this year by 60 percent or more. Ever wonder how long that practice can last?
We need remediation in basic arithmetic all right.
Public policy and the price of college-going: It just doesn’t add up.
January 10th, 2005 at 7:44 am
Public policy analysts should examine the growing disparity between learning at a university and learning on one’s own, using libraries and the Internet. As efficient delivery systems, I would assess institutions of higher education at no better than a ‘D’.
December 14th, 2005 at 10:47 am
Bingo! But the math challenge of base plus budgeting is kinderspeil compared to the difficulties most universities have figuring out their own cost structures. (Ever try to get a straight answer to a question about the average cost of instruction in a public research university?)
February 2nd, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Most higher education institutons are doing relativly better financially over time as they ratchet tuition up when states reduce support, but benefit from increased state support when the business cycle improves. They are also developing an increased share of income from other sources. They are more than keeping up with inflation and enrollment increases over the long haul. The advantages are not evenly distributed. Universities are doing better than community colleges on these measures.