The real reason for tuition increases
High tuition costs probably result of more administrators
posted over 9 years ago
As a faculty member in Biology who cares deeply about student learning, it concerns me that the administration is looking to increase the size of the undergraduate student body at UMBC. From my point of view, we are already bursting at the seams; classroom space is limited, the size of our classes in BIOL are large (until students take a lab class or particular 4XX classes), each faculty member advises about 50 undergraduate majors and undergraduate housing is in short supply.
My thinking as to why the administration wants more students is strictly economic--more money for the university. The people most affected by this decision are the students and faculty. Class sizes continue to increase and as a faculty member, my work load goes way up.
Given what the linked editorial says about the increased college costs, I would like the university to seriously examine the need for all the administrators--there appears to be no money for more faculty, but always more money for more administrators.
I'm not saying that we don't need administrators, but when universities see gains of 221% increase in administrators versus 3.4% increase in faculty during the same period (1975-2008), I my opinion, something is wrong with the higher education system.
Can anyone tell me what the stats are for UMBC? And as someone who feels like adjuncts are exploited, I don't think they should count for increases in the faculty numbers.
