Reply to The End of College Life - Wash U Prof's article in the Atlantic

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm a foreign research scientist living in the US, who went to undergrad in Europe.

To be entirely frank, ever since I've lived in the US, I've been astonished at the amount of money that just gets thrown away on frivolities in every aspect of American life. It's a country of consumerist excess to a degree that is unfathomable in most other countries. US college campuses are no exception: yes, there are classes and professors and research. But there are also luxury facilities, for performances, sports and recreation, etc. I am all for investing in the serious things, that down the road will cure cancer, find sustainable and affordable energy sources, or other huge benefits of research. But massive sports facilities? Subsidizing all kinds of clubs and activities and trips? Enormous manicured campuses and tons of wasted space in buildings that translate to enormous A/C bills? That kind of luxury doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. Are we sure this is where we want to spend money?

My son attends a private university in the US, and will continue some his grad work in Europe. He's headed towards a European institute that world-renowned in its specialty. But the lecture halls will be 19th century (no A/C). The living situation will be bare-bones compared to his fancy dorm here. No sports or clubs. No sprawling lawns. The education, however, is top-notch, at a reasonable price for grad school.

I think Americans can rethink some of their expenses without reducing the pace of academic progress or impeding research in any way.

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30 years ago America was more like Europe in that way.  I went to top schools and my dorm had leaky windows that let in the draft (a one inch gap in the New England winter) and put furniture was at least 50 years old.   When I did my graduate work at Yale, the buildings had not been seriously renovated in 100 years—we seriously still had a crank elevator with an open shaft.  At least there was indoor plumbing I guess.  At both schools, our food was frankly inedible-we used the same suppliers as the prisons.  At some point about 20 years ago the schools all started throwing money at fancy facilities.   [/quote]

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