The University of Minnesota’s finance chief told state legislators Monday that colleges have raised tuition in part because … they can. When a House higher-ed committee member Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) asked Richard Pfutzenreuter why tuition everywhere was so high, the U official had this explanation: “To be honest, it’s been there because higher ed Read more →
Legislative leaders in the Senate are asking the University of Minnesota for data on its administrative spending and how it compares to its peers. It’s in response to a recent Wall Street Journal article that suggests the U is among the worst in the nation among top public research universities in administrative bloat. At a Read more →
Looks like the University of Minnesota is still dealing with the aftermath of The Wall Street Journal’s Christmas-week piece on administrative spending there. The piece made the U the poster child for administrative bloat, and prompted a Washington Post column in which writer Charles Lane says: … The bloat on many U.S. campuses is now Read more →
I’m working on a project — which is why I haven’t posted in a while — but I figured I’d inject a little State Fair flavor into On Campus. Looks like the Minnesota Office of Higher Education‘s State Fair booth is holding a daily drawing for a $200 Minnesota College Savings Plan account. Office officials Read more →
“Why the universities … are even in the business of providing food and lodging is a question one could ask. Maybe they should turn those functions over to outsiders and concentrate on what they know best. … Some schools have made some headway in that way. Food services at many many colleges are now contracted Read more →
For those familiar with Minnesota U.S. Senator Al Frankin’s recent call for a boost to student aid, here’s an edited press release just in: Sen. Franken Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Families and Students Understand the True Cost of College The “Understanding the True Cost of College” Act Will Ensure Families Know Exact Cost of Read more →
University of Minnesota chemistry professor and faculty leader Chris Cramer asks the million-dollar higher-ed question in the Star Tribune: But wait, if we’re now spending less than we did in 1999, why are families having to come up with so many more tuition dollars? Yep, he says it’s declining state spending. You can see his Read more →
In December I posted that Minnetonka High School senior Abigail Hansen was contributing to a New York Times series of essays by students going through the college selection process. Hansen has apparently chosen the University of Minnesota — and defends her choice here: A few weeks ago, I was engaged in the expected and obligatory Read more →
UW-Madison spokesman Brian Rust tells the Wisconsin State Journal why Madison and five other universities — including the University of Minnesota — are buying electronic textbooks in bulk to lower prices in a pilot project starting this semester: “We’re hoping it will not only make texts more accessible in terms of being on a number Read more →
Notice anything odd about the post I put up yesterday about the University of Minnesota’s med school being the third most expensive for first-year in-state students? Where was the University of Wisconsin? A decade ago, they used to be right near each other. Look at the American Association of Medical Colleges chart above. (I’m using Read more →
Alex Friedrich