COLUMN: Differential tuition’s true costs
The word university originates from the same word as universe and universal. It seems that what we consider to be a university is far from the idea of a universal education for all those who attend. While general education courses are still required for graduation, the gap between students in different colleges continues to widen. In this world of specialization and exclusivity that we live in, one can attend a university, graduate, and learn very little about subjects outside of their narrow-minded major. To me, this seems like a waste of a wonderful opportunity to learn a bit of everything from those who have, by definition, mastered the subjects.
A university is often a place where dreams come true. Students from low-income childhoods or even outside the country are given the opportunity to come get an education and return home to make a difference with the knowledge and experience they gain from a university education. Limited resources are a fact of life for most students. When differential tuition is factored in, however, the limited resources of a given student may prevent them from achieving their dreams and having a fruitful and successful life providing for themselves and their family. Sure, this may be a rather drastic view, but there is some underlying truth. In the coming years, differential tuition will make a business degree cost up to $1,500 more per semester than any other degree at our fine university. Considering the big picture, business students are paying upwards of 50 percent more than the rest of us for their education. This seems like the perfect breeding ground for the development of a serious superiority complex among the fine scholars of the Huntsman School of Business.
Most of the arguments that I have heard in favor of differential tuition come from business students themselves. They agree with the idea, and see it as a way to become a more competitive institution. More money allows for the hiring of “better” professors. Another argument that I heard is that a school has to be able to pay competitive wages to bring in successful businesspeople to become teachers. I am forced to ask what makes a quality business person a quality teacher. It doesn’t seem logical to hire an entrepreneur that struck gold with a brilliant idea to try to teach students how to do the same. One either gets the ideas or they do not.
Perhaps if the Huntsman School of Business had some bigger names, they would attract more students, but at what cost? If new, better-qualified professors are brought in, there are going to be plenty of current professors that lose their jobs, especially if these new professors cost so much more. The university may be trading three capable professors for one prestigious name. If logic holds true, this will lead to larger class sizes. I would rather have a smaller class with a “no-name” professor than sit in a 300-seat lecture hall with a hot-shot egomaniac.
All of us are students. It is clear that we have different interests and are better at certain things than our peers. That’s why we specialize. We choose something that we are interested in and pursue it. Perhaps art is your forte. Maybe you want to become an elementary school teacher. Who is to say that a degree in business is worth more than a degree in industrial hygiene?
The Huntsman School of Business is one of the wealthiest colleges on campus. They take pride in their accomplishments and their rising status among the nation’s universities. By charging differential tuition, they will in effect discourage students from other colleges from taking both lower and upper division courses in business. Furthermore, those seeking a business minor in addition to their major can expect to pay more than $1,000 in additional tuition just to broaden their horizons.
This is not a call to action. I don’t see any way for differential tuition go to away. I just find it unfortunate that we can’t all just come to school and take the classes we want. In an ideal world, we would all come to school, take classes that interest us, learn a little bit of everything and get a degree in what we are best at. Unfortunately, it is much cheaper to decide your major before attending the first day of school. I personally declared my major nearly three years before my first day of school. I hope to be the exception rather than the rule, but I fear that too many commit the same error. Luckily I happen to enjoy my major. In that regard, I hope to be the rule rather than the exception. Take some thought as to what you want out of your university education. Diversity in education is a wonderful thing. Narrow-mindedness rarely leads to success in the real world.
Tyler Barlow is a sophomore majoring in computer engineering. He can be reached at tyler.barlow@aggiemail.usu.edu.