5 1960 THE MICHIGAN DAILY ki tate To Face Educational CAhrLllPn PI JIL -AL 1%,,.,, -EL.AL . ,., II (In the January 16 issue of the "Michigan Alumnus," Administra- tive Dean Robert L. Williams ex-t plored the "Current Challenge to '4Igher Education," faced by the State of Michigan. Dean Williams' .rticle is herein reprinted.) The University of Michigan faces the current challenge to ligher education with full conf- dence. This confidence is the more to be respected because we recog- TiZe we have certain basic chal- lenges. The basic educational chal- lenges in the United States center around several facts: The increase in population with the resultant increase in school attendance, from kindergarten through the highest graduate and professional levels. The U. S. Com- missioner of Education reports tat one of every four persons in America is presently attending sacool. Today 90 per cent in the 14 to 17 age group are in school; 14 years ago only 82 per cent were In school. A larger percentage of high school graduates also are continuing their education in col- lege. Today 34 per cent of the high school graduates in Michi- gan go on to college. A few years ago the figure was only 25 per cent. Costs Increase The increase in total costs re- lated to the constantly mounting increases in attendance, creating the firm obligation for each indi- vidual educator to get a full dol- lar's worth of service for every dollar spent. The "explosiveness" of knowl- edge, with 4ts impact upon the educational process. For example, freshman chemistry has "explod- ," or expanded, so much since the war that freshman labora- tories now require more expendi- ture per student than did doctoral chemistry laboratories at the close of the war. The world political situation, so dramatically illustrated by the first Russian Sputnik several years ago, which has had its ful lim- pact upon educational thinking. We realize now, more than ever before, the importance of higher Sducation .in national defense. State Shares The State of Michigan shares in these national educational problems. There are, however, certain facets to our educational problems in Michigan that differ from the national pattern: In Michigan 75 per cent of all college students are enrolled in tax-supported institutions. The national average of 45 to 50 per cent does not mean that Michi- gan educates more persons than it should. Other states educate far more than Michigan in proportion to their population, but they do this t hr o u g h private institutions, which in Michigan do not enroll large numbers of students. Three State Universities Michigan has three large state universities within a radius of 35 miles. More than 60,000 students are enrolled in these three tax- supported institutions. No other state duplicates this situation. One institution in Michigan - the University - carries respon- iibility for three-fourths of all graduate and graduate profes- gonal education in medicine, law, dentistry, public health, and so- cial work. This fact alone creates one of Nur most difficult problems. The University is different from Other Michigan institutions and we must gain full understanding of this point if we are to receive support adequate for providing three-fourths of all graduate and graduate professional instruction for the entire state. Unless this point is understood we will fall victim to the "head- eount" fallacy which assumes that colleges require support only in terms of the number of "heads" or students, enrolled - without reference to the level of educa- tional service., On the basis of the head-count! formula, a junior college with an enrollment equal to that of the University should receive the same appropriation, without regard to such advanced programs as medi- cine, dentistry, law, and public health. Cites Figures In the other state-supported in- stitutions, the typical enrollment is divided by class levels: Fifty per cent freshmen and sophomores. Forty per cent juniors and seniors. Eight and one-half per cent graduate students, mostly work- ing for master's degrees. One and one-half per cent graduate professional students. At the University the enroll- ment is: Thirty per cent freshmen and sophomores. Thirty-one per cent juniors and seniors. Seventeen per cent graduate students working for master's degrees. Twenty-two per cent working for Ph.D. degrees or degrees in medicine, dentistry, law, and public health. Has Meaning This distinction in enrollment pattern has a decided meaning in terms of needed state support, since costs increase with the ad- vancement of the student. Our studies, confirmed by those of other research teams indicate that for each dollar spent on the education of a freshman or sopho- more, the average cost will be: $2 for each junior or senior, $3 for each candidate for a master's de- gree and $8 to $10 for each can- didate for the doctoral degree or the graduate professional degrees in medicine, law, dentistry, and public health. To illustrate: the University spends from its funds, entirely ex- clusive of student expenditure for room, board, books, and other items, more than $4,000 for the education of one medical student for one school year. Any use of the "head-count" formula overlooks costs of this type - yet the University has the largest medical school in the United States. 