Colleges see big funding, slow progress(EDUCATION NEEDS MORE MONEY TO WASTE)

SIGN ON SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE ^ | May 18, 2008 | Eleanor Yang Su

[OKIEDOC]

Since 2002, taxpayers have entrusted San Diego community college leaders with $1.5 billion to transform three campuses, modernize six adult education centers and expand academic programs. So far, they have spent less than 15 percent of the money, constructing or renovating about a dozen buildings. The San Diego Union-Tribune analyzed thousands of district records and interviewed dozens of people and found that college officials missed many project deadlines and struggled with runaway costs for land and building materials.

Failure to act quickly in the escalating real estate market cost the district millions.

Delays in acquiring real estate cost millions of dollars. In multiple instances, prices shot up by more than $3 million between the time the college district approved land purchases and actually made them.

Officials with the San Diego Community College District acknowledge that they had problems managing the massive scope of work, and concede some mistakes as a result of inexperience. They say their primary mission is education, not construction.

SNIP

District officials have not set specific academic goals tied to the bond money, but say they are confident it will have an impact.

“Students tend to thrive in comfortable, well-lit, well-ventilated environments,” said Marty Block, president of the district's board of trustees. “These necessary amenities will all be features in our new buildings. They will be environments where students can be productive.”

[OKIEDOC]

They say their primary mission is education, not construction.

Comment:

Always excuses for ineptness.

“Students tend to thrive in comfortable, well-lit, well-ventilated environments,” said Marty Block, president of the district's board of trustees. “These necessary amenities will all be features in our new buildings. They will be environments where students can be productive.”

Comment:

Same ole dipisshittis excuse "Why Big Johnny Can Not Learn"

When I went to college, many of my classes were wherever the university had spare room and that included basements, old buildings and no air-conditioning on hot summer days.

I would stack up that experience with any being offered in today's educational environment.

Abraham Lincoln read by fireplace light and he turned out to be extremely intelligent.

[17th Miss Regt]

Officials with the San Diego Community College District acknowledge that they had problems managing the massive scope of work, and concede some mistakes as a result of inexperience. They say their primary mission is education, not construction.

This absolutely shouts for a knowledgeable outside engineering firm to come in and manage the projects for the SDCCD. The money now being wasted could be used as the management fee and a performance incentive system for the contractor.

If the educrats object to relinquishing control of the money, point out that the contractor is now responsible for meeting deadlines and for buying real estate in a timely fashion. The educrats could not do that. After all, by their own admission, their primary mission is education, not construction.

[OKIEDOC]

Don't get me wrong about my love of education.

However, I am starting to take the side of many that our education dollars are being spent frivolously.

New buildings are fine if absolutely needed to take care of enrollment.

But to pass bonds and raise taxes so some soft child wanting an education doesn't have to sweat during a class is not my cup of tea.

My alma mater is spending millions of dollars to update a scoreboard that is fairly new.

Yet the university is constantly sending me letters asking for more and more donations to improve the learning environment.

Education is out of whack in all areas and we tax payers need to start reading all those bond proposals put out by the Tax and Spend Tenured Liberal Educators and politicians.

Something is dreadfully wrong that getting and education has inflated at a much higher rate than other areas of the economy.

I just shelled out nearly $800.00 dollars for books and supplies for a child this semester.

I don't think my undergrad degree cost much more than that during the four years it took to get the sheep skin.

[17th Miss Regt]

You will find no disagreement here. By and large, the educrats cannot resist empire building. It is a bureaucratic imperative.

What I have seen is that the best values for education may be found in some smaller colleges that have to watch their dollars carefully. They don't have enough money for a department of GLBT studies or womyn's studies. So they carefully use the money they have to accomplish their educational mission. They do not really want to grow up and be a Harvard or USC. They think teaching young folks to think for themselves is more important. The growth will come naturally by reason of a reputation for excellence.

Personally, it seems to me that there is approximately an inverse relationship between level of funding and the quality of education provided in public shools, both at the secondary and undergrad levels.

[bdfromlv]

Did it mention that the delay was because the teachers or thier reps probably owned the land that was over priced. or maybe the land owners never thought about the value of the property. ha ha

[OKIEDOC]

Did it mention that the delay was because the teachers or thier reps probably owned the land that was over priced. or maybe the land owners never thought about the value of the property. ha ha

Comment:

No, but I would not find it odd if on further checking that those in power had some of the outgoing funds shoveled back to them in the form of kickbacks.