College tuition hike too much

[Allison]

The reality is that state schools are subsidized and unless taxpayers want to pay more to make up for lost revenues due to the depressed economy, that subsidy is naturally going to be less. The costs of providing education, however, do not go down proportionately. What are folks proposing? Having the universities not pay their bills?

Exactly.

Lets also not forget people wanting everything to be "better"-nicer residence halls, top of the line fitness facilities, and a wide variety of other amenities. Those things cost money.

At most colleges, tuition does not come close to covering the cost involved with running the institution.

I wish there was some magic answer.

 

[shrubber]

Well, this is what happens when you run out of other peoples money to pay for things.
Perhaps these students should take a closer look at what the state is using taxpayer dollars for.

 

[Nik's Mom]

What are folks proposing? Having the universities not pay their bills?

I'd start by having the system not spend wastefully. I worked for the CSU system and can tell you that they spent money like crazy on things that made no sense to the staff or students. And have upper management take a pay cut along with everyone else.

Golfgal, I can't remember a time when the community colleges were free unless we are talking about low income students who qualified for fee waivers. But for the last 20 years or so, there has been some type of charge to attend.

 

[bethbuchall]

The part that annoys me in NYS is that they are going to raise tuition, but approximately 30% of that raise is going into NYS general funds, not the SUNY system. We are paying more for education, but the schools are still going to have to make cuts. Overall, though, we have very reasonable tuition for the state schools.

 

[MrsPete]

Lets also not forget people wanting everything to be "better"-nicer residence halls, top of the line fitness facilities, and a wide variety of other amenities. Those things cost money.

I'll give you an example: When I was in college in the mid-80s, I lived happily in a dorm (with a roommate) for years. Those same dorms are now 100% SINGLE OCCUPANCY. Today's students are no longer willing to fit into a smaller space, no longer willing to share with a roommate. Sure, two closets, two dressers, and more floor space are very nice . . . but it'd be foolish to think you can have "more" for the same amount of money. They don't even offer the option of a shared dorm room anymore.

I know of at least one other college in our area that's doing the same thing.

 

[princessbride6205]

College doesn't have to cost you anything if you are willing to put the work in and apply for every scholarship under the sun. DH and I both put ourselves through college without one penny from our parents-private colleges at that. It can be done but it does take a little extra work.

Congrats on you and your hubby getting school for free, reality is that household income impacts numerous scholarship programs. What years were you two able to get your entire college educations paid for by such generous scholarship opportunities?

I'm also curious about this. I don't think affording college is a matter of just trying harder. My DH was in college a little over 10 years ago. He went to a state school, worked PT jobs, ate Ramen, shared a room with multiple people, and still had to drop out after 2 years. His parents weren't helping with costs, but their income put him above the financial need bracket. He was lucky and found a FT job. And it still took 5 years to pay back his college loans!
I don't think college is a guaranteed right, but I wish there were more ways to make it affordable.
I think $10k is a good deal HOWEVER, a 25-30% rise in any expense in 1 year is insane and would be very difficult for most to afford.

 

[bicker]

I'd start by having the system not spend wastefully.

That's easy to say (type), but let's say you pass a law that says that -- what effect does that have? Beyond that, if that's where you start, how long will it take you to do it, and if you're not going to be done by September, what do you propose folks do then? Just shut the college down until you've got your stuff all set up?

 

[bicker]

I don't think college is a guaranteed right, but I wish there were more ways to make it affordable.

I bet almost all of us do.

HOWEVER, a 25-30% rise in any expense in 1 year is insane and would be very difficult for most to afford.

No doubt; just like husband, wife and daughter all losing their jobs between April and August of last year, and all three still out of work. Lots of insanity; lots of difficulty.

 

[castleview]

I have a weird theory that the student loan is what drove up college costs. Universities knew an 18 yr. old wouldn't think twice about the amount of debt they'd accumulate, so they keep raising tuition. Our state schools are ridiculously expensive - I have trouble believing they are strapped because even when they were heavily subsidized (in better economic times), tuition still went up.

 

[dismom2]

Doesn't California have a program where you can go to college for free for 2 years or have they done away with that?

College doesn't have to cost you anything if you are willing to put the work in and apply for every scholarship under the sun. DH and I both put ourselves through college without one penny from our parents-private colleges at that. It can be done but it does take a little extra work.