'U' Enrolls The University is enrolling more than 5,000 students in the most advanced areas of instruc- tion - the curricula for the doc- toral degree and degrees in medi- cine, law, dentistry, and public health. The University is enrolling an- other 4,200 students working for the master's degree. More than 9,200 students enrolled this fall have already received baccalaure- ate degrees. The look ahead cannot present a clear view of specific things and events to come. Only one thing is certain: change is inevitable. 'U' Must Change If the University had not changed with the passing of the first 142 years, it would be out- moded and ineffective today. Changes that occur from day-to- day, or year-to-year, are diffi- cult to see in long range perspec- tive. But the University is chang- ing today. The four most recent changes: 1. Establishment of the Flint College in Flint. 2. Establishment of the Dear- born Center in Dearborn. 3. Establishment of the In- stitute of Science and Technology. 4. Establishment of the Vice- Presidency for Research. Other changes occur from year to year which are not so dramatic nor require a change in the or- ganization or structure of the University. Through the leadership of the president and faculty, the Univer- sity is making every effort to keep abreast of current conditions in order that it may best serve the state and society which supports it. But we must have help in order to render this service - help in form of financial support from the state. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to consider the Uni- versity's budget for operations - exclusive of funds for new build- ing construction or capital outlay. The University spent more than $92,000,000 last year. This year's total expenditures cannot be tab- ulated at this time but probably will exceed last year's $92,000,000. Receive From State This year the University is re- ceiving from the state: $32,867,275 for the General Funds operations 500,000 for the Institute of Science and Tech- nology 2,000,000 for the Mental Health Units 346,000 for the Veterans Readjustment Cen- ter $35,713,275 Total The remaining $57,000,000 to- ward the $92,000,000 comes from student fees, operations of the residence halls, contract research programs, University Hospital, athletic departments, Union, League and other self-supporting activities. Can Be Proud The University can well be proud of the state support that it has received in the past. We could not have attained our position of leadership without continuous un- derstanding over the years from the governors, the legislators, and the citizens of the state. This un- derstanding and support have been available without regard to the name of the "party in power." We must face the fact that al- though the University has been well supported over the long-time pull, last year (1958-59) the Uni- versity suffered an actal decrease in the appropriation received from the state. During that year, the University and Michigan State University were the only two institutions in the nation that had the dubious distinction of receiving a decrease in state appropriations. Enters Year The University entered this year (1959-60) with essentially the same budget provisions as ex- isted during the preceding year, except for one factor - salaries were increased. The legislative appropriation for 1959-60 of $32,876,275, is $2,- 867,275 larger than the state ap- propriation for last year, when our appropriation was reduced by $1,000,000. The salary and wage increase provided for the faculty and staff required approximately $2,750,- 000 of the increase in state ap- pripriations, leaving approximate- ly $100,000 of the increased state appropriation to meet all other University needs. Not Possible It was not possible under these conditions to restore the budget reductions made in 1958-1959. The enrollment of the Univer- sity is estimated at approximately 24,000 for the fall of 1959 and ap- proximately 24,500 to 25,000 in the fall of 1960. The University will, therefore, carry forward into 1960-61 certain unmet needs or shortages from the past, plus additional needs created by an increased enroll- ment, and an increase in services requested from the state. The needs for 1960-61 above budget provisions for this year fall into four categories: 1) The need for salary and wage increases for the faculty and staff. The University faces a prac- tical situation in obtaining and maintaining continuity of service from outstanding