the (recent) past & present of higher-education experiences

Over the past few decades, "higher education" (college/university/"trade" schools/etc.) has generally been seen as the road to success, particularly in either higher demand sectors (engineering/scientific/etc.), or higher frequency, for lack of a better word, sectors (anything business-related/education/etc.); that generally leaves stuff like the fine and "liberal" arts (usually inclusive of history/law/literature & writing/philosophy/psychology/sociology/etc.) clumped underneath those sectors in terms of post-graduation career prospects... Well, that might vary for each & every individual person out there, wherein somebody in engineering might end having to jump through 2 or 3 different jobs during/after undergrad/grad, while somebody in, say, law might immediately end up commanding, for instance, $80 or $90K/year, perhaps even during their studies (in rare, yet certainly possible, scenarios)! Obviously, none of said predicting is broad enough to consider where the country as a whole was, is, & will be in terms of "higher education" in the past/present/future...

The past was mostly about institutions putting forth just enough financial aid to offset students'/families' burdens, according to Laura T. Hamilton, of the University of California - Merced, as published in American Sociological Review back in January 2013:

"During the past three decades, the federal government has increasingly transferred a greater proportion of aid from grants to loans that are often carried in part by parents (Baum and Steele 2007; Paulsen and St. John 2002). At the same time, the proportion of revenue coming from state and local funding has gradually declined (Fain 2009; McPherson and Schapiro 1998).¹ At most schools, tuition has risen to make up the difference. In the past decade alone, average tuition and fees at private four-year colleges and universities increased at an annual rate of 3 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars; public schools saw an even steeper annual increase of 5.6 percent (Baum and Ma 2010).

These trends reflect a gradual shift in the responsibility for U.S. higher education funding—from state and federal subsidies to individual families (Lucas 1996; Price 2004)."

That doesn't include endowments, donated over the course of years or even decades, as listed by the Commonfund Institute in June 2013:

when measured against common Wall Street-type data, or, in other words, screw the S&P 500 & Russell 3000 indices:

(Harvard alone has over $36 billion left lying around in its own endowment fund, just for the record...)

As for the changes in said funds since then:

Keeping the whole scenario closer to home, however, here was the estimated cost on my current campus this academic year:

...&, since we're talking endowments & whatnot, its typical financial aid contributions:

Take away, say, "room & board", as that's almost always called, for some strange reason, as in my case, & that knocks the $20,420 down to $16,094, & the books, for that matter (I'd like to think I've figured out that whole racket by now), since who ever uses them now, right?... & that takes the $16,094 down even further to $14,760, so that means 62% of the costs are covered there for somebody like myself, still living at home, & not falling for the sham that is the "college experience" B.S. that they all keep pushing - heck, I'd prefer to think last semester, in particular, was almost due to that shift in our thinking about this whole time...

...well, that, & my decision to spend 2 weeks exploring parts of Japan giving me (at least in my mind, & literally nobody else's) this incentive to get back there, but that's a whole other story, which I'll get to after I make mention of Rutgers, to stay in N.J. for just a moment longer here:

N.Y. Times, 11/1/09, on Rutgers' adjustments to "the gradual trend toward privatization":

"Currently, only 10 percent of students at Rutgers’s New Brunswick campus come from outside New Jersey. The university could easily increase that number by tapping nearby New York and Pennsylvania. 

“The temptation for us to recruit more out-of-state students is very, very strong,” says Douglas S. Greenberg, executive dean of the university’s School of Arts and Sciences. State residents pay about $12,000 in tuition and fees, which is high for a public university. Out-of-state students pay almost twice that. 

Each nonresident means one less slot for a New Jersey resident. Mr. Greenberg says that leaves Rutgers with two options: get bigger or increase tuition even more. Neither would be easy. Enrollment has topped 37,000 at the main campus in New Brunswick, a record. For the second consecutive year, the university has placed undergraduates in a Crowne Plaza hotel because of a lack of on-campus housing. This year, there are 500. They ride shuttle buses for the five-mile trip to campus and were asked to pack light and leave posters at home. The upside: Housekeeping cleans rooms once a week, there’s a television in every room and students can use the fitness center and swimming pools. 

Mr. Greenberg says Rutgers, like most flagships, is wrestling with the gradual trend toward privatization. “Every time tuition goes up, we increase the possibility that we become more like a private university,” he says. This year, the State Legislature allowed Rutgers to increase tuition by only 3 percent, and the state is spending less on academic scholarships — though financial aid applications are up 27 percent. University officials say they have filled gaps by raising money from private sources."

