Imperatives Of College Tuition

"Organizational imperatives" are the interests determined by universities to ensure their survival and reputation in the higher education system (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013: 19). Three primary imperatives—solvency, equity, and prestige maximization—significantly pressure universities to adopt an academic and social infrastructure that simultaneously fits the interests of students with their own (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013: 19, 20). Universities achieve solvency with the help of tuition revenue and state funding that make higher education more affordable to students. Deep state budget cuts, however, has led to a major increase in tuition and large-scale recruitment of upper and upper-middle-class, out-of-state students who bring in more tuition …show more content…
Universities that fail to commit to equity lose their legitimacy as a public good and risk further loss of state support. Recruitment of lower-middle and working class students helps universities make a case for equity and inclusion. These students or “strivers” fit the "mobility pathway" and attended college as a means of moving up the social class ladder by earning practical degrees to help secure immediate employment after graduation (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013). Educating strivers, however, is costly due to their inability to contribute fully to college tuition. Lastly, universities engage in a prestige arms race to boost national rankings and improve academic reputations. By lowering acceptance rates and heightening admission requirements, universities can reject all but the most affluent high-achieving students who can maximize prestige. These students—identified as either "achievers" or "underachievers"—fit the “professional pathway” and attend college with the primary goal of obtaining a lucrative, high-status professional job after graduation (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013). Moderately selective universities such as MU are deemed less prestigious, and therefore struggle to compete with more selective universities for these …show more content…
Universities lure these students by allocating substantial resources in the party pathway. The social scene becomes dominated by a powerful Greek system with fraternities and sororities that host numerous, exclusive social events and parties. Socialites and wannabes sacrifice considerable time, energy, and parents’ financial resources to sustain a party-focused lifestyle and form connections to enhance social prestige particularly in elite chapter houses. Universities accommodate the social interests of these partygoers with an array of easy majors (i.e., fashion, tourism), and academic schedules compatible with partying and commitments to Greek life (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013: 16). University resources and accommodations, however, best-suit socialites whose parents provide ample financial support and extensive social networks. Parents ' networks help them land glamorous, high-profile jobs that rely heavily on personal characteristics, making their academic records unimportant for success after college. Conclusively, socialites stayed on track for reproduction into privileged