Something new to talk about

[curmudgeon]

Here's a report I read today. Its a hornet's nest, I know.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/16/universities-spend-more-athletics-athlete-academics-student-report-finds

Its fair to say that our universities are becoming primarily professional athlete training grounds.

Disclaimer: I know some of you hate people like me, but enough of you know me to know that I love college sports. I hate professional sports. The line is becoming thinner and thinner.

If you want me to rail on the academic side of things to be fair. Specifically at MSU, we are letting anyone with a pulse into MSU in order to maximize profits. And a good majority of these 16 ACTers are going to school on the public dime, and not graduating, and have no way to pay back student loans. Within 10 years, we will have a massive student loan crisis in this country.

[AROB44]

Here's a report I read today. Its a hornet's nest, I know.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/16/universities-spend-more-athletics-athlete-academics-student-report-finds

Its fair to say that our universities are becoming primarily professional athlete training grounds.

Disclaimer: I know some of you hate people like me, but enough of you know me to know that I love college sports. I hate professional sports. The line is becoming thinner and thinner.

If you want me to rail on the academic side of things to be fair. Specifically at MSU, we are letting anyone with a pulse into MSU in order to maximize profits. And a good majority of these 16 ACTers are going to school on the public dime, and not graduating, and have no way to pay back student loans. Within 10 years, we will have a massive student loan crisis in this country.

Won't take that long....it's closer than you think.

[GumpDawg]

Within 10 years, we will have a massive student loan crisis in this country.

It's already here just not publicized much.

[Political Hack]

make the universities foot the loans. problem solved.

[curmudgeon]

make the universities foot the loans. problem solved.

Foot the loans, or back the loans? I have no problem with universities backing the loans, and making it really hard to get. Like, the amount of loan you get is based on your major/possibility of success.

Giving an art history major $100,000 in loans is stupid.

[T-Dogg]

Its fair to say that our universities are becoming primarily professional athlete training grounds.

I think it's going a little far to say that MSU or any other university is more of an athletic training ground than it is a public university. What's the percentage of students that are receiving the athletic funding as opposed to the regular funding? I bet they make up less than 5% of the University population at MSU or anywhere else.

The truth is that donations to educational programs increase when athletics do well. While Universities may not see a return on their investment in a football program in the actual football program (most athletic departments either break even or in the red), they do see the increase in funding across the board. The truth is that they give the alumni base what it wants, something to brag about, get behind, get them back to campus, and give the university money.

This has little to do with the fact that college football has become a de facto minor league supported by state governments across the US. While that is concerning, the athletes probably end up a lot better off than they would had they been put through some sort of farm league for football where once they get hurt and cut from the team, they have no education to rely on and no medical support system.

[angusyoung]

Foot the loans, or back the loans? I have no problem with universities backing the loans, and making it really hard to get. Like, the amount of loan you get is based on your major/possibility of success.

Giving an art history major $100,000 in loans is stupid.

I've actually done a good bit of reading on the subject the student loan crisis we have in this country. The source of the reading material was due to all the Occupy movements.

Now let me preface my comments by disclosing the fact that I had no loans or debt in college due to scholarship. I'm aware of the fact that my opinions could be misguided.

So with that said, how are all the graduates out there that are buried in loan debt demanding that their debts be forgiven? That makes no sense to me. You took out a loan for college, graduated, may or may not have gotten a job related to your major or a job at all for that matter but now you don't want to pay off the loan. I don't get it.

[Political Hack]

I've almost paid mine back.