Back to UC Merced's Hamilton:

"Most scholarship has focused on the link between aid and access and has not adequately addressed the effects of aid on college achievement and completion. Some recent research has begun to move beyond access. For example, scholars have shown that in some cases merit-based aid can boost achievement (Henry and Rubenstein 2002; Stater 2009), and other researchers have begun to trace the receipt of grants and scholarships to degree completion (DesJardins, Ahlburg, and McCall 2002; Dynarski 2003). Similarly, Paulsen and St. John (2002) indicate that unmet need is a barrier to persistence."

"For example, GPA can fundamentally shape students’ movement into advanced degree programs and boost earning power (Jones and Jackson 1990; Loury and Garman 1995; Mullen, Goyette, and Soares 2003). Degree completion is associated with greater access to higher paying and more privileged occupations, a higher probability of marriage, better health, greater civic participation, and intellectual development (for a review, see Stevens, Armstrong, and Arum 2008)."

on "moral hazard":

"Such concerns tap into an alternative theoretical framework for understanding parental financial aid in college, where more may actually be less. Moral hazard theory, like prior sociological research on parental investment, is derived from a rational choice perspective on human interactions (Heimer 1988). The assumptions, however, are much different. Moral hazard arises in situations of information asymmetry: individuals insulated from risk behave in ways not compatible with their investors’ goals. This may occur because they are not fully accountable for potential consequences and may pursue different interests."

debunking a commonly held myth about employment <=> achievement:

"Although working part-time during the academic year has no adverse effects on GPA, full-time employment does."

"Increases in first-year GPA also raise the likelihood of persisting to graduation.²⁶Students with parents married to each other are significantly more likely to graduate. Most majors are at least as likely, or more likely, to obtain a BA than engineering majors. The only exception is students who are undecided as of year one. Students enrolled full-year and full-time are also more likely to graduate. Notably, student employment, at any level, does not influence the odds of graduating. Finally, being at a private institution—only when selectivity and institution cost are accounted for—is associated with a decrease in the likelihood of graduating."

effects of various sociological factors on educational achievement, 1993-94:

(FULL DISCLOSURE: I barely survived my (post-secondary) stats class with my dignity intact...)

There isn't just the academic side to consider, however; how about the social side?

"Institutional context also matters. Colleges have long offered an alternative, primarily social, pathway to which students may devote their attentions (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013; Horowitz 1987). Higher education scholars have recently noted ways that student involvement in the social side of college life may shape academic achievement (Armstrong and Hamilton 2013; Arum and Roksa 2011; Stevens et al. 2008). Social integration has positive effects on persistence (Pascarella and Terenzini 2005), but being too involved in campus social life may have potential negative effects on student performance. As Arum and Roksa (2011) argue, many of today’s college students are “academically adrift”—that is, in college but focused on recreational rather than academic pursuits. Time-use studies support this conclusion. Today’s college students spend an average of 28 hours a week on classes and homework combined—less time than an average high school student spends in school alone—but devote a full 41 hours a week to social and recreational purposes (Brint et al. 2010)."

Now, where do Temple University's main (Philly) & international (Tokyo, Japan) campuses fit into this?

...let's start with their main campus:

 

...this was the most relevant part of my acceptance by them back in the fall of '13 - their business school:

...now, on to their international campus:

...which, according to XE.com, comes out to:

...I see the health insurance requirement, though, & I ask "why can't I just bring U.S. insurance along?"

& then there's this advice:

"Living on a Budget in Tokyo

Tokyo has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, but it is not really that different from London, New York, Paris or any other major city in developed countries. Along with the cost comes unparalleled service, quality control, and the privilege of being in one of the world's greatest cities. For those on a limited budget, it can be a challenge to constrain spending, but it certainly is possible and many students do live on a tight budget while studying at TUJ.

While in Japan, Do as the Japanese Do

Much of the spending done by non-Japanese comes from a tendency for newcomers to live a kind of extended tourist life -- overspending on entertainment, eating out, or shopping.

A positive aspect of Japan's highly developed economy is a wide range of options, with prices to match. You can get just about anything in Japan, but you often have to pay a premium to get imported items that are not the daily fare of a typical Japanese family.

The daily shopping for food and routine items are best done in local supermarkets, street markets (商店街-shotengai) or at discount chains like Hanamasa, Okay, Olympic, Don Quixote or any number of 100 yen stores (dollar stores).

Living like a Japanese person in practical terms would involve not just shopping locally, but also eating a genuinely Japanese diet. Meat in general is particularly expensive, thus the main staples are those that are readily available and cheaper – seafood, rice, and vegetables.

