Inside Alabama This Fall: Slate article

[polly_mer]

https://slate.com/culture/2020/10/university-of-alabama-football-covid.html

The financial breakdowns are illustrative for those who don't know how big public universities are funded.

[histchick]

They could have substituted "Georgia" and "Athens" for "Alabama" and "Tuscaloosa," and the rest of the story wouldn't need to change. 

[mythbuster]

Based on reading the comments, the most controversial statement in this entire article is that Bama is the #1 party school in the country. Many people chiming in that their alma mater has better parties. Tells you everything you need to know.

[apl68]

A major state school where over half of the students are from out of state?  I didn't know there was such a thing.  That's thousands and thousands of students paying higher tuition than they'd presumably spend going to their own state publics.  Is football and partying really that crucial of a draw for that many students?

[RatGuy]

A major state school where over half of the students are from out of state?  I didn't know there was such a thing.  That's thousands and thousands of students paying higher tuition than they'd presumably spend going to their own state publics.  Is football and partying really that crucial of a draw for that many students?

Yes. Alabama recruits heavily from prep schools in NY, FL, Chicago, San Diego. They say "largest Greek system in the country" and "best football in the country." I remember when there was a thread on the CHE fora when the Alabama sorority recruiting videos got some mainstream media attention.

[mythbuster]

Just looked up the Princeton Review listing for Bama. 83% acceptance rate. My current uni (Compass point Steamy state) is more selective! But we have no football- and are rather proud of that fact.

[secundem_artem]

What caught my eye was the lack of complaining about the quality of the education for students attending Zoom U while being primarily concerned about "the college experience". 

83% acceptance rate??  Ye gawds.  Artem U (a regional comprehensive) has a 67% acceptance rate.  During football games, you could fire a cannon through the stadium and not hit anybody (and that was before Covid-19). 

[polly_mer]

A major state school where over half of the students are from out of state?  I didn't know there was such a thing.  That's thousands and thousands of students paying higher tuition than they'd presumably spend going to their own state publics.  Is football and partying really that crucial of a draw for that many students?

Discussion in higher ed literature for the past several years included the responsibility of the state institutions to the people of the state. 

A list from 2017 shows universities with a significant fraction of students from out of state: https://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/percentage-of-out-of-state-students-at-public-universities/360/

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2019/04/01/study-finds-public-universities-focus-out-state-recruitment-high

[Hibush]

the responsibility of the state institutions to the people of the state. 

Alabama leaders may feel differently from those in the majority of states about how much responsibility they have to the people, and express that different value in state policies.

[polly_mer]

the responsibility of the state institutions to the people of the state. 

Alabama leaders may feel differently from those in the majority of states about how much responsibility they have to the people, and express that different value in state policies.

The claim in several states when flagship/big public universities were called on having "too many" out-of-staters enrolled was that they were recruiting the best and brightest who would stay in the state after graduation.

That claim was laughed at in California, but perhaps Alabama could make it fly as a couple of the New England states did.

[Hibush]

the responsibility of the state institutions to the people of the state. 

Alabama leaders may feel differently from those in the majority of states about how much responsibility they have to the people, and express that different value in state policies.

The claim in several states when flagship/big public universities were called on having "too many" out-of-staters enrolled was that they were recruiting the best and brightest who would stay in the state after graduation.

That claim was laughed at in California, but perhaps Alabama could make it fly as a couple of the New England states did.

Alternatively, they may be saying that if the state won't support the university at a reasonable level they will act like a private university and admit students at the in-state tuition only to the extent that the state tuition appropriation makes up the balance.

[RatGuy]

Alternatively, they may be saying that if the state won't support the university at a reasonable level they will act like a private university and admit students at the in-state tuition only to the extent that the state tuition appropriation makes up the balance.

My experience is that this is closer to the reality. I don't see Alabama making claims that the students they recruit are actually staying. Indeed, my understanding is they recruit the "second tier" students who don't earn scholarships -- so the students pay full price and take 5 or more years to graduate.

[secundem_artem]

the responsibility of the state institutions to the people of the state. 

Alabama leaders may feel differently from those in the majority of states about how much responsibility they have to the people, and express that different value in state policies.

The claim in several states when flagship/big public universities were called on having "too many" out-of-staters enrolled was that they were recruiting the best and brightest who would stay in the state after graduation.

That claim was laughed at in California, but perhaps Alabama could make it fly as a couple of the New England states did.

Alternatively, they may be saying that if the state won't support the university at a reasonable level they will act like a private university and admit students at the in-state tuition only to the extent that the state tuition appropriation makes up the balance.

I can only imagine the board of regents or the governor taking that as a threat.  Doing that is one thing.  Saying it out loud is suicide.

[Hibush]

the responsibility of the state institutions to the people of the state. 

Alabama leaders may feel differently from those in the majority of states about how much responsibility they have to the people, and express that different value in state policies.

The claim in several states when flagship/big public universities were called on having "too many" out-of-staters enrolled was that they were recruiting the best and brightest who would stay in the state after graduation.

That claim was laughed at in California, but perhaps Alabama could make it fly as a couple of the New England states did.

Alternatively, they may be saying that if the state won't support the university at a reasonable level they will act like a private university and admit students at the in-state tuition only to the extent that the state tuition appropriation makes up the balance.

I can only imagine the board of regents or the governor taking that as a threat.  Doing that is one thing.  Saying it out loud is suicide.

The legislature and governor threatened to kill (=defund) the university many years ago, and then carried out that threat. To acknowledge that is hardly suicidal. The feared outcome has already happened.

[apl68]

When did the Alabama legislature decide to defund the University of Alabama system?  Was it during a state budget crisis, or did they just decide at some point that they didn't believe in funding the university system anymore?