Bigger is better

Some might believe the only reason for the record number of freshmen at IU is money. Who cares if a few hundred ill-prepared freshmen don't make the cut, as long as IU collects one year of loans backed by the federal government? \nI believe the increase in students shows this school takes chances on people, and that's a good thing. Having as many college-educated people as possible is in the best interest of society. This should be the ultimate goal for a public university, and stuffing the school full of students is one way to achieve it.\nOthers disagree. They see a 5.4 percent increase in the number of students accepted as a 5.4 percent decrease in standards. This relaxation is the reason U.S. News and World Report relegated IU-Bloomington to the "second tier" of national universities. The ranking means IUB is less attractive to potential professors and high school seniors. But student selectivity only factors into the U.S. News' rankings by 15 percent, while academic reputation and faculty resources factor in by 45 percent. \nIUB enrolled fewer undergraduate students than three of the five Big Ten schools in the "top tier," proving the number of students could not have affected the ranking much.\nNor could IUB's academic reputation have affected the rankings much, since the University received the highest academic reputation score of the second tier schools.\nI believe the faculty resources hurt IUB. Why? The number one measure of faculty resources used by U.S. News is faculty compensation, and the average salary for full professors at IUB beat only one of the top five Big Ten schools ' by a whole $700 a year ' according to the 1999-2000 American Association of University Professors' salary survey.\nIf IUB wants to be in the top tier, all it has to do is give the professors a raise. Paying professors more gives them an incentive to be here.\nThe record number of credit hours stretches professors thin, and IU so overbooked the dormitories this year that students had to live in dorm lounges until space opened in rooms. \nAn easy solution to the credit hour problem is to hire more professors. It should be easy with that pay raise. Not enough suitable candidates? IU doesn't need Nobel Prize winners to teach introductory math; the best high school teachers could do it. In fact, associate instructors are doing it right now. \nSince IU seems dedicated to accepting more students every year, it should dedicate itself to building dorms and classrooms to serve them. What is the source of all this money? IU has a $2 billion budget and close to a $1 billion endowment. I am no accountant, but I think I could find a few million lying here and there to pay for the things IU needs.\nBuild more, hire more, increase salaries and accept any Indiana senior who scores an 800 on the SAT. If IU can waste money trying to build golf courses, it can afford to "waste" money on education.