The Economies of Scale

A Japanese family eating together incurs a considerably less per person cost than a single person who makes each meal for him/herself. However, you can achieve similar economies of scale if you batch cook and store portions for future meals. Many students simply eat out rather than go to the trouble to pull together a meal. While 400-500 yen for a beef bowl doesn’t seem too expensive, over time, this can begin to add up, not to mention the health costs of eating fast food on a regular basis.

If you do eat out, look closely at the menu costs: often a drink will cost 1/3 to 1/2 of the food portion, and so you can save money simply by not ordering drinks. Note as well that except for family restaurants, it is rare for a typical Japanese restaurant to offer free beverage refills, so always check to confirm.

Choose Your Battles, Protect Your Money

One of the great things about being in Tokyo is all the wonderful food and consumer items that are available, but to "splurge" on a daily basis will undoubtedly affect your budget. While it may seem unduly restrictive, consider the possibility of eating out (and drinking) only on weekends or special occasions.

Often students end up spending a disproportionate percentage of their overall budget in the first few weeks after they arrive as they want to explore new places and go out with friends. This may affect your ability to budget money for TUJ activities or overnight trips and excursions and limit your choices later in the semester. If you intend on joining school-arranged outings, we suggest you register and pay at the beginning of the semester; otherwise, those funds will disappear incrementally and not be available later in the semester."

...why do that, though, when I'll be occupied with this?

"Internships

Global Temple Conference

• Home
• //  Temple Japan
• //  About Temple Japan

TUJ’s Career Development office coordinates a robust internship program, which provides students an invaluable opportunity to develop professional skills, gain international employment experience, network with field leaders and be immersed in Japanese culture. Many study abroad students take advantage of the internship program each semester.

• Internships are offered in the Tokyo area with Japanese multinational organizations, embassies, and NGOs.
• Interns work an average of 10-20 hours per week and earn three credits in one of the following departments: Asian studies, economics, international affairs, liberal arts, media studies & production, political science, or psychological studies.
• A faculty supervisor at TUJ oversees the internship, sets evaluation requirements, and meets with students throughout the semester.
• While some internships do require Japanese language ability, every semester, a number of study abroad students without bilingual skills are successfully placed in appropriate internships.

If you obtain an internship, you will continue regular coursework while participating in the internship and receive university course credit. The amount of time spent at the internship varies depending on the requirements of the organization, your availability and the restrictions of the course. 

All students are provided detailed information about available internships after being accepted to the study abroad program. Interested students then apply for an internship prior to departure for Tokyo.

TUJ Internship Program participants"

More than 50 organizations and institutions are currently participating in the TUJ internship program. They include:"

Adecco  AIG  AOI Pro  Audi Japan  BCBG Maxazria  British Chamber of Commerce Japan  Bosch Corporation  Delta Air Lines  Embassy of Greece Embassy of the United States  Empire Entertainment

GE Capital The Japan Times  Japanime Publishing  Kanagawa Sohgoh High School  Minato City Office  Ogilvy & Mather  Refugees International Japan Run for the Cure  Teckwah  Texas Instruments  Tokyo English Life Line

I promise you people that I'll get into the actual Japanese university system, & my strong personal interest in jumping into said system in the future, later on right here, but, until then, I leave you with my hopes RE: Temple Japan & its summer program, & also this:

...a little classic J-pop, if we can call 1994 "classic" just yet...

