High enrollment puts strain on resources

Per the request of President Myles Brand, it is time this University returns to the core values of education. It is time to move past last week's craziness and refocus ourselves on the pursuit of a quality education.\nOn that note, the administration recently announced enrollment has reached an all-time high. Various members of this administration have taken every opportunity to highlight these numbers in the media. \nChristopher Simpson, vice president for public affairs and government relations, told the IDS the rising numbers reflect the strong academic reputation of the University and discredit the poor rankings IU has received in the last year, including those from U.S. News and World Report and the more respected Florida Center Report. He said IU has a tremendous value at a moderate cost, and having 100 programs in the top 20 and one of the most beautiful campuses in the world is a "very powerful package."\nOne can't argue with that. But the University's focus should not be quantity above quality. The number of students a University boasts does not reflect its academic quality. It only terms the University a "large school."\nIn fact, the increased enrollment is probably detrimental to this University, the same as the negative press it has received in the last 18 weeks. Should students be excited there will be more students packing into their already overcrowded classrooms and dorms? Maybe with the increased enrollment, a student will finally be able to get the quality one-on-one interaction with his or her professor that is widely accepted as the groundwork for a successful college experience. Or maybe not.\nThis overcrowding doesn't only affect students. Professors are stretched too thin, as students enrolled in a record number of credit hours. How many times does the administration brag about being a front-running research institution? Many. Realistically, how are professors supposed to make time for their first-rate research when they have class lists 400 names long?\nThey can't. And they can't give individual students the attention they deserve, either. This University should not be working toward increasing the number of students enrolled here. Instead, it should focus on increasing the quality of the students. When applying for jobs, it would be nice to tell an employer IU recruits students from the top of high school classes, instead of simply being able to say IU has a high enrollment. That means absolutely nothing.\nThe only thing increased enrollment proves is that the University has a great marketing campaign. High enrollment or not, we rank poorly, and that needs to change.