It's not as simple as you are making it out to be. First of all, scholarships have stipulations; they have requirements that you must meet in order to apply, and you have to spend an enormous amount of time searching and sorting through them to find one that you might qualify for. Then, many of them only give a scholarship to one or a handful of individuals (and these days, the amount is not nearly what it once was, so you need multiple scholarships if you want to get a full ride). In addition, you usually have to write an essay explaining why you deserve it (and convince them why you deserve it more than the next person). Nowadays, many kids have impressive resumes and the competition is very tough. Your odds of being chosen are slim, no matter how great your resume and grades may be.

As for scholarships that might be simpler, many go by your income. A lot of middle class folk fall in that area where they live paycheck to paycheck (or just over) but make too much to qualify for a grant or scholarship. It seems as if school is 'affordable' if you are living in poverty and qualify for grants, or you are wealthy. It's the kids who fall inbetween who are being screwed in most cases.

It's really an overwhelming process. Yes, if you have a LOT of time on your hands, it's nice to try to get these scholarships, but it is a lot of work for a slim chance. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but lets be honest about the process. I used to volunteer at a college and I know a little bit about this.

What year did you get all these scholarships?

Also-- for those of you who have junior colleges that only cost $20 bucks a credit hour? That's great, but not the case in most places.

I'm not an economist, and I don't have the answers, but I do think it's a shame that all kids cannot afford a higher education. There are so many very intelligent kids out there whose furtures depend on their education, and they need to be able to afford it. Do you realize how many kids' dreams are being flushed down the toilet because they can't afford their education?

I do agree that kids can and should take as many classes as they can at the community college to save on tuition charges...this will help them financially before they move up to the university.

There has to be a better solution than upping the tuition so much at once. How about a steady increase at least. Many kids are going to be forced to drop out. What about the kids who work to pay their tuition? They can't always work more hours-- they need time to do their school work. Not everybody can swing a full time job and full time classes... the amount of homework is incredible. Remember--most of the work in college is done at home, while school is listening to lectures mostly, and taking notes (not every subject, but many).

 

[bicker]

I have a weird theory that the student loan is what drove up college costs. Universities knew an 18 yr. old wouldn't think twice about the amount of debt they'd accumulate, so they keep raising tuition.

That's an interesting thesis. I doubt that the correlation is as close as you imply, but the underlying logic does make rational sense: A private university is no different from a financial adviser, in that it provides you a service that presumably increases the value of your assets. It might be interesting letting universities offer a deal where they get a set percentage of your income for say 30 years, in lieu of most of the tuition portion of your bill.

 

[golfgal]

I'm also curious about this. I don't think affording college is a matter of just trying harder. My DH was in college a little over 10 years ago. He went to a state school, worked PT jobs, ate Ramen, shared a room with multiple people, and still had to drop out after 2 years. His parents weren't helping with costs, but their income put him above the financial need bracket. He was lucky and found a FT job. And it still took 5 years to pay back his college loans!
I don't think college is a guaranteed right, but I wish there were more ways to make it affordable.
I think $10k is a good deal HOWEVER, a 25-30% rise in any expense in 1 year is insane and would be very difficult for most to afford.

So did about 80% of the people I went to college with. The problem is that kids don't want to work at going to school. Everyone I know had jobs, ate Ramen noodles and shared apartments. Most people take a LOT longer than 10 years to pay back student loans. Too many people are just too used to having everything handed to them.

It's not as simple as you are making it out to be. First of all, scholarships have stipulations; they have requirements that you must meet in order to apply, and you have to spend an enormous amount of time searching and sorting through them to find one that you might qualify for. Then, many of them only give a scholarship to one or a handful of individuals (and these days, the amount is not nearly what it once was, so you need multiple scholarships if you want to get a full ride). In addition, you usually have to write an essay explaining why you deserve it (and convince them why you deserve it more than the next person). Nowadays, many kids have impressive resumes and the competition is very tough. Your odds of being chosen are slim, no matter how great your resume and grades may be.

As for scholarships that might be simpler, many go by your income. A lot of middle class folk fall in that area where they live paycheck to paycheck (or just over) but make too much to qualify for a grant or scholarship. It seems as if school is 'affordable' if you are living in poverty and qualify for grants, or you are wealthy. It's the kids who fall inbetween who are being screwed in most cases.