chapter 5: tracking the opposing Colombian troops' movements into Tokyo

     As the standoff inside Narita Airport continued in earnest, the FARC drug rebels slowly, but surely, advanced on the main entrance of Tokyo Station, in the Marunouchi district of Tokyo, planning on shutting down the city to the largest extent possible. The FARC leader, Timoleón Jimenez, had specifically ordered his men, who were more used to suburban and rural locations, like Medellín, than open-air big city battles, like Tokyo, to capture as much of the station as possible, in order to put a virtual lock on transportation in and out of Tokyo. Meanwhile, the Yamaguchi-gumi leader, Kenichi Shinoda, kept the task force occupied inside Narita Airport just long enough in order to let the FARC team into downtown, and also keep the Colombian Policía Nacional at bay, since General Rodolfo Palomino had sent some of his troops in from all over the Latin continent to fight off the FARC rebels on foreign turf, thus sparing the Colombian population of more drug battles on their own turf. When the PN troops landed on the first plane out of El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, word came in from headquarters that the FARC rebels were successful in the first move in the "battle of Colombia, except in Tokyo instead of Medellín":
          "Mantente 'salvo y sano', General Palomino... Nuestras fuentes aquí en Bogotá han obtenido noticias sobre los movimientos de los rebeldes de FARC, y han aprendido que el lider, el Señor Jimenez, ha aislado sus hombres en la estación de Tokio... Si ustedes pueden cortar sus avances en la estación, eso sería muy bueno para nuestras metas de liberar esta ciudad muy importante y moderna..."
     General Palomino himself was too busy moving his men, however, to listen to any briefs:
          "Oye, hombres! Nuestra misión aquí es liberar esta ciudad muy inportante para el mundo entero, y para despedir de los rebeldes, tanto nuestros rebeldes como los del 'yakuza' japonés!"
     His troops generally responded along the lines of "sir yessir!", meaning that they were more than willing to take back Tokyo from both the yakuza and the FARC rebels. Naturally, as is usually the case when police forces and rebels meet, there was a head-on "run-in" at the main entrance of Tokyo Station, and that was when Shinoda got word of the impending battle from Jimenez:
          "Shinoda-san... We've reached Tokyo Station, and so have the police cabrones who've traveled all the way over here to stop us, and then find their way over to your position! You'd best hold off the other cabrones from the corrupt FBI and the other thugs as long as you can, so we can make it over to you by Narita Airport!"
     Shinoda responded in kind:
          "Hello there once again, Señor Jimenez... I'm glad to report that we have the double agent (Hannelman) and the inner-city street thugs (Giunta and Scangalore) here with me inside Narita... No word on the traitor's (Yobito-san) whereabouts yet... I'll get some of the Mexicans on his case sooner rather than later, since it's important to me that we get all of them in here alive!"
     The word coming from Jimenez soon turned to orders of his own:
          "Hombres! Debemos asegurar todas las plataformas posibles, para negar las posiciones de las tropas de la PN! Después de que nosotros capturamos esta estación, el aeropuerto Narita será nuestra próxima parada, para capturar todos los modos de transporte aquí de una vez!"
     Those conflicting orders, with General Palomino addressing his troops, FARC leader Jimenez moving his men in on the exact same position, and Shinoda, the yakuza clan leader, all giving their interpretations of the ongoing events, set the stage for an epic set of showdowns, but before any of that action could begin, they had to account for Yobito-san's whereabouts, somewhere in Tokyo...

my university's pointlessly planned statue

nj.com, 1/9:

"The second-largest public college in the state is facing some criticism from students and graduates after agreeing to spend more than $200,000 on a 12-foot bronze statue of its mascot.

According to school officials, trustees at Montclair State University approved the purchase of a large sculpture of a Red Hawk at their October meeting. The commissioned statue will cost $210,000, and be installed in front of the Panzer Athletic Center before the start of the fall semester this year, school officials said in a statement.

School officials say about half of the cost of the statue will be paid for by the Student Government Association, which it says initiated the idea for the statue. The rest will be paid for by the school and private donations, they said.

In a statement released to the media, Montclair State said that the statue is meant to foster a greater sense of community on campus, raise school spirit, and generate excitement around its Division III athletics program.

"The Red Hawk statue...will go a long way toward helping the University to develop an even greater sense of pride and identity," the school said in the statement. "The creation of such an identity can be particularly challenging on a campus, such as Montclair State’s, that has a significant commuter population. Symbols like the Red Hawk statue will help to solidify the ties between the University and our students, providing both a stronger sense of community and a greater sense of obligation to future students."

But, according to a NorthJersey.com report, students and alumni are questioning the expense, especially in the face of rising tuition costs, and because the Student Government Association is funded by mandatory student contributions .

“It’s disappointing. I don’t understand the administration’s priorities,” graduate student Leah Stone told NorthJersey.com.

Some students also took to social media to express their displeasure.

Dézon Matta @ZeusTheGawd

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Montclair State is spending a quarter million on a Red Hawk statue... Let me hurry up and graduate so they can't waste any more of my money

2:22 PM - 9 Jan 2015

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c @corinnedannaa

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So Montclair is spending $210k on a statue of a red hawk.... Seriously .....

6:27 PM - 7 Jan 2015

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The controversy is similar to those seen at other state schools over large expenditures. Last year, Kean University’s purchase of a custom-made $219,000 multimedia conference table sparked harsh criticism from students, and the state Assembly’s higher education committee. Students even started a petition to fire university president Dawood Farahi over the purchase.

School officials defended it, saying the table benefits students, and is in line with the school’s strategic vision for its future."

northjersey.com, 1/9:

"Montclair State University has committed to spending nearly a quarter of a million dollars for the creation of a 12-foot bronze statue depicting the school’s red-tailed hawk mascot.

The statue, a symbol of courage and determination, is designed to reinforce a sense of community and to raise school spirit on the largely commuter campus, top administrators said.

But some students said it also raises questions about spending at the university.

“You know what could really help school spirit? If tuition weren’t so high, if there were parking spots for everyone, if everyone actually knew who their academic adviser was, and if the administration actually listened to students like they say they will,” said student Jo Landau.

