Legacy? Some are worried it would also mean the end Children of Faculty Admissions Boost?

[Anonymous]

I actually don't have a problem with the Children of Faculty admissions and/or tuition perks particularly for private institutions. I think it much the same as any business that offers an employee preference and/or discount. I have worked for both kinds: ones that allowed employees first dibs on a new product or service (often at a discount) and ones that specifically prohibited it. Items or services with limited runs, much like a hard cap on enrollment might be, c/would often sway whether or not employees benefited. What I have never seen (nor am I suggesting college do), is treating one employee differently than another of the same employment level. So, for example, all tenured professors dependents get in but not just Prof A's does while Prof B's doesn't.

At least that's where I sit at the moment but could, as most times, be convinced otherwise. The one (private) university I know of with such a tuition policy has it apply to all full-time employees after a three-year waiting period. And, yes, that includes everyone down to the (full-time) cafeteria and maintenance crew. To the best of my knowledge, though, the dependent must be admitted on their own merits (but I sincerely guess they receive a substantial and positive head-start).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d argue that there is a much more direct benefit to the university from admitting children of faculty and staff at a higher rate. It’s a perk that helps make up for the relatively low pay that many faculty members receive, so it’s a great faculty recruitment tool. I’d rather see faculty and staff kids get in because of that connection than a legacy.

Nope. Faculty kids and legacies should get nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no way on God’s green earth that university faculty will give up such a huge advantage for THEIR children. Can you imagine the outcry? It would have to be mandated system-wide or else a university would see a massive exodus of their best and brightest.

The fact that some (like the PP) have no idea that this even exists is means there will be very little will to change it.

End it everywhere then. And faculty aren’t going to leave a tenured position over this. If they do, then plenty of new PhDs will take their place.

[Anonymous]

Each year, the number of faculty kids ho get admission in their parent's college is miniscule. This is a benefit of employment (akin to family medical insurance) so I don't think this is something that people care about. Furthermore, the college does not discriminate against the faculty children based on money, race, religion, national origin, gender, sexuality etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Each year, the number of faculty kids ho get admission in their parent's college is miniscule. This is a benefit of employment (akin to family medical insurance) so I don't think this is something that people care about. Furthermore, the college does not discriminate against the faculty children based on money, race, religion, national origin, gender, sexuality etc.

You could say the same thing about legacy

[Anonymous]

All the other unearned admissions should be done away with before they tackle children of faculty, just because that category seems slightly less unfair to me. After all, these families are usually not wealthy, and you'd expect children of faculty to be reasonably academic.

But yes, in the end, they all have to go.

[Anonymous]

The outrage toward academics is such a pathetic sign for our country. Read history and you’ll see you’re being manipulated for someone else’s gain.

First of all, you’re talking about a tiny number of people. And universities are using more adjunct professors who are exploited and don’t receive benefits at all.

If you want the perks of a job, you can get the job. Being bitter that military people get a GI Bill or professors’ kids get a break at their school is immature and ignorant. None of you whiners would do either one of those things because all that matters to you is money and prestige.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may argue about the admission advantage. But the tuition discount, which is usually part of the faculty contract or employment letter, is a different story. If a school ends the tuition discount, it is a breach of contract that could trigger many lawsuits.

Anonymous wrote:Children of faculty are lucky because they get an advantage getting in and also a big tuition discount

For tenured faculty. For everyone else, it's a change in benefits and they are free to reject it and quit

Which many people would do. As a non-faculty university employee with a tuition benefit, I can say with certainty that I would look for other jobs immediately if it went away. The tuition benefit is a huge part of the comp/benefits package, helping to make up for salaries that are generally on the low end of the market.

Needless to say it's a useless benefit if the kids can't be admitted, or there's even a hint that they're somehow shuffled down the stack.

I was just my DC's graduation (at a school no one is fighting about) and there were about three faculty/staff student's who graduated. Their parents came up as part of the ceremony, and it was genuinely touching. If someone is a cafeteria worker, in a high cost of living area (spanning a pandemic), and their kid gets a degree out of the deal, how can I complain? There also was someone with family on the board of the school, and that wasn't as charming, but so be it, schools need to attract the right people in those roles too, and they should be as plugged into student life as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d argue that there is a much more direct benefit to the university from admitting children of faculty and staff at a higher rate. It’s a perk that helps make up for the relatively low pay that many faculty members receive, so it’s a great faculty recruitment tool. I’d rather see faculty and staff kids get in because of that connection than a legacy.

Agree - it helps to attract quality faculty and staff. But if they stop this benefit, maybe they can start paying faculty better. Then they’ll raise tuition and everyone will still complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The outrage toward academics is such a pathetic sign for our country. Read history and you’ll see you’re being manipulated for someone else’s gain.