It's really an overwhelming process. Yes, if you have a LOT of time on your hands, it's nice to try to get these scholarships, but it is a lot of work for a slim chance. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but lets be honest about the process. I used to volunteer at a college and I know a little bit about this.

What year did you get all these scholarships?

Also-- for those of you who have junior colleges that only cost $20 bucks a credit hour? That's great, but not the case in most places.

I'm not an economist, and I don't have the answers, but I do think it's a shame that all kids cannot afford a higher education. There are so many very intelligent kids out there whose furtures depend on their education, and they need to be able to afford it. Do you realize how many kids' dreams are being flushed down the toilet because they can't afford their education?

I do agree that kids can and should take as many classes as they can at the community college to save on tuition charges...this will help them financially before they move up to the university.

There has to be a better solution than upping the tuition so much at once. How about a steady increase at least. Many kids are going to be forced to drop out. What about the kids who work to pay their tuition? They can't always work more hours-- they need time to do their school work. Not everybody can swing a full time job and full time classes... the amount of homework is incredible. Remember--most of the work in college is done at home, while school is listening to lectures mostly, and taking notes (not every subject, but many).

I never said it was simple and if you read my post I specifically said you had to WORK at it. There are millions of dollars out there in scholarship money that goes unclaimed every year. There are scholarships available for kids that have blue eyes or have a German last name. There are also search sites for scholarships that do all the work for you searching them out. You answer a few questions and the best matches show up-that part is really easy. We just did this for our DS17 an 89 scholarships show up on one site alone. We are doing this RIGHT NOW-it isn't something that happened 20 years ago.

As for the college prices in California--California is BROKE, they don't have a choice AND their state schools fall in the lowest prices in the COUNTRY. Let's see, my son is going to an ok state school in MN for twice what it cost to go to BERKLEY???? Where do you suggest the schools get the money? The state doesn't have any to give it has to come from somewhere.

Not many schools have a good transfer system for Community College credits so that isn't always the best option and is often a waste of money.

 

[bicker]

So did about 80% of the people I went to college with. The problem is that kids don't want to work at going to school. Everyone I know had jobs, ate Ramen noodles and shared apartments. Most people take a LOT longer than 10 years to pay back student loans. Too many people are just too used to having everything handed to them.

There is a lot to what you're saying here. There is no question that Entitlement Mentality has spread rampant in the generation since we were in college, and given how clearly we can see how it is changed the way adults interact with society, is it any wonder that teens and young adults exhibit the same tendencies? To be fair, though, this situation is not only a reflection of the Entitlement Mentality affecting those seeking higher education, themselves, but because it so pervasively affects adults-in-general, that has caused a lot of the support systems that were in place a generation ago, that helped folks deal with affording higher education, to dry up. Essentially, the folks going to college now are hit with a double-whammy: They're less willing to work for it, and there is more work to do to be able to do it.

 

[MrsPete]

I never said it was simple and if you read my post I specifically said you had to WORK at it. There are millions of dollars out there in scholarship money that goes unclaimed every year. There are scholarships available for kids that have blue eyes or have a German last name. There are also search sites for scholarships that do all the work for you searching them out. You answer a few questions and the best matches show up-that part is really easy. We just did this for our DS17 an 89 scholarships show up on one site alone. We are doing this RIGHT NOW-it isn't something that happened 20 years ago.

I just typed this up, and my computer shut down -- if I'm double-posting, sorry.

While what you're saying is true, it's not the whole story. I've taught high school seniors for almost 20 years, and I see students (and their parents) delve into this idea year after year: They think they're going to get loads of scholarship money just by searching for scholarships and going to the trouble to fill out the paperwork. I have yet to see anyone actually GET one of these mythical "unclaimed" scholarships. No, no, I am not telling you the truth: I've seen people GET them, but I have yet to see anyone USE them. And I've seen a great deal of disappointment over these "unclaimed" scholarships.

Here's the catch:

These too-good-to-be-true scholarships -- the ones that promise money to a blue-eyed athlete with asthma, or a future business major whose parent was in the miltary, or a left-handed student who can prove Italian ancestory -- are real, BUT they are only available to students who are going to attend CERTAIN SCHOOLS (usually expensive schools). In reality, accepting these small scholarships would mean the student would have to pass up an affordably-priced state school near their own home . . . and instead attend an expensive, often private school several states away. Often students don't realize that the scholarship has significant strings attached until he's already put a good bit of work into obtaining the award. In the worse situations, some of these scholarships charge "application fees", and students who don't read the fine print (scholarship can only be used at University of Alaska's community college branch, and only by students planning to study dentistry) may pay before they realize that they'll never use this particular scholarship. The math doesn't work in the student's favor; money is not sitting around unclaimed.

Oh, if you're the right person in the right place and you know to apply, it's a great little perk -- but it's not going to be enough to put you through college, and it's not going to be enough to justify choosing that other school.

Let me give you a real-life example: My own daugthers are very involved in scouting, and GSUSA is always talking about scouts earning scholarships. So I decided to look into it, thinking that my girls would definitely qualify. Oh, they'll qualify all right . . . they can get a couple-hundred dollars IF we choose to send them to private schools in the $30,000 range, the closest of which is two states away. It makes much more sense to investigate the in-state options, which run $10,000-12,000.

It's kind of like Disney's get-a-free ticket on your birthday special. Yeah, I can get into the parks for free . . . if I pay for the rest of my family's tickets, transportation to Florida, a hotel, meals and more. It's a great deal FOR THE PERSON WHO WAS GOING ANYWAY. It's not enough to convince you to make the trip.

I hope you can prove me wrong. Go through those 89 scholarships, and see how many of them are REALISTIC CHOICES for your son. Not things for which he's qualified, but things which he'd actually be able to use.

 

[MrsPete]

I have a weird theory that the student loan is what drove up college costs. Universities knew an 18 yr. old wouldn't think twice about the amount of debt they'd accumulate, so they keep raising tuition. Our state schools are ridiculously expensive - I have trouble believing they are strapped because even when they were heavily subsidized (in better economic times), tuition still went up.

That's not such a weird theory. At least two other people -- me being one of them -- have proposed the same thought.

I think the same thing is true of medical insurance.

 

[golfgal]

I just typed this up, and my computer shut down -- if I'm double-posting, sorry.

While what you're saying is true, it's not the whole story. I've taught high school seniors for almost 20 years, and I see students (and their parents) delve into this idea year after year: They think they're going to get loads of scholarship money just by searching for scholarships and going to the trouble to fill out the paperwork. I have yet to see anyone actually GET one of these mythical "unclaimed" scholarships. No, no, I am not telling you the truth: I've seen people GET them, but I have yet to see anyone USE them. And I've seen a great deal of disappointment over these "unclaimed" scholarships.

Here's the catch:

These too-good-to-be-true scholarships -- the ones that promise money to a blue-eyed athlete with asthma, or a future business major whose parent was in the miltary, or a left-handed student who can prove Italian ancestory -- are real, BUT they are only available to students who are going to attend CERTAIN SCHOOLS (usually expensive schools). In reality, accepting these small scholarships would mean the student would have to pass up an affordably-priced state school near their own home . . . and instead attend an expensive, often private school several states away. Often students don't realize that the scholarship has significant strings attached until he's already put a good bit of work into obtaining the award. In the worse situations, some of these scholarships charge "application fees", and students who don't read the fine print (scholarship can only be used at University of Alaska's community college branch, and only by students planning to study dentistry) may pay before they realize that they'll never use this particular scholarship. The math doesn't work in the student's favor; money is not sitting around unclaimed.

Oh, if you're the right person in the right place and you know to apply, it's a great little perk -- but it's not going to be enough to put you through college, and it's not going to be enough to justify choosing that other school.

Let me give you a real-life example: My own daugthers are very involved in scouting, and GSUSA is always talking about scouts earning scholarships. So I decided to look into it, thinking that my girls would definitely qualify. Oh, they'll qualify all right . . . they can get a couple-hundred dollars IF we choose to send them to private schools in the $30,000 range, the closest of which is two states away. It makes much more sense to investigate the in-state options, which run $10,000-12,000.

It's kind of like Disney's get-a-free ticket on your birthday special. Yeah, I can get into the parks for free . . . if I pay for the rest of my family's tickets, transportation to Florida, a hotel, meals and more. It's a great deal FOR THE PERSON WHO WAS GOING ANYWAY. It's not enough to convince you to make the trip.

I hope you can prove me wrong. Go through those 89 scholarships, and see how many of them are REALISTIC CHOICES for your son. Not things for which he's qualified, but things which he'd actually be able to use.

Well, I my experience a lot of kids DO get these scholarships. Yes, the ones for kids with blue eyes are few and far between but most of the scholarships we pulled up are local from various corporations, trusts, etc. Around here if you are a good student you can expect to pay next to nothing or nothing at all for college. We have many, many, many friends who's kids are paying nothing for college-heck one friend's daughter got enough in scholarship money that she is MAKING money going to college. I don't know ANYONE that is paying 100% of their college bill either through aid or scholarships.

Yes, some of the scholarships we see do apply to certain schools but the majority of them do not AND they are very upfront about that so it isn't like you apply and they send you a letter saying-oh, you only can use this if you go to XX college.

Out of the 89 choices about 50 of them are local scholarships that he is qualified for and he isn't even that great of a student (well he could be a better student but his GPA isn't that great). Yes, we get a bunch of junk ones too but for the most part they are not.

Also keep in mind that the amount of aid you qualify for also depends on the cost of the school you attend. More often than not it is LESS expensive to attend a private school than a state school. I know the school I attended gives out an annually renewable scholarship 100% based on grades-not need. If you have a 3.75 or above, $12,000, thanks for coming. It scales down from there but even at a 3.5 you are looking at $7500 just for walking through the door.

Heck, DS is getting a $2500 scholarship just because his Grandpa attended the college he is attending. His is also getting $800 because of his ACT score (which was good but not great and no where near outstanding). If his score was 2 points higher it would have been $1500. Keep in mind that has a totally average GPA too.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Well, I my experience a lot of kids DO get these scholarships. Yes, the ones for kids with blue eyes are few and far between but most of the scholarships we pulled up are local from various corporations, trusts, etc. Around here if you are a good student you can expect to pay next to nothing or nothing at all for college. We have many, many, many friends who's kids are paying nothing for college-heck one friend's daughter got enough in scholarship money that she is MAKING money going to college. I don't know ANYONE that is paying 100% of their college bill either through aid or scholarships.

Yes, some of the scholarships we see do apply to certain schools but the majority of them do not AND they are very upfront about that so it isn't like you apply and they send you a letter saying-oh, you only can use this if you go to XX college.

Out of the 89 choices about 50 of them are local scholarships that he is qualified for and he isn't even that great of a student (well he could be a better student but his GPA isn't that great). Yes, we get a bunch of junk ones too but for the most part they are not.

Also keep in mind that the amount of aid you qualify for also depends on the cost of the school you attend. More often than not it is LESS expensive to attend a private school than a state school. I know the school I attended gives out an annually renewable scholarship 100% based on grades-not need. If you have a 3.75 or above, $12,000, thanks for coming. It scales down from there but even at a 3.5 you are looking at $7500 just for walking through the door.

Heck, DS is getting a $2500 scholarship just because his Grandpa attended the college he is attending. His is also getting $800 because of his ACT score (which was good but not great and no where near outstanding). If his score was 2 points higher it would have been $1500. Keep in mind that has a totally average GPA too.

Your experience is NOT the norm. Sounds like kids in your area are very lucky. I graduated from high school in 2005, and my sister graduated in 2008. Both of us applied to dozens of local scholarships. I got enough ($650) to almost cover my books for my first year. I don't know that my sister got any. I had very above average grades, AP classes, extracurricular involvement, leadership positions, community service, etc. The local scholarships went to the superhuman kids-4.0 gpa, near perfect SAT, and involvement in virtually every club available. Or they had "financial need" requirements and those were pretty close to poverty level.

I DID get scholarship money from schools I applied to, as did my sister. But even in cases where I got (supposedly) the top scholarship award offered by a school, it brought the price tag down to within the same range as the instate (public) school I ended up at. The instate school gave me $1000/year to offset their least affordable instate in the nation pricetag. I finished my undergrad in May; my parents forked out $80k over 4 years for my education (commuting was not a viable option, nor were community colleges), and rest assured I lived in doubles and built up dorm rooms, and had the middle of the road meal plan throughout my undergrad career. I don't dare tally my sister's out of state costs. And our experience in terms of scholarship money was completely typical among those I (and my sister) went to high school with.

