The cost of a college education

BY POLLY MANN

It costs a lot of money to go to college. As far as I can make out, it costs $448.08 per credit to attend the University of Minnesota, with a minimum requirement of eight credits, which totals $3,504, and I suspect that’s low. Medical insurance is available at $1,340 annually. And, of course, on top of that there are books and room and board. I paid $60 for a text for the last college course I took some 10 years ago.

As you can see, salaries of faculty and administration have also risen:
Head Basketball Coach, $1,783,150.
Head Football Coach, $850,640.
Sr. Vice President for Health Services & Dean of the Medical School, $485,000.
Dean of Carlson School of Management, $478,560.
University President, $455,000.
Dean of the Law School, $385,000.
CEO of the Minnesota Foundation, $365,568.
Sr.Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost, $346,310.
Athletic Director, $336,250.
Professor of International Economics, $229,603.

It would be interesting to see how much money has been put into new buildings on the campus. You need only drive around to see the construction. Of course, the biggest building on campus has nothing to do with learning. It’s the Twin City Federal Bank Stadium, which is larger than any academic building there. Another interesting study would be to accumulate figures on the cost of the building, the annual maintenance, cost of salaries paid coaches, etc., cost of uniforms, travel expenses, etc. for the athletic teams compared to the money garnered through ticket sales.

What the stadium says to me is that the University’s principal concern is winning athletic teams.