Montclair is the second-largest of the state’s public universities after Rutgers University. Costs and enrollment have risen steadily at New Jersey’s public colleges and universities over the past decade — tuition and fees average 40 percent higher than the national norm — as they have embarked on high-profile capital projects and acquisitions.

Critics have complained of a lack of fiscal oversight from Trenton as the largely autonomous schools pursued projects large and small designed to raise their profiles, from a $102 million football stadium expansion at Rutgers to a $219,000 Chinese-made conference table recently purchased by Kean University for a new conference center.

Trustees at Montclair approved spending up to $225,000 for the sculpture at their October meeting, and the statue is expected to be installed in the plaza in front of the Panzer Athletic Center by the start of the fall semester, school officials said.

The sculpture of the Red Hawk, the school’s mascot, is expected to cost about $210,000, said university spokeswoman Suzanne Bronski. At Montclair, the Red Hawk is used as a symbol on brochures and ID cards, and even the campus diner is named for the mascot.

Bronski said symbols are important in society at large and on campus, noting the historic bell tower that she said is “making the days and evenings brighter for thousands of members of this community.”

The Red Hawk has “come to stand for the determination of our students to make something important of their lives and for the courage it takes to challenge oneself to truly fulfill one’s potential,” Bronski said. “When freshmen come to campus, they become Red Hawks, and we hope that helps them find their new identities as independent young adults.”

The Student Government Association – funded by mandatory student fees – is contributing $100,000 to the project, and the rest will come from university funds, Bronski said. About $4,000 in private donations has been raised for the project.

The Red Hawk is being crafted by Hanlon Sculpture Studio, which has done other school mascots, including the Seton Hall Pirate and Florida International University’s Golden Panther.

The studio, based in Toms River, also created the statue of Yogi Berra that sits outside the Yogi Berra Museum on the Montclair campus and the Miss America statue in Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

In soliciting sculptors for the project over the summer, the university stipulated that “the statue should exhibit an emotion consistent with a strong, intimidating, fierce, imposing and athletic sense of school spirit.” The statue is to be lit and feature “exposed talons, an open wingspan that a person could travel under” and a “graspable” beak. The statue will be 10 to 12 feet tall, excluding its base, said Bronski.

Clearly the university is going for a different, more iconic depiction than that offered by Rocky the Red Hawk, the giant-headed furry red mascot who shows up at athletic events.

The university said the bronze statue would help generate enthusiasm for its Division III athletics program, which comprises 17 varsity sports. Formerly the Indians, Montclair adopted the Red Hawk, which is indigenous to the area, in 1989. The school also has a Rising Red Hawks program that “works with high school students from urban areas to inspire and prepare them for college,” Bronski said.

Officials say the statue will provide a focal point and instill a sense of pride and tradition on the campus, which has been transformed by a building boom over the last decade and now has 20,000 students.

“It’s a celebration and as an institution what it does is to help teach students about community and commitment,” said Karen Pennington, vice president for student development and campus life. “Just as you have iconic figures in Washington, D.C. – we have the statue of Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C.”

Bronski offered a similar perspective: “Symbols have an im­portant place in the world with public monuments a part of the fabric of this nation. This statue will reconfirm a sense of community for the university.”

Pennington said the idea was initiated by students nearly eight years ago and is finally coming to fruition. George Juzdan, who graduated in May, was president of the Student Government Association last year when the group decided to fund the project. Each full-time student at Montclair pays $97.80 annually in mandatory fees to provide the SGA’s funding.

“Most of the students were onboard with the decision,” Juzdan said in email responses in which he noted that the group also spent money on scholarships, programming and events during his tenure. “It will leave a long-lasting impact and build a school spirit that should promote the university and its student/alumni retention.”

But Leah Stone, a graduate student who was a member of Student Government at the time, said she remembers the group bowing to administration pressure to fund what amounts to a “vanity” project to promote athletics.

“It was presented to the SGA as a way to raise school spirit because we’re not a Division I school,” Stone said. “I know at the time a lot of people in the SGA didn’t buy it.”

She noted that Montclair, and the other public colleges and universities, perennially complain that waning state support requires tuition increases, and that many of the school’s working-class students struggle to pay the $11,000 in annual tuition and fees.

“If cutbacks have to be made, how do we have $200,000 to spend on a friggin’ chicken statue?” Stone asked. “At the very least it’s disappointing. I don’t understand the administration’s priorities.”

Trustees voted for the expense in October, with little public comment or discussion. At their meeting, Professor Rich Wolfson, who heads the union representing faculty, librarians and professional staff, questioned the move.

“I think when they make an expenditure that large on things that are not academic, there needs to be more explanation,” Wolfson said later."

northjersey.com again, 1/10:

"Students and alumni on Friday debated whether Montclair State University should spend $210,000 on a 12-foot bronze statue depicting the school's red-tailed hawk mascot, which school officials said will reinforce a sense of community on campus and bring greater support for its athletic programs.

"It's unnecessary. They can use that money for other things,'' said Daniella Barquet, 18, a first-year student from Fairview who stopped by College Hall on Friday. "They can use it maybe to help students more financially, or to renovate buildings."

Reggie Curry, who graduated in December, said he didn't see a problem with the sculpture or the expense, as long as the university didn't have to raise student tuition to pay for the figure.

"It doesn't matter to me and if the statue will give the university more presence in the future, that's a good thing,'' he said.

Trustees at Montclair State approved spending up to $225,000 for the sculpture at their October meeting, and the statue is expected to be installed in the plaza in front of the Panzer Athletic Center by the start of the fall semester, school officials said.

The sculpture of the Red Hawk is expected to cost about $210,000, said university spokeswoman Suzanne Bronski earlier this week. The school will use capital plant funds accrued over time and used for campus improvements to pay for the statue, according to a statement sent out by the university on Friday.

Nearly half of the cost of the statue will be paid by the Student Government Association, which voted last year to contribute $100,000 of its discretionary budget toward the cost of the bronze figure, according to school officials. The association, funded by mandatory student fees, also conducted fundraising around homecoming and other activities to raise an additional $4,000 for the project.

"As additional donations are received for the project, they will be used to offset the amount of the University-provided contribution,'' the statement reads.

At Montclair, the Red Hawk is used as a symbol on brochures and ID cards, and even the campus diner is named for the mascot. When driving around campus, banners that read "This is Red Hawk Country" can be readily seen.

The Red Hawk is being crafted by Hanlon Sculpture Studio, which has done other school mascots, including the Seton Hall Pirate and Florida International University's Golden Panther.

The studio, based in Toms River, also created the statue of Yogi Berra that sits outside the Yogi Berra Museum on the campus and the Miss America statue in Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Brian Hanlon, the sculptor, said the bronze statue "should be an awesome image on the campus and long overdue."

The university said in its statement that the idea for a Red Hawk statue began eight years ago with a group of Montclair State students who wanted to create an iconic symbol to be placed prominently on campus. The university said that for centuries physical symbols, such as public monuments and town square statues, have played an important role in the life and traditions of communities around the world.

"The Red Hawk statue is a student-initiated project that will go a long way toward helping the University to develop an even greater sense of pride and identity,'' reads the statement.

"The creation of such an identity can be particularly challenging on a campus, such as Montclair State's, that has a significant commuter population,'' it added. "Symbols like the Red Hawk statue will help to solidify the ties between the University and our students, providing both a stronger sense of community and a greater sense of obligation to future students."

But raising school spirits and strengthening ties was not good enough reason for some students who said the university shouldn't embark on such a costly project. On Friday, some students turned to social media to express their displeasure over the expenditure.

"msu is spending 200k on a redhawk statue to promote school spirit lol,'' reads one tweet. "how about some better heating in the art building tho"

Even though students are on winter break until Jan. 20, a few students who were on campus on Friday had mixed reactions to the statue.

An MBA graduate student, who declined to give her name, said that the university is generous with scholarships and has waived the tuition of some students, including hers, that she said she couldn't criticize them for wanting a statue.

"It's a lot of money, but at the same time they help me a lot, the university gives a lot,'' she said. "If they are still giving back to the community with scholarships then I would be fine with the statue."

"This is not necessary whatsoever,'' said Amanda Schreiner, 21, a senior, as she waited for a bus with a friend, Katie Delaney, 21, of Plainsboro. They said the money would be better spent on adding more parking spaces to the campus.

April Vargo, 18, a first-year student from Point Pleasant, said the money could be used to fix older dorms. "I know the Red Hawk represents us, but it's placed all across the campus on banners and posters. I don't think we need a big Hawk and to spend that much money," she said.

Sharonda Wilson, from Jersey City, who was on campus on Friday with her 20-year-old son who was transferring from Monroe College, disapproved of the expense.

"As a parent, I think the money should be spent on something else, something that will help the students,'' she said. "Maybe on their education, on athletics."

University officials said that the statue will help generate "greater support and enthusiasm for our Division III" athletic programs, which include 17 varsity sports in which over 500 students participate annually."

nj.com again, 1/10:

"The president of the second-largest public university in the state defended the decision to spend $210,000 on a 12-foot bronze statue of its mascot.