 

[MrsPete]

Well, I my experience a lot of kids DO get these scholarships. Yes, the ones for kids with blue eyes are few and far between but most of the scholarships we pulled up are local from various corporations, trusts, etc. Around here if you are a good student you can expect to pay next to nothing or nothing at all for college. We have many, many, many friends who's kids are paying nothing for college-heck one friend's daughter got enough in scholarship money that she is MAKING money going to college. I don't know ANYONE that is paying 100% of their college bill either through aid or scholarships.

So you're basing your opinion on what your personal friends say? That's rather subjective. People like to have people think their kids are super-smart and are winning everything; for example, the number of people on the boards who claim their kids attend Ivy Leagues (it's true that I live far from these hallowed halls, but I have personally taught exactly four students who've gone on to Ivy Leagues). People tend to exaggerate and they SAY "Ivy League" when they mean "very good, competative school". Same thing with scholarships; people say that their kids got scholarships -- that could mean anything from a $500 scholarship to a full-ride. Also, we tend to hear what we want to hear; parents HOPE that these scholarships are everywhere, so they tend to hear only the positives.

If your son's a good student, he probably tends to hang out with other good students. I'm sure there are positive stories among his peer group, positive stories about students earning great scholarships. BUT none of these students are putting themselves through school on the "you've just gotta look for them" scholarships. REAL scholarship money is not going unclaimed. That myth is flat-out false.

On the other hand, my opinion is based upon having taught high school seniors for 17 years. I've taught a wide range of students: some top-top academic students, some who just barely graduated, some who had money, some who had tremendous need, some who had lots of extra things going for them, some who were very run-of-the-mill. My opinion is based upon the reports that our guidance office puts out at graduation. These reports detail (to the penny) how much scholarship money the class won, how many students won large scholarships, how many students won small awards, etc. Based upon years of having read these reports, I assure you that MOST college students are paying the majority of their college expenses out of pocket, through federal financial aid, or through student loans.

Yes, you CAN "get paid to go to college". I know a 2008 graduate who's doing it, but this is extremely rare.

Out of the 89 choices about 50 of them are local scholarships that he is qualified for and he isn't even that great of a student (well he could be a better student but his GPA isn't that great). Yes, we get a bunch of junk ones too but for the most part they are not.

See, you just cut that huge number in half -- before even filing the applications! The "you just have to look for them" scholarships just aren't what you think they are. They aren't just out there waiting for the people who bother to search.

Also keep in mind that the amount of aid you qualify for also depends on the cost of the school you attend. More often than not it is LESS expensive to attend a private school than a state school. I know the school I attended gives out an annually renewable scholarship 100% based on grades-not need. If you have a 3.75 or above, $12,000, thanks for coming. It scales down from there but even at a 3.5 you are looking at $7500 just for walking through the door.

Again, this is more of a myth that the truth. Private schools turn out to be less expensive than public schools JUST OFTEN ENOUGH that people keep talking about it. For the vast majority of students, this nice situation isn't going to happen. AND, for those who are offered such a deal, you need to be sure that it's an every-year thing. There's not much point in getting a great deal on your freshman year if they just expect full-priced tuition for the next three years. Just be careful what you buy into.

I'm assuming this is the first child you've prepared for college. Look for these things, but don't assume that they're going to come through for you.

 

[MrsPete]

Your experience is NOT the norm. Sounds like kids in your area are very lucky. I graduated from high school in 2005, and my sister graduated in 2008. Both of us applied to dozens of local scholarships. I got enough ($650) to almost cover my books for my first year. I don't know that my sister got any. I had very above average grades, AP classes, extracurricular involvement, leadership positions, community service, etc. The local scholarships went to the superhuman kids-4.0 gpa, near perfect SAT, and involvement in virtually every club available. Or they had "financial need" requirements and those were pretty close to poverty level.

THIS is more in line with what I've seen in my years of teaching high school seniors. Very good students (who also have the leadership, etc.) who work very hard at searching for local scholarships may get a small amount of money (and every bit helps) for their freshman year. No one gets the left-handed scholarships.

 

[Nik's Mom]

That's easy to say (type), but let's say you pass a law that says that -- what effect does that have? Beyond that, if that's where you start, how long will it take you to do it, and if you're not going to be done by September, what do you propose folks do then? Just shut the college down until you've got your stuff all set up?

They have over spent for years. I know. I worked in that system. They need to look at how they manage their money at some point. This may not immediately solve the problem, but it will help in the long run.