Well, I have been outed by Wallerstein as just another entitled snowflake, oblivious of the real conditions of the working class. Ho hum.
Now, let's continue with his calculations. The standard course load for Columbia undergraduates is five a semester [ = 15 credits, or a bit more, depending], which is to say ten a year. Tuition at Columbia is roughly $60,000 a year, which works out to $6000 a course. My seminar is limited to 20 students, so it brings in $120,000 in tuition [never mind Columbia's 9 billion dollar endowment.] Let's see, I bring in $120,000 in tuition and I get paid $8,000. Granted, I get the use of a classroom two hours a week, and a tiny bit of the effort of a department secretary. In addition, the Chair of the department has promised that I can have a corner of an office to hang my hat in and meet students during the one hour a week Wallerstein has alloted to me.
Somebody is getting rich off my course, and it isn't me.
So why is Columbia's tuition so much? Ah, that will be for my next post.
That's $120,000 tuition revenue, mathematically speaking, but the argument remains the same.
ReplyDeleteI just realised that and changed it. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteIs it [i]you[/i] bringing that money in, or is it the commodity and credential that is a Columbia degree? Is profiting from you, or could you be profiting by your association with them? Lower level philosophy classes favorably contribute their share to the overall value of the "Columbia" degree? You and your particular course are an essential part of that value, not readily replaced?
ReplyDeleteAccording to your logic, it would seem that the teaching instructor who has dozens (sometimes hundreds) of students in introductory classes should be making the most money, but of course that is the opposite of what happens. Just making the point that the calculation is not so simple.
Of course, costs rise as well, things change, students demand more and different things. You are using valuable NY real estate there at Columbia, which needs to be kept clean, lit, wired, landscaped, etc. by people who all need to be paid in an environment that is heavily taxed and regulated.
Technology. All the magical stuff that has to happen now to move 1s and 0s through copper cable and wirelessly (and which is now expected to be ubiquitous and top quality at the modern University) costs a lot of money. Infrastructure, contracts, and highly paid professionals.