In a statement sent to "members of the university community," President Susan A. Cole said the idea of the Red Hawk statue originated eight years ago as "an iconic structure on campus that would represent the university's spirit and ideals."

"For centuries, physical symbols, such as public monuments, statues, plaques, and architectural and artistic creations have played an important role in the life and traditions of communities around the world, including university communities," Cole said in her statement. "College is a transformative experience for young adults, and they take their identities as students and alumni of a particular institution with them through life."

Cole said in her statement the development of the statue "has been quite transparent," and that the university agreed to match the Student Government Association's contribution of $100,000 toward the cost. The SGA raised $4,000 at homecoming and other activities toward the statue, she said.

Some students and alumni have chafed at the expense in light of rising tuition costs and because the SGA is funded by mandatory student contributions, according to The Record.

“It’s disappointing. I don’t understand the administration’s priorities,” graduate student Leah Stone told the newspaper.

The statue will be installed in front of the Panzer Athletic Center before the start of the fall semester this year, school officials have said.

The controversy comes on the heels of Kean University’s purchase of a custom-made $219,000 multimedia conference table. Students even started a petition to fire university president Dawood Farahi over the purchase.

School officials defended it, saying the table benefits students, and is in line with the school’s strategic vision for its future."

Even more absurd is MSU president Susan A. Cole's defense of the statue, in an e-mail:

"Dear Members of the University Community:

I am writing to you about the Red Hawk statue that has been the subject of some media coverage today.

The idea for a Red Hawk statue originated about eight years ago with a group of student leaders who wanted to create an iconic structure on campus that would represent the University’s spirit and ideals. The Red Hawk, adopted by Montclair State as its symbol about twenty-five years ago, is a mythological bird closely based on the actual Red-Tail Hawk that can be seen frequently on campus. At the University, the Red Hawk has come to stand for the determination of our students to make something important of their lives and for the courage it takes to challenge oneself to truly fulfill one’s potential."

Not always... The university only adopted the hawk as its official mascot in 1990, & became a university in 1996, a shorter time than I've been on this planet...

"For centuries, physical symbols, such as public monuments, statues, plaques, and architectural and artistic creations have played an important role in the life and traditions of communities around the world, including university communities. College is a transformative experience for young adults, and they take their identities as students and alumni of a particular institution with them through life. The symbol of the Red Hawk, like similar symbols on campuses across the country and in the larger society, will help engender and support a sense of belonging to a community, a sense of the spirit and values of the University, a sense of obligation to future generations of students, a deeper sense of pride in students’ academic efforts and achievements, and a stronger commitment to the purposes of education in a democratic society. Symbols speak to people in ways that are different than words, and in ways that are distinctive to the human experience."

...when in Rome...

"The development of plans for the Red Hawk has been quite transparent at Montclair State.  After years of discussion and the generation of various concepts, in 2014, the Student Government Association (SGA) voted to approve a contribution of $100,000 of its discretionary budget and investment earnings towards the overall cost of the Red Hawk statue. The SGA also did fundraising at Homecoming and other activities to raise an additional $4,000 for the Red Hawk statue. Because the University wanted to be sure that the statue would be well-constructed, permanent, and virtually indestructible, the University’s Board of Trustees, in public session in October of 2014, approved a match to the student contribution from capital plant funds that have been accrued over time for the purpose of various campus improvements. As additional and expected donations are received for the project, they will be used to offset the amount of the University-provided contribution.

The Red Hawk statue is being designed and fabricated in Toms River (NJ) by Hanlon Sculpture Studio, which has created similar mascot statues for other universities, including the Seton Hall University Pirate, the Rowan University Owl, and the Florida International University Golden Panther. The Red Hawk statue will be installed in time for the fall 2015 semester at the main entrance to the Montclair State campus, near the Panzer Athletic Center and the John J. Cali School of Music. It will be a symbol of pride for the more than 500 students who participate each year in the University’s 17 varsity sports and for our talented student musicians and it will reflect the determination and courage of all of the University’s students."

...why, then, did these headlines just make the headlines? ...why now, not earlier?

As you can tell from those transcripts of those 4 articles above, as well as that e-mail, there's some serious self-idolatry in the executive ranks of 2 of the main public universities here in the Garden State: Kean University, in Union, & its $219,000 multimedia conference table, & my "home" campus, Montclair State University, which is technically in 3 municipalities (Bloomfield, Clifton, & Montclair), not just a single municipality, & its $210,000 "bronze hawk"... Notice I put both of those glorified construction projects' names in "quotes", since that's what they deserve, quite frankly, with the continued squeezing of everything else in college life up against what I believe is the next major financial "bubble", the higher education bubble, which I personally believe should've "popped" before pushing above $10,000 for the national average! As absurd as I think that whole situation is, & as certain as I am at the certainty of this massive "reset" of the higher education/post-secondary education system, these projects are just absolutely indefensible, regardless of where you currently stand in the whole system - whether you know somebody who somehow stands to benefit from either of these monstrosities, or whether or not you also oppose (& rightfully so) those wastes of everything... Even on just an individual basis, you know what could've happened instead of these things?

