As the cost of going to college has continued to rise, politicians have sought to capitalize on the resulting discontent. Last week, the Illinois Senate got in on the act.
Governor Bruce Rauner wants to cut higher education funding by more than 30 percent. The prospect of losing such a big chunk of money has focused attention on how university administrators manage their budgets, and several senators had suggestions for savings.
Sen. Chapin Rose, a Republican from Mahomet, keeps a tally of academic departments that attract few students. "We literally -- as taxpayers and student tuition-payers -- are paying to provide, in some circumstances, departments that have four enrollees. Eight enrollees. In some cases, zero enrollees."
Rose says schools should determine their core strengths and target funds to those departments.