scholars and re- search workers. Since 1939, real income, or purchasing power, of the University faculty has in- creased approximately 19 per cent. The entire civilian labor force of the nation, on a per cap- ita basis, has enjoyed an increase in real income of 69 per cent since 1939, permitting an equivalent in- crease in the standard of living. This 50 per cent arrearage for the faculty member has been ac- cumulated over 20 years, and con- sequently cannot be recovered in one single year. It is hoped to "catch up" by steps, by adding five per cent to the wage scale each year in the future, until this shortage has been eliminated. The need for salary increase is further heightened by mounting college enrollments throughout the nation and the continuing shortage of qualified university faculty members. There will be another 200,000 college students enrolling in the United States in September, 1960, and approximately 3,000 more qualified college teachers will be available. Competition for faculty members becomes more vigorous each year with the increasing shortage of teachers. 2) The needs of the schools and colleges. It will be necessary to add 126 teachers to the staff for 1960-61 in order to maintain resasonably acceptable teacher-student ratios. 3) The needs of the business and plant operations, including obsolescence expenses. 4) The needs of ancillary acti- vities related to the instructional and research functions of the research functions of the Univer- sity. One of our greatest challenges is to gain real understanding of the University. There are, at the present time, two current misunderstandings about higher education in the State of Michigan, which I would like to discuss. The first misunder- standing is based upon reports made by the Michigan Citizens Research Council, which say in effect that the taxpayers of Mich- igan on a per capita basis pro- vide more funds for higher educa- tion than do the citizens in any other sta'te. This is erroneous. Earlier it was noted that the University spends about $92,000,000 a year and that about $35,000,000 comes from the State Treasury. The taxpayers, in other words, provide $35,000,000 and the stu- dents, their parents, patients in the University Hospital, and oth- er non-State supported activities provide the remaining $57,000,000. In the computations made by the Citizens Research Council, however, the full bill of $92,000,- 000 was erroneously considered as being provided from the pockets of the taxpayers of the state. Council Summarizes The Citizens Research Council summarizes for the State of Mich- igan by pointing out that the citizens of the state in 1957-58 provided $192,000,000 for the sup- port of all institutions of higher education. Accessories Repairs As indicated earlier, this state- ment is erroneous in fact. Any- one may check the facts by writ- ing to the Auditor General of the sttae asking how much money the state provided for higher educa- tion in the year in question. The answer for all higher edu- cation in Michigan is approxi- mately $95,000,000 - less than half the $192,000,000 reported by the Citizens Research Council. Give Insufficient Funds The State of Michigan, while making generous support over a long period of time for higher ed- ucation, has not in the past sev- eral years provided sufficient funds for its University, with the tremendous emphasis given to ad- vanced studies which call upon this institution to provide 75 per cent of the graduate and gradu- ate professional education of the State. This point we must understand - the University cannot exist on sums of money which might be adequate for institutions not car- rying responsibility for so much advanced study and research. The second misunderstanding about higher education can be de- scribed by reference to an article, in a recent Sunday magazine sec- tion of a Detroit newspaper, which carried the title that colleges and universities are the worst man- aged businesses in the United States. I cannot speak for all institu- tions in the United States, but I can give you full and complete as- surance that the University is well managed and receives at least a dollar's worth of service for every dollar spent on behalf of the stu- dents, the state and other agen- cies which provide the $92,000,- 000 under which we are operat- ing this year. WELCOME NE)W STUDENTS AND ALL FORMER STUDENTS VISIT US FOR ALL YOUR NEEDED ACCE.SSORIES * DRESSER SCARFS * BATES BEDSPREADS & DRAPE' * LAUNDRY AND SHOE BAGS 0 BLANKETS 0 SHEETS AND PILLOW CASES * BATH TOWELS $ SMALL THROW RUGS We Also Have Wonderful Gift Items "WHERE QUALITY HAS NO SUBSTITUTE" GAGE LINEN SHOP 11 NICKELS ARCADE Hours Daily: 9:30 to 5:30 Subscribe to The Michigan Daily I, - Instruments Adjustments MASTER BOW REHAIRING HASKAYLO'S STRING SHOP Fine Workmanship Has Its Voice N NOrmandy 3-3873 308 SO. 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