Marquette University adopts vision to raise its profile

[4everwarriors]

Another Public Safety Alert tonight about a robbery of a student on 18th and Wisconsin @ 6:45 pm.

[avid1010]

I heard a suggestion once (from a scoop member, but I'll let him out himself), that Marquette create a small fund to loan money to new-ish grads looking to buy some of the (previously beautiful) houses around campus.

I'm sure there are a million reasons it's a bad idea, but I love it. Cleans up the neighborhood, brings what I'd expect to be stable, working adults with some disposable income and builds a community.

Won't necessarily raise the profile of the school, but certainly would take the "security" aspect down a notch.

or demand the state, city, and mps board do something to fix the mess that is mps and the vast majority of milwaukee voucher/charter schools.

[mu_hilltopper]

I missed the part of the strategic vision where MU had a plan to combat the fact that the universe of families able and/or willing to pay private school tuition eventually drops to zero in the long run.

In 19 short years, with the average 5% annual increase, MU's tuition is $101k per year.  

Good luck.

[MUfan12]

I missed the part of the strategic vision where MU had a plan to combat the fact that the universe of families able and/or willing to pay private school tuition eventually drops to zero in the long run.

In 19 short years, with the average 5% annual increase, MU's tuition is $101k per year.  

Good luck.

Yup. The bubble is gonna pop at some point. Tuition has gone up $16,000 since I started ten years ago.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yup. The bubble is gonna pop at some point. Tuition has gone up $16,000 since I started ten years ago.

Haven't you heard....the gubmit is running that dollar printing machine on overdrive the last decade...there's money everywhere.  Let it rain, let it rain.   

[PaintTouches]

This chart pretty much says it all when it comes to the ridiculous tuition inflation. Not that I have an answer other than praying my kids hit the athletic gene lottery.

Here's the link to the article with tons more depressing charts about student debt: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/the-whole-truth-about-student-debt-in-17-charts/275466/

Edited to add link.

[GGGG]

Two things:

First, for the public university I work for, support from the state of Indiana has decreased from about 40% of our budget in 1990, to less than 20% today.  The difference has to some from somewhere...and that somewhere is tuition.

Second, for private schools, focus on what kids actually pay and not the list price.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Yup. The bubble is gonna pop at some point. Tuition has gone up $16,000 since I started ten years ago.

MUfan12, what are the 2003 and 2013 #'s?

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Two things:

First, for the public university I work for, support from the state of Indiana has decreased from about 40% of our budget in 1990, to less than 20% today.  The difference has to some from somewhere...and that somewhere is tuition.

Second, for private schools, focus on what kids actually pay and not the list price.

I love how public university types whine and cry about cuts to their funding and then in the next breath talk about how there really isn't that much taxpayer funding going to public schools, anyway. Something I have seen even you try to claim on this board with regard to the UW system.

Which is it? Is taxpayer funding a negligible source of revenue or is it a vital source of revenue that evil Tea Party types are trying to cut?

[GGGG]

I love how public university types whine and cry about cuts to their funding and then in the next breath talk about how there really isn't that much taxpayer funding going to public schools, anyway. Something I have seen even you try to claim on this board with regard to the UW system.

Which is it? Is taxpayer funding a negligible source of revenue or is it a vital source of revenue that evil Tea Party types are trying to cut?

I wasn't whining about anything.  I was pointing out that one of the reasons tuition has increased so dramatically is because public universities have had to replace one source of income with another.  If the public at large has decided to make higher education more of a "user fee" funded exercise, that's fine - we are in a democracy after all and those are legitimate choices.  But the consequence of that is that tuition is going to increase at a rate higher than inflation.

[classof70]

I believe it was entirely financial. The 1960s were a tough time for MU financially. That's when we dropped football as well. The university was shedding programs that were losing money.

As I recall it had more to do with the Medical School obtaining funding from outside sources,  including federal and state government.   The Medical School had its own separate endowment and funding which was restricted to its use only.  I recall, and this was  a whispered or subliminal reason, that given theological and doctrinal issues, the Medical School would be better off without its connection to a Catholic institution.  Even in the mid 60's these were issues.  

[classof70]

[
I would put Washington wines up against Cal any day. I will say my favorite overall winery is Merryvale and I am partial to the Lodi old vine zins but Washington viticulture has come into its own. The best merlot in the world is now from Walla Walla's Northstar while Novelty Hill's Sangiovese is simply stunning. I would also recommend anything from Desert Wind but their Ruah is legendary.

What would recommend from Bledsoe's winery? 
[/quote]

Shhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone.  The greatest hidden values and the best wines in America are from Washington State!!!  Andrew Will, Spring Valley (Frederick or Uriah), Leonetti, Cayuse, Canoe Ridge, Pepper Bridge, just to name a few.   Check out the most recent alumni magazine and see Dineen Vineyard near Yakima, a MU grad. 

