Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Lady or the Tiger?


New Research Projects or Tuition?


Today's session at the State Legislature featured a committee meeting of the House Higher Education Committee and President Kaler. 

An exchange occurred during that meeting that I believe is very instructive:




For many years I have believed that a big problem at the University of Minnesota has been one of priorities. Instead of setting as our most important priority attempting to keep tuition as low as is possible, we have treated tuition as an adjustable parameter that will make up for the difference between what we want and what the legislature give us.

Here chair Pelowski asks a Lady or the Tiger type question. President Kaler's answer seems - to me at least - to be finally heading in the right direction. And that is to make keeping tuition down as our first priority, even sometimes of more importance than new research related projects.

Call me stupid, but I take this as an encouraging development. 



No comments: