Chaos on Campus: News: The Independent Institute
This list is far from exhaustive, but shows some of the immense difficulties university administrations face this fall. Remember, pre-Covid-19, a large portion of American universities were in at least somewhat shaky condition, with total U.S. enrollments lower in 2019 than in 2011, and many schools with large debt incurred during an early 21st century building spree.
Will this accelerate needed long-term changes in higher education? Will the threat of imminent demise cause schools to fundamentally reform? I am uncertain but not overly optimistic. The system is too inefficient, hidebound, arrogant, ideological and overly shielded from market forces by billions of dollars of third party largess. Too many academics think they are intellectually and morally superior, and that society owes them a good living.
Well I don’t think I’m intellectually and morally superior and I’m not aware that my colleagues think they are either. Though I suppose some of them might secretly entertain such thoughts. Nor do I think society owes me anything as I am sure society will, depending on circumstances make all too clear. But I’m a mere law professor not an exalted professor of say, comparative literature.