[Ari Gold]

Yeah tuition is on a pretty unsustainable path. Couple that with how bad the job market is for recent college grads and business surveys suggesting how unprepared those grads are... Well there's a bailout a-comin.

[Hards Alumni]

Yeah tuition is on a pretty unsustain't I dimble path. Couple that with how bad the job market is for recent college grads and business surveys suggesting how unprepared those grads are... Well there's a bailout a-comin.

I hope you're wrong.  I know that school is very expensive, but that is something that each student can decide for themselves.  I don't see the government bailing out everyday people.  It is too expensive, and it would infuriate the folks who have had to take it in the shorts with their property.

My friends who started as HVAC, plumbing, etc apprentices make a pretty good living.  Plus they don't have the enormous debt that exists for a lot of new graduates.  Additionally, there are actually jobs available.  It may sound like heresy, but if I had a child that was college age that didn't get scholarships, grants, financial aid, and was considering college, I'd tell him or her that they should probably not go to college.  The risk/reward just isn't there anymore.

As a side note, I think its great to go to school... the experience is wonderful, the people you meet become life friends, and depending on your major you can still find a job out of school.  I'd suggest going to community college for two years to keep costs low and then transfer to a major university.

[GooooMarquette]

MU calls every single accepted student. I know... I am a volunteer and do this. We answer any question the kid or parent might have and strongly encourage them to join the MU family. I called over 100 people over the past couple months.

How do you know how proactive they are or are not being?

You might want to check the "every" part.  My daughter was accepted into MU and offered one of the $14,000/year scholarships.  She ended up declining, and going into the Honors Program at another school.

Since my wife and I both attended MU, we hoped she'd go there.  I asked her how aggressive MU was in recruiting her -- assuming they'd be very aggressive since they offered her a pretty nice scholarship.  She said they never called once, and instead only sent a few form letters.  That's it.  She chose the other school...which did a very "hard sell" on the quality of their honors program.

She is now finishing up her freshman year at the other school, on the Dean's list, doing research for a law school professor, and already taking "3000 Level" (Junior/Senior) courses as a freshman.  In other words, the kind of kid who'd have been nice for MU's stats, and the sort USC seems to be rolling out the red carpet for.  I can't say what she'd have done for sure, but suspect she might have been more interested in MU if the school has been more aggressive.

Don't get me wrong - I love MU and am not ripping them just because they weren't aggressive with my daughter.  But if the plan is to be aggressive with the kids toward the top of the school's spectrum, some seem to be falling through the cracks.

[reinko]

You might want to check the "every" part.  My daughter was accepted into MU and offered one of the $14,000/year scholarships.  She ended up declining, and going into the Honors Program at another school.

Since my wife and I both attended MU, we hoped she'd go there.  I asked her how aggressive MU was in recruiting her -- assuming they'd be very aggressive since they offered her a pretty nice scholarship.  She said they never called once, and instead only sent a few form letters.  That's it.  She chose the other school...which did a very "hard sell" on the quality of their honors program.

She is now finishing up her freshman year at the other school, on the Dean's list, doing research for a law school professor, and already taking "3000 Level" (Junior/Senior) courses as a freshman.  In other words, the kind of kid who'd have been nice for MU's stats, and the sort USC seems to be rolling out the red carpet for.  I can't say what she'd have done for sure, but suspect she might have been more interested in MU if the school has been more aggressive.

Don't get me wrong - I love MU and am not ripping them just because they weren't aggressive with my daughter.  But if the plan is to be aggressive with the kids toward the top of the school's spectrum, some seem to be falling through the cracks.

3000 level courses?!?!!??!?   

[MUfan12]

MUfan12, what are the 2003 and 2013 #'s?

In '03, it was 18,000-something. Now, it's $34,200. Room and board has gone up about $2500 as well since then.

[Coleman]

Haven't you heard....the gubmit is running that dollar printing machine on overdrive the last decade...there's money everywhere.  Let it rain, let it rain.   

You surely aren't blaming the meteoric rise in college tution on federal fiscal policies, right? That's a total non-sequitor.

I think people on the left and right agree this is an issue and universities need to be held accountable. Bottom line is there's just no accountability whatsoever. Ok, I somewhat blame the federal student loan agency as a secondary cause for automatically raising the amount students and parents can borrow, but they are doing this in response to the colleges themselves raising the cost.

The higher learning system needs a complete overhaul. They are supporting tenured professors with adjuncts who make slave wages and tuition costs that are driving middle class families broke.

