Higher-ed institutions are glaring examples of ‘big business’

I’m always curious when I hear a (usually) leftist complain about “big oil, big pharma, big business” and how they are making such huge profits off the backs of the public. Why do the same people give one of the biggest money-making systems, the universities and colleges here in the United States, a free pass? Probably because faculties at these institutions lean heavily to the left. Liberals love the double standard. Also remember the universities and colleges are part of the indoctrination of our young people to liberalism. We can’t criticize that, can we?

Academia is perhaps the best example of a businessman’s dream come true. They sell an intangible product to a captive customer to whom they dictate terms. Take it or leave it, money up front, what could be better? Their presidents (CEOs) make huge salaries, they have bloated employee/professor positions with crazy salaries and benefits, all while jacking up the cost of their product 10 to 15 percent annually. There is actually a position called “Eminent Scholar”(?) at the University of Florida whose yearly salary is $452,480.

Top that with an insane policy that you could be awarded a job for life (tenure) if you hang around and don’t commit any serious felonies. Who, besides Supreme Court justices, gets that kind of gig?

Who suffers? It’s the students and/or parents who suffer with the tremendous debt heaped upon them to become “educated” and perhaps better their future incomes and livelihood. The total college debt in this country is now $1.45 trillion and climbing. It is $650 billion more than the total credit card debt here in the U.S.. Do the colleges care? When they have their money upfront, no strings attached, pay to play scheme and complete control of the consumer, I doubt it. Other than Bernie Saunders’ socialist party wanting free college (no such thing), the silence on the left is deafening.

So complainers, do the right thing, add colleges and universities to your list and treat them with the same disgust you do for other big businesses.

This story was originally published December 29, 2017 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Higher-ed institutions are glaring examples of ‘big business’."