Let the colleges fail – The Hill
By Richard Vedder, Opinion Contributor – 05/17/25 9:00 AM ET
The U.S. is known for having exceptional private business enterprises. It is the prime mover in creating the most powerful and bountiful economy in history and also for having great colleges and universities. Its schools dominate world college rankings and draw students from throughout the world.
Yet American universities are facing a dramatic decline in public support.
This is manifested in lower enrollments today than a dozen years ago and widespread threats to their funding, as both the Trump administration (via threats to revoke tax exemptions, reduced research support, etc.) and Congress pose what some college leaders deem existential threats to their very existence. Additionally, some state governments are beginning to sharply increase their intervention into the affairs of public universities that have historically exercised a great deal of independence.
A major reason corporations are faring far better than universities in today’s public policy milieu can be explained by one word: ownership. Everyone knows who owns and controls the operations of American companies, but who “owns” or controls our universities?
We all know that Elon Musk makes the key decisions at SpaceX and Tesla, but who does so at elite universities like Harvard or Stanford, or even at distinctly less selective and prestigious schools, such as Ball State University in Indiana or the University of District Columbia?
Read more: Let the colleges fail – The Hill
Source Links: https://thehill.com/opinion/education/5302210-let-the-colleges-fail/
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