Maybe it’s okay that the academic bubble is about to burst. After all, our colleges and universities seem to have lost their way, teaching gender studies, minority (majority) studies, left-wing views, and the never-ending politically correct mission of sustainability, equality, and socialism. Will the elimination of DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals be the last straw in academia? It very well could be. Let’s talk.
There was an interesting article on NPR worth listening to entitled: “California State University Chancellor Raises Concerns About Ending DACA,” part of the ‘All Things Considered’ room (4 minutes, 14 seconds long). The piece aired on September 6, 2017. During an interview with the Chancellor of the California State University system, Timothy White, he stated:
“Well, it would cause several thousand of our students and several hundred of our employees to lose the status that DACA has provided. And for some, that would mean they would drop out of school out of fear. For others, it would mean they couldn’t get a job or have the kind of ability to function in society once they get their college degree. To create legislation to reverse this. “
Personally, I bet it is much higher than that, I bet it is at least 5,000 students in 500 University employees. First, why does the University hire illegal aliens before US citizens? Second, are these 5,000 students borrowing money (student loans) to pay for their overvalued tuition? You know, the university is FREE in Mexico, but I suppose that if they do not return the student loans, here it is also FREE, just for them, since all citizen university students can never get out of their student loans, or those of the visas Of students have to pay exorbitant college tuition fees up front, often 3 times normal fees. Next up is this problem with the Cal Grant program: who do you think pays for it?
Meanwhile, the majority of college faculty pension funds across the country are in trouble (underfunded) and their salary continues to rise, and universities continue to hire more administrators for their already bureaucratic and brainwashing institutions. high level.
Now you might ask, why the heck does this author (me) care? Well, I am a taxpayer. And I understand the problems of social safety nets, but our taxes are paid by American citizens for our benefits, not to redistribute them to people in our country illegally. Yes, I understand the debate; “It’s not their fault, their parents brought them here at a young age, and this is the only country they know.” Understood, but that’s not my fault, nor should it be my problem just because I’m a white male.
Looks like we’re on a Catch-22 now. You see, if we send all DACA students back, they will default on their student loans and will finish their education in Mexico, where it is free, which could be enough to set off a bubble in the student loan market causing a severe decline. enrollment, as no one will be able to get a student loan in the future; citizen or not. Fewer students means tuition revenue will decline, staff and faculty layoffs will cause poor education, larger classrooms, and the bankruptcy of many university systems across the country. And mind you, the academic bubble will eventually burst, as it is “unsustainable” anyway, but this may speed up the time to clear that cliff.
It is a pity that the academy has been hijacked by the political forces of the left, now is the time for the pendulum to return to a certain sense of normality. Maybe it takes a big hit in the system to force a little common sense back into the university system, maybe this DACA rollback could be that pivoting event to a more reality-based place of higher learning.