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by akadien 4886 days ago
This is quite true. For state schools, new buildings may be a "gift" from the political class to show the public their support for higher education. The stupid irony is those buildings typically don't come with operations and maintenance funds. At the same time, state appropriations are decreasing, putting the pinch on O&M and department support. The university (or publicly supported research institute) has a shiny new building in which they can put neither equipment nor people.
3 comments
snomad 4886 days ago
The political class frequently uses college buildings to help fund re-election campaigns. The construction is done by a union or company that then donates to the political actor.
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wisty 4885 days ago
The Hollowmen (an Australian political sitcom, somewhere between Yes, Minister and The Thick of it) had something like this. The Prime Minister wanted a building, so he could get his name on it. The problem is, Canberra (the capitol) was already full of buildings with Prime Minister's names on them, and there wasn't any space to put anything new.

It's a great photo-op. "This $x million building will teach a new generation of students".

There's also the scope for corruption, when they pick the builders, but that's another story.

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akadien 4885 days ago
> There's also the scope for corruption, when they pick the builders, but that's another story.

I live in Louisiana. Tell me about it!

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wisty 4885 days ago
Sorry, not being American I know next to nothing about Louisiana; other than it's got gators, and All the King's Men was shot there.
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akadien 4885 days ago
We also have New Orleans, Mardi Gras, and much political corruption and cronyism.
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jobu 4886 days ago
It's too bad the donor money comes with so many strings attached. I wonder if the universities could get away with renting out some of the space in some of these buildings. That could at least cover some of the operating costs.
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hkmurakami 4886 days ago
It's a little ironic that I don't give to my alma mater's annual giving program precisely because there would be no strings attached and I'd have no idea what the administration would be spending the money on.

I'm hoping that in the future I'll be able to give to the Engineering school in some meaningful way, or contribute to need based scholarships.

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