The ABQ Journal Business section has an article about New Mexico State University scaling down its operations in Albuquerque. They will be moving out of a 40,000 square foot facility to a smaller space. This whole exercise will cost the state taxpayers a bundle. And it really brings in to question the wisdom of so many branch operations for our state University system.
I have never understood this need for our major institutions to move on to new turf that is already served by other higher ed institutions. It is a duplication of services and it is expensive. Yes, there may be some good reasons to do so at some point, but does the costs really justify the policy?
Throw into the mix all of these phony 'Universities' that seem to exist for the sole reason of making outrageously expensive student loans to unaware students, and you have massive inefficiencies.
The legislature will probably never fix this problem, because they see branch universities as job centers for their constituents. But in the end it is just a misdirection of resources.
I have never understood this need for our major institutions to move on to new turf that is already served by other higher ed institutions. It is a duplication of services and it is expensive. Yes, there may be some good reasons to do so at some point, but does the costs really justify the policy?
Throw into the mix all of these phony 'Universities' that seem to exist for the sole reason of making outrageously expensive student loans to unaware students, and you have massive inefficiencies.
The legislature will probably never fix this problem, because they see branch universities as job centers for their constituents. But in the end it is just a misdirection of resources.
1 comment:
Jim, I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion about the wasteful practice of establishing more and more branches of universities. I moved here nine years ago from Texas where the same practice was occurring. I don't understand why taxpayers don't put their feet down on this. I believe it's strongly ego-driven -- like a dog driven to "mark his territory" as far and wide as possible.
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