<p>Arizona State has "has eliminated more than 500 jobs, including deans, department chairmen and hundreds of teaching assistants. Last month, Mr. Crow announced that the university would close 48 programs, cap enrollment and move up the freshman application deadline by five months. Every employee, from Mr. Crow down, will have 10 to 15 unpaid furlough days this spring.</p>
<p>The New American University has died; welcome to the Neutered American University, the student newspaper editorialized last month the morning after the latest cuts were announced.</p>
<p>"While Arizona States economic problems have been particularly dramatic, layoffs and salary freezes are becoming common at public universities across the nation; the University of Florida recently eliminated 430 faculty and staff positions, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, laid off about 100 employees, and the University of Vermont froze some administrative staff salaries, left open 22 faculty positions and laid off 16 workers."</p>
<p>So, while private universities struggle with endowment cuts, public universities struggle to stay afloat. How do we fulfil the promise of a "world-class education" that is affordable and accessible?</p>
<p>Students need to become independent learners and take advantage of what remains. Expect fewer support services, fewer office hours as professors have to take on more responsibility and use other resources such as study groups, books, the internet.</p>
<p>A great education is possible, but the student has to do more while the university does less.</p>
<p>"But this year, Mr. Crow’s plans have crashed into new budget realities, raising questions about how many public research universities the nation needs and whether universities like Arizona State, in their drive to become prominent research institutions, have lost focus on their public mission to provide solid undergraduate education for state residents. "</p>
<p>I think the state universities must go back to their core mission.</p>
<p>While a fine institution, ASU can hardly hold itself out to be “worldclass”, with a 2.5 gpa and and 1000 SAT score required for admission. But, I don’t think it wants to be “worldclass”. It’s seems to have wanted to be the largest, so it was growing rapidly, including adding many OOS kids. </p>
<p>btw: “worldclass” and “accessible” are mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>On the bright side, don’t you think that with the current economy will increase the numbers of higher quality matriculants to less expensive publics and perhaps increasing the overall quality of the institution in that way?</p>
<p>That is what seems to be happening at the UCs this year. San Diego is said to have admitted 16,000 for fall compared to 19,000 last year for a 34.7% admit rate. Actual enrollment targets are lower by 520 students to 3950. Davis has a 45% admit rate compared to 51% last year.</p>
<p>So, yes, the high quality public unis are likely to become more selective as they scale back enrollment. Selectivity increases (quality depends on the students and what they make of their opportunities) but at the cost of accessibility.</p>
<p>A fair number of state colleges have blossomed with programs/offices/centers for over the past decade of available money. A bit of a shake out might bring schools back to thier core competancy: education.</p>
<p>On the other hand, they may hand on to the Pet PC programs, and dump bread and butter education. </p>
<p>Professors whose teaching requirements are bumped up to 3 or 4/term may actually be more accessible. Teaching one class, while doing research, made many professors think that they worked for consulting companies, rather then had a job teaching.</p>
<p>There might be an upturn to this down turn.</p>
<p>cur: Not to me; but, then my idea of accessible is easily accessible, such as community colleges, or colleges that admit C students. Thus, even a highly-touted program such as Barrett’s honors college at ASU is not as “accessible” as ASU’s non-honors college, i.e., it has higher requirements.</p>
<p>Momofthree: what colleges outside of the US would you say are “accessible” AND “worldclass”?</p>
<p>D1 reported yesterday that there were lots of UC Davis rejections. I don’t know details, and our school doesn’t have Naviance, but Davis was a reliable safety for this particular high school’s students in recent years. No more. I’m waiting to hear what happens when the Santa Cruz notifications come in. </p>
<p>We’ve been touting a “love your safety” worldview to 10th grade D1 for a year, but the schools that looked like safeties back then are changing their spots. This is like playing whack-a-mole.</p>
<p>Yep, kids are getting rejections. My son got a reject from UC-San Diego. But got in at UC-Irvine. Expecting rejection from USC and UCLA. But that is the way it is. I told him he was responsible for his application package including grades and test scores, essays etc. I thought maybe he would have some advantage because as out of staters they get more money from us. LOL</p>
<p>the game has changed. At my D HS, private & highly selective, students were wait listed/rejected from a tier 2 in-state. it seems that public colleges are selective this year.</p>
<p>Perhaps leaders of public universities will behave like leaders of private university finally tapping the vast alumni pool of these state school to launch capital capaigns and establish endowments. No reason why Berkeley and UCLA couldn’t do it, or the University of Washington, UNC Chapel Hill etc. Some do it for athletics, but why not for academics. Say, Berkeley announces a five year , $ 3 billion dollar campaign beginning after this recession… Might get other UCs to follow…</p>