December 12, 2008

20 Years Later: How One Flagship Has Changed

By Goldie Blumenstyk

Even in the humble heartland, there is no escape from the academic arms race.

Twenty years ago, annual operating expenses for the University of Kansas campus here were $204-million. Today the institution spends more than triple that, even though its enrollment, 26,000, is almost exactly the same.

During the same period, tuition and fees for in-state students have increased fivefold.

Throughout academe, college leaders often explain the rising cost of a college