The Cost of Education in reply to Melanie Sturm, letter to the editor, 2013

I'm posting some old letters to the editor. This is so I can remember what I wrote, and to keep myself honest.  I'm posting them in the order I wrote them so this goes back a couple of years.

The more things change….

This is from the Summer of 2013 and a response to an Aspen Times Editorial from Melanie Sturm

When I think of higher education in relation to expense my question is "Who pays the most to study in a US University?" The answer has to be the International Student. I'm not just talking money (there's plenty of that) I'm talking the cost of traveling half way around the world, leaving your family, adjusting to a completely different Culture.

Why would anyone take that enormous risk without a promise of great reward?

To help me find the answer I went to the Institute of International Education which has some fascinating reports on line. What should get everyone's attention is $22+ billion dollars contributed to the US economy from foreign students. Another item of interest is that majority of our foreign students were already employed in their home country before they applied to a US University.

So, why do they come?

The report "An analysis of international students' motivations for studying in the United States." offers some insights. Yes, we rank high because of Scholarship/Grant help. But we're the hardest country (according to the survey) in which to get a Visa (Europe is much easier) and have a low rating in the "Do you feel safe?" category and we don't even get a mention for Culture and Arts. Most of our foreign students come here for Tech and Business degrees.

What's the attraction? More to the point- where do we rank higher than the EU/UK?

Although foreign students feel less safe here than in Europe they feel we are more "welcoming". They see more diversity, better facilities, and a much better chance of getting a job back home with a US degree than an EU degree. We rank high in prestige , support and quality and low on tradition. That means we're flexible- at least compared to the student's home Country.

We are still seen as a land of opportunity by the rest of the World. Now, how do we continue to offer that opportunity to our Citizens?

The suggestions of more vocational opportunities, extended time frames and digital aides (like Khan Academy) are certainly welcome. However, the fewer students the higher the tuition for those who remain.

Our current system rewards the University which is affiliated with 'for profit' and 'non- profit' partners. Their Academic status qualifies them for grants. Their non-profit partners provide a place for research to continue post-grad. The research facilities feed results to the 'for profit' company. The 'for profit' Company then donates a tax deductible scholarship to the University. When this model is really successful the 'for profit' company is a direct spin off from the non-profit (RMI and Fiber Forge*) That is how our Tech/Business schools survive and continue to grow. Even our testing programs in K-12 are geared to fit into this Tech/Business model. They don't do it well, but that's the intent.

What that leaves out of the mix is everything else, the Trades, Humanities and the Arts.

Let's play to our strengths. We're told we're more innovative, flexible and open than the rest of the world and this is the golden triangle which supports our reputation. Surely we can devise a system which is also innovative, flexible and open. We've never bought ourselves out of trouble, we need to think our way out

*note from 2014: Sadly this did not end well as I found out from a former employee when we had a long chat in the Mill Street Mall. 

Binge Edu?

The nature of Education has been challenged in the State of Colorado recently and I've only found my  answer recently and through a very circumlocutious route. (amendment 66 defeat)

I've been doing a little binge TV over the weekend (thank you Netflix) and while watching the entire Star Trek canon backwards has a certain appeal I find myself sinking into Inspector Morse.

I must admit my only acquaintance with Colin Dexter was through the Santa Fe Opera and The Duchess of Malfi and it's only a vague recollection at that. I think there was a motorcycle and some leather but that's about all I can recall. I was more concerned with working as an apprentice Scenic at the Opera. We were making "pancakes" of A/B foam and applying them to forming wire for the set which John Conklin had lovingly described as "bejeweled vomit".

I only come to the Morse series sideways. I'd never had the patience to sit through the entire program while it was on PBS. Something to do with flat editing and laconic music between long long long silences or maybe just wanting a bit less Academic posturing and a little more Eye Candy. More Poirot, please. I really only became interested with the "Inspector Lewis" series which took a lover's eye to Oxford. Give me an English Green and a little perpendicular Gothic then I'll hang on while someone hems and haws over a pint of bitter.

So, when Morse appeared on the Netflix lineup I said, why not?

The punching bag which Mr. Dexter likes to work with consistently is Class. The privilege of the Oxford Don, of the Intelligentsia, of the snob all making a nice counterpoint to CI Morse's own intellectual snobbery and his own self loathing.

So how does that get me to the recent vote in Colorado for new taxes for public Education?

"DENVER - Colorado voters on Tuesday soundly rejected a $950 million tax increase for education 
Read more at "

There is an irrefutable need for educated minds.  Education is a commodity. Whoever pays for the commodity gets to control that commodity. It's our choice, Public or Private funding we had a choice and we voted to let someone else do the heavy lifting. Next time someone complains about the "fat cats on Wall Street" or the 1% or those who let greed rule their lives remember this vote. "We the people" opted to let the people with the money educate the children of their choice. 

Now, how will those children grow up and who will be their role models do you think? 

(...and yes, I'm still angry about the Given Institute; but that's another post)