New 'Byma Plan' helps productivity

Justin Byma -- Staff Column

University administrators tell us that we need more money from the state because the benefits the state receives from our institution are greater than the costs of subsidizing our education. However, there are problems with this position.

Their argument is based on a study written in August 2001 by University of Iowa professor Stephen DesJardins. The study showed that the State of Minnesota benefits greatly from its higher education system. DesJardins based his conclusion on some assumptions.

1) Income is directly related to productivity.
2) Citizens with bachelor's (or other) degrees are more productive that those with only a high school education.

Due to wide differences in the average income difference between college graduates and those without a college education, the State benefits in the form of increased tax revenues from college graduates.

But DeJardins' argument hinges on an efficient allocation of resources at the institutional level. As we divert instructional resources into arguably wasteful areas like cultural centers, student activities and counterproductive general education requirements, the quality of our education declines. If this trend continues it is hard to assume that we will continue to see such vast differences in the levels of productivity between college graduates and non-college graduates.

To say that education leads to greater productivity is to a put a premium on the creativity of the human mind as an economic agent.

But when we place a higher priority on diversity than on a student's freedom to choose his or her own classes, if we hold self-esteem and fun and games to be more worthy of funding than the creation of new ideas, then we as an institution have failed to allocate our resources in an efficient manner. Moreover, we have lost an infinite number of ideas and innovations in the process.

As the regular readers of this page may recall, the original Byma Plan for SCSU's budget crisis consisted of cutting MGM courses by two thirds. Today, I would like to amend that plan. Due to the overwhelming support the plan has received and because those classes negatively affect our University's productivity, I call for the complete elimination of MGM classes. Total savings could reach more than $3.5 million, even without taking into account the benefits the state will receive over the long run from graduates who are more productive.

By cutting these classes, SCSU can increase its productivity and avoid tuition hikes at the same time. Institutional reforms must solve our inefficient budgeting and leave every possible non-instructional (or indoctrinational) expense be open to the possibility of a substantial decrease.

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Justin Byma can be reached at [email protected]