First of all, you’re talking about a tiny number of people. And universities are using more adjunct professors who are exploited and don’t receive benefits at all.

If you want the perks of a job, you can get the job. Being bitter that military people get a GI Bill or professors’ kids get a break at their school is immature and ignorant. None of you whiners would do either one of those things because all that matters to you is money and prestige.

+1

I'm a tenured professor. At my private institution, students, including children of faculty and other staff, must be accepted under their own merits. I have known of cases where they had to start somewhere else, maybe even a community college, before transferring to our institution. If there is somewhat of a hook for being a faculty child, I think it's great. It is a perk that helps offset our low pay and lack of savings for our kids' college education because we were making peanuts in grad school and had to prioritize retirement savings. We're often 10 years behind our peers in saving for retirement due to graduate school, post docs, etc.

But sure, pick on academics and institutions of higher ed. See what happens to our country when they disappear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh?

Children of faculty get a tuition discount. I’ve never heard of an admission advantage.

Not always either!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The outrage toward academics is such a pathetic sign for our country. Read history and you’ll see you’re being manipulated for someone else’s gain.

First of all, you’re talking about a tiny number of people. And universities are using more adjunct professors who are exploited and don’t receive benefits at all.

If you want the perks of a job, you can get the job. Being bitter that military people get a GI Bill or professors’ kids get a break at their school is immature and ignorant. None of you whiners would do either one of those things because all that matters to you is money and prestige.

Gee maybe academics should stop doing things that create outrage then.

When the issue is admission to very selective colleges, even a tiny number of unearned privilege admissions makes a difference.

Insisting that professors kids should be allowed to hoard privilege is immature and ignorant. There is simply no good reason to sustain this job perk.

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine in grad school had a parent at a top SLAC. She got into HYP. She said the admissions officers at her parent's SLAC will meet with all the fac brats and help them with their essays, selection, and other aspects of college admissions. Our grad school was ranked much lower than HYP which made me wonder how good her grades were in undergrad. She also did not get particularly good grades in grad school....

And yes she has a famous last name.

Nice person tho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The outrage toward academics is such a pathetic sign for our country. Read history and you’ll see you’re being manipulated for someone else’s gain.

First of all, you’re talking about a tiny number of people. And universities are using more adjunct professors who are exploited and don’t receive benefits at all.

If you want the perks of a job, you can get the job. Being bitter that military people get a GI Bill or professors’ kids get a break at their school is immature and ignorant. None of you whiners would do either one of those things because all that matters to you is money and prestige.

+1

I'm a tenured professor. At my private institution, students, including children of faculty and other staff, must be accepted under their own merits. I have known of cases where they had to start somewhere else, maybe even a community college, before transferring to our institution. If there is somewhat of a hook for being a faculty child, I think it's great. It is a perk that helps offset our low pay and lack of savings for our kids' college education because we were making peanuts in grad school and had to prioritize retirement savings. We're often 10 years behind our peers in saving for retirement due to graduate school, post docs, etc.

But sure, pick on academics and institutions of higher ed. See what happens to our country when they disappear.

Eyeroll. So because you had to delay saving for retirement your kid deserves to go to Harvard or Amherst rather than Georgetown or Bucknell? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The outrage toward academics is such a pathetic sign for our country. Read history and you’ll see you’re being manipulated for someone else’s gain.

First of all, you’re talking about a tiny number of people. And universities are using more adjunct professors who are exploited and don’t receive benefits at all.

If you want the perks of a job, you can get the job. Being bitter that military people get a GI Bill or professors’ kids get a break at their school is immature and ignorant. None of you whiners would do either one of those things because all that matters to you is money and prestige.

+1

I'm a tenured professor. At my private institution, students, including children of faculty and other staff, must be accepted under their own merits. I have known of cases where they had to start somewhere else, maybe even a community college, before transferring to our institution. If there is somewhat of a hook for being a faculty child, I think it's great. It is a perk that helps offset our low pay and lack of savings for our kids' college education because we were making peanuts in grad school and had to prioritize retirement savings. We're often 10 years behind our peers in saving for retirement due to graduate school, post docs, etc.

But sure, pick on academics and institutions of higher ed. See what happens to our country when they disappear.

Eyeroll. So because you had to delay saving for retirement your kid deserves to go to Harvard or Amherst rather than Georgetown or Bucknell? No.

I don't think you understand. Any faculty privilege will be in effect only at the school the parent(s) work for. A child of a University of Oklahoma professor does not get preference at Harvard.