Stanley Tate says; “Don’t Raise Tuition. Raise Hell!”
Colleges, both private and public, have long been cashing in on the higher education racket by raising tuition costs to stay competitive and profitable. Because most people assume that the high cost of college is necessary for a quality education, few have bothered questioning it -until now.
Lawmakers in the state of Florida are on the verge of passing two bills that will double the cost of college tuition in Florida. Stanley Tate, a Miami business man is so appalled, he has invested half a million dollars of his own money to publicly protest the Florida legislation.
On his website, Stanley Tate says;
"If you have a teenager, by the time your kid goes to college the yearly cost, just for tuition, will jump from around $3,600 today to $6,500 or more within five years. That´s a 72% increase just for tuition, not including dorm, books or living expenses."
His web site is FloridaAffordableTuition.com
Florida legislators argue that Florida tuition rates are among the lowest in the nation. They say they need more money to avoid cutting programs, courses and staff. That seems like a noble enough reason to raise tuition. But as you fork out the big bucks so your child can sit in a college classroom, consider this:
- In 2008, the University of Florida spent 28 million dollars to complete the James W. "Bill" Heavener Football Complex. The renovation included the expansion of the strength and conditioning room, a new Gator Room and renovation to the football offices.
- According to Business Week, the president of the University of Florida got a nearly $300,000 bonus in 2008, as did the head of Florida State. Florida’s college students are expected to foot the bill after the jet setting Gov. Charlie Crist authorizes a double-digit tuition increases at all of the state’s public institutions.
- Florida's Urban Meyer's salary jumped from $2 million to $3.25 million per year after his 2006 national title. He could become the country's highest-paid coach after a second title.
- UCF's Football Coach George O'Leary gets $50,000 (in addition to his salary) every year there are no violations of the student code of conduct; no arrests, indictments or convictions of crimes; and no "neglect or willfull conduct" in violation of NCAA rules.
More and more money-strapped students are turning to "public" colleges rather than high ticket private colleges so they can get an education. But the state schools are catching on. The truth is; colleges, private and public have learned that they can charge as much as they want. In fact, history shows that college enrollment actually spikes in a bad economy. As people get laid off -they go back to school hoping to "invest" in their future. Are colleges taking advantage of this?
More about Stanley Tate's one-man battle:
Miami businessman Stanley Tate fights lonely fight against tuition increases
By Amy Hollyfield, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In Print: Tuesday, March 31, 2009
April 1, 2009
Tags: Florida Affordable Tuition, Florida Tuition Rates, Stanely Tate Posted in: Academic poverty, College Tuition, Dissatisfied College Consumers, Outrageous College Tuition 
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The Very Unfashionable Judy Genshaft
Executive greed is OUT
Corporate Responsibility is IN
Like many tragically outdated business executives these days, the president of the University of South Florida didn't get the memo regarding the new fashion -Corporate Responsibility.
As a result, Judy Genshaft, president of the University of South Florida, is getting some bad press. After cutting millions from USF's budget, slashing jobs and laying off staff, Genshaft gave generous bonuses to her closest high-level employees in January.
Her current style seems to say; "To hell with the recession! To hell with other lowly teacher jobs! And to hell with the tax payers' money. Me and all my hoity-toity executive buddies have bills to pay too."
Way to be discreet USF!
Links & Resources:
Cringing at USF bonuses -March 16, 2009
~St. Petersburg Times
March 24, 2009
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Are The French Under-employed Too?
I came across this French chick who has just published her first book; "The Trials and Tribulations of a Check-Out Girl"Anna Sam, the author is a college graduate. Her dream of going to work for a big publishing house didn't quite pan out like she thought, so she ended up working as a check out girl to pay the bills.
Reviewers say that her book is an amusing look at how service workers (mainly cashiers) are often overlooked and disrespected based on Anna Sam's personal experience. But for me, it just shows that being over-educated and under-employed is an international problem.
I contacted Anna via her blog to get her opinion. Here is what she said:
Bonjour April,
En fait, tous ces problèmes liés aux surdiplomés universitaires se retrouve de plus en plus dans tous les pays occidentaux. Et on en arrive à des extrêmes un peu fou malheureusement.
(Roughly Translated..)
Hello April,
Yes, problems related to the surplus of college educated people are found in more and more westernized countries. We are going the extremes (of becoming educated) unfortunately.
March 17, 2009
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China Has Too Many College Grads
The Chinese government is encouraging college-educated adults to take low-paying jobs in rural areas. This is not the first time China has promoted rural migration of college graduates due to lack of jobs in the cities.
As part of the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976 the late chairman Mao Zedong had a popular campaign slogan which stated: "All intellectuals who can go to work in the countryside should happily do so."
It seems that history is repeating itself.
With the unemployment rate in China expected to rise as high as 11 percent this year, and many dissatisfied college graduates, the government is picking up on Mao's old campaign slogan. Only this time the grass roots effort to "spread the intellect" may be backfiring.
According to the Washington Post, Carnegie Endowment's Mr. Pei says; "The most likely form of protest that combines unemployed students and migrant laborers would be a series of street demonstrations and riots in the cities. If they are not suppressed quickly, they can spread from one city to another. That's the worst nightmare for the government."
Students all over the world are being told that the key to an enriching life is getting a college education. For most college graduates, moving to the country and working on a farm is not what they had in mind.
For more information, check out these articles:
Mar 3, 2009
March 17, 2009
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Forbes Magazine Cover Story:
The Great College Hoax
Kathy Kristof, 01.14.09, 06:00 PM EST
Forbes Magazine dated February 02, 2009
"Higher education can be a financial disaster. Especially with the return on degrees down and student loan sharks on the prowl…" (Read More…)
February 24, 2009
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