Hyperbolic Bluff

The Herald-Leader editorializes on the hyperbolic bluff by President Michael McCall of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

McCall warned that the council's action, on top of a 6 percent cut in state funding, would produce a revenue crisis and require reducing enrollment by 6,000 students……

The budget for KCTCS central administration is as large as that of the largest community college. There have to be efficiencies there that can be achieved without barring access to instruction.

I think what the Herald-Leader is trying to say, in a somewhat diplomatic way, is that a guy who has a salary and benefit package of $610,000 is threatening to screw the students he is supposed to be educating because he is not getting the pet projects he wants.

This is a perfect example of reason number three for the problems in Higher Education in Kentucky.

Problems At The Ivory Towers

Academics in Kentucky aren’t pleased that someone questions them being given a blank check.

Facing some of the angriest public remarks by a group of Kentucky University presidents in memory, a panel gave the initial vote of approval Thursday to higher tuition at the state's public universities and community colleges, including five institutions whose requests were cut.

By a 4-0 vote, with one member absent, the budget and finance committee of the state Council on Postsecondary Education approved the council staff's tuition recommendations for 2008-2009. It's rare for universities' tuition requests to be denied or even scrutinized to the extent they have been this year, at least since higher education reforms of 1997.

Let’s give credit to the Council on Postsecondary Education for at least trying to do their job.

The blame for rising tuition has a multitude of fathers and a few mothers.

First, we can blame the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky for the almost universal disdain for education. As long as the major and most of the minor institutions provide entertainment with their athletic teams most Kentuckians don’t give a damn about what happens on campus.

Second, the so called representatives of the people in Frankfort who don’t have the cohones to pass a viable revenue bill, and thus creating the budget short fall. I think special recognition should be given to the “NO NEW TAX” crowd that prefers sound bites that appeal the first group above.

Third, the administrators of our institutions of higher learning who place students last on their list of priorities, permit the building of petty fiefdoms, and allow a host of other sins in the name of academic freedom.

I’m not saying to run the Universities like a business, but a little accountability and responsibility would be nice from all concerned