KU: $219,000 total for table / $11,000 per semester: approximately 20 students' worth
/ $22,000 per academic year: approximately 10 students' worth

MSU: $210,000 total for statue / $10,000 per semester: 21 students' worth
/ $20,000 per academic year: approximately 11 students' worth

combined: $429,000 / $21,000 per semester: approximately 21 students' worth
/ $42,000 per academic year: approximately 11 students' worth

Keeping those figures in mind - that the funds could easily see a few dozen students through an entire either semester or academic year, I thought it would be even more pointed to point out what Kean, in particular, has done in defense of its actions regarding that junk table:

1st, its "Vision 2020" initiative:

"Faculty 

Attracting world-class teacher-scholars to Kean is the first strategic goal of Vision 2020. Barring unforeseen circumstances, we will hire between 20 to 30 new full-time faculty every year for the next five years.

We also will create five new centers of academic excellence by 2015, in addition to the five we already have. We will invest heavily in creating programs for careers of the future, in the knowledge-based economy of the 21^st century."

That table won't help matters much in terms of getting new people through the doors on campus...

"Communications

At Kean, we need to embrace technology and communicate our information faster. We need to take our expertise and accomplishments, and provide a better platform to tell our story.

To this end we created Kean Xchange.  This is the place where people go to find out what you’re doing in the classroom, what research you are pursuing, and the insights you can provide on breaking news stories.

This is the place where people go to find out what’s happening on campus today, tomorrow and next month.

This is where our students get a chance to tell the world what they love about Kean.

This is what Kean Xchange does.  It allows us to tell the story of Kean University in real time  - across multiple platforms and on the devices that you all use all day long.  Whether on campus or off, using your PC or smartphone, Kean Xchange will connect you to what is going on at Kean."

That part has already been implemented:

"Applied Research

Another strategic objective of Vision 2020 is to focus on applied research. Kean already does well in this area, particularly in occupational and speech therapy. But we have an opportunity to be a national leader. We will do this by leveraging our experience, and by investing significant support for applied research to faculty and students alike."

...through what...? Building state-of-the-art learning buildings? Updating existing buildings &/or programs? Making sure as many students as are willing to move on up from their post-sec education do so? Many unanswered questions remain here...

"Partnerships

The next ten years at Kean University also will be characterized by successful, strategic partnerships. Kean University is ahead of the competition in this area. Our Drexel partnership gives Kean students a place in Drexel Medical School. Our Vo-Tech partnership brings 40 to 50 students to our Theatre program each year. Our nursing agreements with five county colleges channel hundreds of nursing students into our undergraduate and graduate programs, and our new initiative with the New Jersey Institute of Technology gives Kean students a brand new opportunity to pursue engineering degree programs at NJIT.

We pursue these partnerships for two reasons: first, to ensure that Kean University secures its future in a competitive, changing environment. Second, because it is part of our mission. These partnerships will redefine the future of Kean University—and secure our leadership moving forward."

"Academic Standards

Raising our academic standards is our fifth strategic area of focus. We have already started this work with general education. In fall 2012, we will require all students in our College of Education to have a GPA of 3.0 for graduation. We want to ensure that Kean is not only the largest producer of teachers in the state, but also the best. We will continue the process in all of our colleges during the next decade."

...why not "more than 3.0"...?

"International University

By 2020, Kean University will be an international university. Diversity is one of our greatest strengths.  In the next decade, the University will be a destination of choice for students, executives and government leaders around the world. Already, we have established exchange programs in places such as France, India, China and Spain.  In the future, we will welcome students from other nations around the globe and we will send our students to their native countries. Ten percent of our students within the next ten years will study abroad for a semester. The School of Global Education and Innovation will lead this effort, and the University will invest significant resources in supporting this international effort."

****... They're on to me... I actually support a part of this "initiative"... ... INITIATE SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE

Seriously, though, in the continued aftermath from the massive Wall Street-forced bailouts of 2008, & the continued higher education "rate shock", why keep pushing these stupid projects on everybody, when helping students with their education would help even more with lessening the future effects of this totally predictable tuition "bubble" "popping", & the resulting college/university enrollment crisis resulting from same?

...meanwhile...