[KenoshaWarrior]

Totally random, but every time I drive downtown I wish MU could've worked with the city to make the Marquette Interchange more Marquette-ish. I know there would be some backlash of the city help a private institution but I thought some of the ramps with the Marquette logo and name on the blue and goldish paint would've added some culture to the city, looked cool, and promoted the university. Could have done the same thing to 43 by UWM to balance it out.

A lot of the times the lights on the MU interchange are blue and gold!!

[Coleman]

As I recall it had more to do with the Medical School obtaining funding from outside sources,  including federal and state government.   The Medical School had its own separate endowment and funding which was restricted to its use only.  I recall, and this was  a whispered or subliminal reason, that given theological and doctrinal issues, the Medical School would be better off without its connection to a Catholic institution.  Even in the mid 60's these were issues.  

I wasn't alive then so I'm not saying you are wrong, this is just a little surprising because it wasn't an issue at other Jesuit schools like us such as Loyola Chicago and SLU, who both still have medical schools

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

In '03, it was 18,000-something. Now, it's $34,200. Room and board has gone up about $2500 as well since then.

Wow. I would have assumed the $16,000 was including R&B changes. Tuition alone almost DOUBLING in 10 years?

I cannot imagine a scenario under which private school tuition for all but a top 25 USNWR private school will be worth it by the time any children I were to have would go to college. Twenty years from now? Sheesh.

I just hope the bubble bursts before I have to worry about paying $800,000 to attend Marquette for four years.

[Coleman]

You might want to check the "every" part.  My daughter was accepted into MU and offered one of the $14,000/year scholarships.  She ended up declining, and going into the Honors Program at another school.

Since my wife and I both attended MU, we hoped she'd go there.  I asked her how aggressive MU was in recruiting her -- assuming they'd be very aggressive since they offered her a pretty nice scholarship.  She said they never called once, and instead only sent a few form letters.  That's it.  She chose the other school...which did a very "hard sell" on the quality of their honors program.

She is now finishing up her freshman year at the other school, on the Dean's list, doing research for a law school professor, and already taking "3000 Level" (Junior/Senior) courses as a freshman.  In other words, the kind of kid who'd have been nice for MU's stats, and the sort USC seems to be rolling out the red carpet for.  I can't say what she'd have done for sure, but suspect she might have been more interested in MU if the school has been more aggressive.

Don't get me wrong - I love MU and am not ripping them just because they weren't aggressive with my daughter.  But if the plan is to be aggressive with the kids toward the top of the school's spectrum, some seem to be falling through the cracks.

Well, I can only speak to the ones I called, but many of them did not answer and did not have working answering machines. We were instructed to leave messages if they did. Perhaps the volunteer responsible for your house did not leave a message, or the missed you guys. Would be unfortunate if that was the case, its not supposed to happen.

I also know they break it down by region. I am in the Chicagoland region and we are very thorough. If you are located somewhere else, maybe the admissions coordinator there isn't doing as good of a job.

[Hards Alumni]

You surely aren't blaming the meteoric rise in college tution on federal fiscal policies, right? That's a total non-sequitor.

I think people on the left and right agree this is an issue and universities need to be held accountable. Bottom line is there's just no accountability whatsoever. Ok, I somewhat blame the federal student loan agency as a secondary cause for automatically raising the amount students and parents can borrow, but they are doing this in response to the colleges themselves raising the cost.

The higher learning system needs a complete overhaul. They are supporting tenured professors with adjuncts who make slave wages and tuition costs that are driving middle class families broke.

Of course he is.  Don't you dare question him either.   

[warriorchick]

I wasn't alive then so I'm not saying you are wrong, this is just a little surprising because it wasn't an issue at other Jesuit schools like us such as Loyola Chicago and SLU, who both still have medical schools

They also have their own hospitals.  I am sure that makes a big difference.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I hope you're wrong.  I know that school is very expensive, but that is something that each student can decide for themselves.  I don't see the government bailing out everyday people.  It is too expensive, and it would infuriate the folks who have had to take it in the shorts with their property.

My friends who started as HVAC, plumbing, etc apprentices make a pretty good living.  Plus they don't have the enormous debt that exists for a lot of new graduates.  Additionally, there are actually jobs available.  It may sound like heresy, but if I had a child that was college age that didn't get scholarships, grants, financial aid, and was considering college, I'd tell him or her that they should probably not go to college.  The risk/reward just isn't there anymore.

As a side note, I think its great to go to school... the experience is wonderful, the people you meet become life friends, and depending on your major you can still find a job out of school.  I'd suggest going to community college for two years to keep costs low and then transfer to a major university.

On paper, you are 100% correct.

The one thing I REALLY like about a traditional 4 year experience is that it's a great incubator for kids. We all made stupid decisions at 18/19/20, but the college experience usually limits/covers some of those.

Living at home, going to community college, and driving around with your friends can sometimes amplify those poor decisions.