No ASL interpreter for ASL club?

[DanMcQ]

[RusskyHoya]

This situation is, to me, a near-perfect example to point to when people ask "why is tuition so high," "why are endowments so big," "why are schools asking for more money," etc.

ASL interpreters are quite expensive. Rightly or wrongly, 'back in the day' there simply was not the societal expectation that interpretation services would be provided on demand not just for classes, but also for extra-curricular activities. I'm fully on board with the new, broader expectation... so long as everyone is clear that each such expectation carries a cost that must be borne by someone.

The continuing dialogue over counseling services is another example. I certainly don't want to return to the societal stigmas around mental health of decades past, but if we're going to establish a norm that universities are responsible for providing plentiful, free counseling (delivered by, per a recent student demand, counselors that must be Black and/or LGBTQ if so desired), we should likewise be up front that this is not without cost.

In both of these instances, my own view is that it's worth it. I just like being transparent about costs and tradeoffs.

[Elvado]

Sept 16, 2021 23:34:40 GMT -5 RusskyHoya said:

This situation is, to me, a near-perfect example to point to when people ask "why is tuition so high," "why are endowments so big," "why are schools asking for more money," etc.

ASL interpreters are quite expensive. Rightly or wrongly, 'back in the day' there simply was not the societal expectation that interpretation services would be provided on demand not just for classes, but also for extra-curricular activities. I'm fully on board with the new, broader expectation... so long as everyone is clear that each such expectation carries a cost that must be borne by someone.

The continuing dialogue over counseling services is another example. I certainly don't want to return to the societal stigmas around mental health of decades past, but if we're going to establish a norm that universities are responsible for providing plentiful, free counseling (delivered by, per a recent student demand, counselors that must be Black and/or LGBTQ if so desired), we should likewise be up front that this is not without cost.

In both of these instances, my own view is that it's worth it. I just like being transparent about costs and tradeoffs.

Could not agree more.

While your examples are important, I wonder what demand levels would we be like for certain “essential” needs if they were to come with an a la carte price tag.

[RusskyHoya]

Sept 17, 2021 4:23:42 GMT -5 Elvado said:

Sept 16, 2021 23:34:40 GMT -5 RusskyHoya said:

This situation is, to me, a near-perfect example to point to when people ask "why is tuition so high," "why are endowments so big," "why are schools asking for more money," etc.

ASL interpreters are quite expensive. Rightly or wrongly, 'back in the day' there simply was not the societal expectation that interpretation services would be provided on demand not just for classes, but also for extra-curricular activities. I'm fully on board with the new, broader expectation... so long as everyone is clear that each such expectation carries a cost that must be borne by someone.

The continuing dialogue over counseling services is another example. I certainly don't want to return to the societal stigmas around mental health of decades past, but if we're going to establish a norm that universities are responsible for providing plentiful, free counseling (delivered by, per a recent student demand, counselors that must be Black and/or LGBTQ if so desired), we should likewise be up front that this is not without cost.

In both of these instances, my own view is that it's worth it. I just like being transparent about costs and tradeoffs.

Could not agree more.

While your examples are important, I wonder what demand levels would we be like for certain “essential” needs if they were to come with an a la carte price tag.

In a similar vein...some outraged discussion today about the rent in Georgetown's new graduate student housing. Add "subsidized housing" to the list of things that now not just undergrads but also graduate students expect from their university.

Presumably the University can pay the operating expenses of this building in Cura Personalis, since it apparently constitutes an entitlement to cheap housing in a high cost-of-living area.

[RusskyHoya]

Continuing the theme above, here it is stated explicitly: colleges should no longer expect students capable of succeeding at college as is, they are expected to bring them up and along to that level to make up for the deficiencies of the primary and secondary school systems and society writ large:

[Problem of Dog]

Jul 8, 2022 15:44:25 GMT -5 RusskyHoya said:

Continuing the theme above, here it is stated explicitly: colleges should no longer expect students capable of succeeding at college as is, they are expected to bring them up and along to that level to make up for the deficiencies of the primary and secondary school systems and society writ large:

I mean, if we're aiming to make Georgetown a more equitable place, I kind of agree? Isn't that what the Scholars program does?

[RusskyHoya]

Jul 8, 2022 20:11:29 GMT -5 Problem of Dog said:

Jul 8, 2022 15:44:25 GMT -5 RusskyHoya said:

Continuing the theme above, here it is stated explicitly: colleges should no longer expect students capable of succeeding at college as is, they are expected to bring them up and along to that level to make up for the deficiencies of the primary and secondary school systems and society writ large:

I mean, if we're aiming to make Georgetown a more equitable place, I kind of agree? Isn't that what the Scholars program does?

Right. My - perhaps not others', but my - point isn't to disagree with the desirability of this, but to insist that we be honest and transparent in our accounting of the costs (and, of course, intended benefits).

Entirely too many people simultaneously decry 'administrative bloat' and skyrocketing tuition while demanding a never-ending stream of new and expanded services that require people and other resources to implement.

[Elvado]

Jul 9, 2022 6:39:12 GMT -5 RusskyHoya said:

Jul 8, 2022 20:11:29 GMT -5 Problem of Dog said:

I mean, if we're aiming to make Georgetown a more equitable place, I kind of agree? Isn't that what the Scholars program does?

Right. My - perhaps not others', but my - point isn't to disagree with the desirability of this, but to insist that we be honest and transparent in our accounting of the costs (and, of course, intended benefits).

Entirely too many people simultaneously decry 'administrative bloat' and skyrocketing tuition while demanding a never-ending stream of new and expanded services that require people and other resources to implement.

Cost—the least mentioned or considered aspect of any social engineering plan.