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Students Being Cheated, Says Ex-University President

Posted on: Tuesday, 1 November 2005, 12:00 CST

"Welcome to Screw U." That's what a great many American universities might as well be saying to incoming students and their parents as schools deliberately exploit their own undergraduates, especially freshmen.

So says Dr. Mel Scarlett, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) president emeritus, in his recent book, "The Great Rip-Off in American Education: Undergrads Underserved" (Prometheus, $22). During his 40-plus years as a professor and administrator in public and private colleges and universities, Scarlett saw first-hand how numerous institutions sacrifice students' educations on the alter of research and financial expediency.

"Barely more than 50 percent of entering freshmen earn a four-year degree in six years," says Scarlett. "Much of the huge dropout rate is due to the failure of universities to serve students well.

"If parents knew how little they are getting for their hard-earned money, they would be absolutely livid."

In "Rip-Off," Scarlett identifies "20 deadly sins" he says many universities commit. Among the deadliest are faculty who are not trained to teach and have research, not teaching, as their primary concern.

"I'm not denigrating research," says Scarlett. "But much of it is simply going through the motions to get salary and promotions--while instruction suffers.

"And undergraduates' fees support the graduate schools and research, from which undergraduates receive virtually no benefit."

Meanwhile, education costs explode. But Scarlett says current faculty are not responsible for the model under which they operate.

"The system is against them," he notes. "You really can't buck City Hall. What is needed to affect change is a strong outcry from parents, students and the rest of the public who are footing the bill for this flawed system."

Scarlett asserts many universities could cut costs by as much as one-fourth and provide better service by implementing the reforms outlined in "Rip-Off."

"Faculty would gain more flexibility in development of their workloads," he explains. "Faculty salaries could be vastly improved and the university would have more money to provide smaller classes. In short, everybody wins."

Dr. Scarlett earned his B.A. in English and history from Catawba College, an M.A. in journalism and English from the University of Florida and an Ed.D. in higher education and journalism from Oklahoma State University.

Source: Business Wire

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