The Scandal at UVA

The Scandal at UVA by MSW.  MGB: Luckily, the Board of Visitors geeked at the last minute.  I suspect that the members are not only rich, but also alumni.  Moderate income individuals usually cannot afford to be on such boards and rich people usually bring other rich alumni to the table to bring in donations.  Of course, if they were any good at it, there would be no need for cuts.

Ideally, most students would end formal schooling after grade ten, with vocational training (including at institutions sponsored by the Catholic Church) available for those who are not becoming engineers, scientists or people who write for a living (which is all the liberal arts really teaches you - with that part of rhetoric including thinking and analysis). Those who do wish to continue their educations should be able to do so on the taxpayers dime for four more years (at either public or private schools) until after grade 14.  At that point, all will find employers, with some starting work and others continuing education on the employer's dime in exchange for a work requirement after graduation.

In all cases, after grade 10, anyone with a family should also get a stipend and a refundable child tax credit for each child or dependent spouse not joining them in school (including the fathers if they do the child rearing).  Only such a provision will keep young people from aborting their kids to continue their educations. Child care should also be available if both parents are in training.  No other solution should be acceptable to people who call themselves pro-life.   I have a classmate who is president of our alma mater who I bend the ear of on this issue when I see him.  So far, I have not heard that he has implemented my ideas. Pity.  If I were rich, he would put me on the board.  Of course, my insistence on this issue is probably why he no longer lets me know when he is in town.

This kind of corporate involvement will take the state revenue pressure away from education - and add employer pressure to lower tuition - but will also develop research relationships between employers and schools and likely be lucrative for both sides.