academic economics

[Michael McIntyre]

What does "economic sense" mean here?  Since I teach at a rival institution (DePaul), UIC's attempt to upgrade its status is a direct threat to our administration's bet-the-farm-on-growth strategy.  Since DePaul is tuition dependent, students at the margin turn a profit for the university.  If folks start noticing that UIC has a superior faculty and costs a lot less than we do, then our strategy goes to hell.  On the other hand, it's far from clear that the marginal student at UIC turns a profit for UIC.  In the short run, an extra student almost certainly loses money for UIC, since the low tuition won't cover the marginal cost.  If, in the long run, legislative appropriations track enrollments, then maybe it does make economic sense.  (Or perhaps if the higher profile draws more out-of-state students....)  But my guess is that the real question for UIC is whether this higher profile plus Fish's new publish-two-books-or-you're-out policy will pay off in more soft money, with t!
he "cost recovery" payoff to the U.

On the other hand, for Fish, who could doubt that it's an ego thing?

Michael McIntyre


>>> dhenwood at panix.com 06/19/01 15:05 PM >>>
Michael Perelman wrote:


>The pay gap is widening in all respects.  Bus/Science vs. the Humanities.
>Star professors vs. ordinary grunts.

I was just at the University of Illinois-Chicago. The estimable 
Stanley Fish was recruited at the price of $250k/yr to hire some 
stars. Walter Benn Michaels has been brought it at somewhat lower 
expense, partly paid out of an affirmative action fund.

The trustees, and apparently ultimately the legislature, has decided 
it wants to put UIC on the academic map. Can anyone explain the logic 
of this? Does it make economic sense, or is it mainly vanity?

Doug