The price of admission?

Many of us were shocked with the multitude of headlines that focused on the admissions scandal involving some of the country’s most elite universities.  As many of us are aware, the rich and influential in our society have often used their resources to “purchase a place for their children” at universities.  A scholarship in the name of a beloved uncle or grandmother, a building with the name of the family etched on a plaque or into the façade of the building, the use of the family’s company plane to travel about the country in search of high-profile athletes, and on and on.  We have accepted the reality that the “haves” are much more equipped to influence the decisions for admission than the “have-nots”.  The recent scandal took all of this “influence peddling” to a different and more egregious level.   Paying an individual to either take the standardized test or change the answers of the test; transposing the head of their child on the body of an athlete; paying an intermediary thousand and in some cases millions of dollars to assure admission through a “side door process”-- these are some of the methods employed to gain entrance to Stanford, Yale, the University of Southern California, UCLA, or the University of Texas in Austin.  As noted, those with financial means and notoriety have always been able to use their riches and fame to access institutions, protected venues, and “areas” that are “off limits” to the common person.  Many gloat as they circumvent the conventional methods of access.  In a recent article in The Tuscaloosa News, a father was describing an experience with his daughter.  They were visiting the Harvard Yard and in the course of their conversation, his eleven-year old daughter stated that Harvard would have to offer her admission.  Exploring her assurance of such action, the father inquired as to why this would be the case.  She answered because, I am part of you.  It was her belief because her father had attended Harvard that she would be accepted as an alumnus’ child.  The father made it clear that she would have to gain access on her own merits, regardless of her lineage.

Whether by position, wealth, or family heritage, privilege is an abused phenomenon in our society.  I recall trying to get on a hotel elevator in New Orleans when the University of Alabama was playing the University of Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.  It was quite crowded and not everyone was going to be able to get on.  The play-by-play announcer for Alabama was one of the people trying to get on and he blurted out to those around him as he pushed his way on, “don’t you know who I am.”  His privileged position had to give him access, regardless of the others who were waiting.  At Alabama, a sense of royalty has evolved amongst the administration and this is particularly evident on the day of a home football game.  With sirens blaring and emergency lights ablaze, the “president’s entourage” comprised of several vans is escorted to the stadium.  The “peons” making up the score of people trying to enter the stadium are blocked from doing so until the entourage is safely on the elevator taking them to the “president’s box”.  The examples of privilege dictating behavior are endless.  Whether it is the car one drives, the neighborhood they live in, the house where they were raised, the school they attended or the job they have, believing that you are “one of the chosen” is apparent throughout the fabric of society.  Those who are of this mindset need to recall the Biblical admonition that, “many are called, but few are chosen”.

Being a retired university professor after twenty-five years on the faculty, I have witnessed a growing focus on appealing to the “haves”.  The cost of attending college has increased exponentiality, the “perks” built into the life in the dorm approximates what would be found in a five-star hotel, and the academic expectations have been watered down to the extent that very few students fail.  The inflation of grades is a reality that is pervasive in every institution of higher education, including the Yale’s, Harvard’s and Princeton’s.  The scandal that has been exposed is the manifestation of a society that allows for influence and privilege to prevail.  The trappings that go with wealth and influence have created an environment that places the rich and famous on a pedestal.  Whether it leads to having to get on the elevator because of who one is, or being a member of the entourage being escorted to a football game, or driving the right kind of car, or attending the right university, privilege fosters the belief that “I am better than the next person”.  As young people witness such behavior and believe that they are better than others, it raises serious questions as to the future for these kids.  If mommy and daddy are willing to spend $500,000 to get their daughters admitted to USC, what is the message that is being sent to these young women?

Lights and lines

As I have driven the highways and byways of this great country, I have often been impressed with the control that lines and lights have on the driving experience.  As you drive, there are well-recognized and well-accepted controls.  If the light is red, you stop; if green, you go; and if yellow, you should slow down.  If the line is an unbroken yellow line on your side of the road, you are not to pass; however, if the line is a broken yellow or white line, you can pass.  If the line is a solid white line, you are to stay in your lane and not pass.  In addition to the controls of the lights and the lines on our driving, there are also rules of the road, that each of us is to be familiar with so that they can be followed by all who drive, thus the driving experience is without confusion.  You are not to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children, you are to yield to any emergency vehicle, either by stopping, getting out of the way or slowing down.  Ostensibly, all drivers are to obey the speed limit that is posted in a given area, yet many of us “cheat” on how much over the speed limit we drive.  Tailgating, riding too close to the rear of the car in front of you, is, generally frowned upon and in some jurisdictions will lead to being pulled over by the police.  During times when it is raining, you are to have your headlights on, yet many a driver does not follow this specific rule of the road and it is rarely enforced.  All cars are to have two functioning headlights and taillights, or you might be subject to being stopped by the local representative of law enforcement.  Indeed, there is more to add to this array of rules and controls, but let’s assume the point has been made.  To have an orderly progression of vehicles using the highways and streets, we must all accept and abide by these rules and controls.

In life there are also “rules of the road” for living and being a participant in the interaction with others.  There are lights and lines that we are to abide by if there is going to be some semblance of order amongst the populace.  It is commonly accepted that if one is married it is to one other person, and to have more than one spouse or partner is going beyond the line that has been established.  To engage in any sexual activity with one’s child is also a forbidden action that crosses the line.  Falsifying personal information on official documents is not acceptable and crosses the line of honesty and integrity.  The Internet has created the opportunity to cross lines and run lights with anonymity and impunity.  The epidemic of bullying by young people towards other young people is, just but one example of this practice.  The abuse and neglect of children occurs all too often in what we want to believe is a caring, fair, and just society, yet parents are found guilty of this every day.  In a civilized society the light is red for such behavior and one is held accountable if they cross this line.  Myriad of examples can be given to illustrate how the society in which we live sets the rules and if we are to have some modicum of harmony, the rules must be followed.  When one violates the rules, there are repercussions that flow from those who are given the authority to enforce the rules.  When the light is red, one should stop what they are doing and wait and see if it turns green

As each person reflects on their respective lives, they can identify the rules and controls that have impacted them.  What are your “rules of the road of life”?  Knowing what they are is only the first step. The next step is, how well do you follow these rules?  There is a reference in the Bible which states that “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” and it led to chaos.  There must be rules and controls just as there are in the driving experience. In the journey of life, we see daily examples of individuals running the societal red lights and passing when the rules forbid them to do so.  If we all drove in this manner, it would lead to nothing more than a huge pile of metal, rubber, and glass and destroyed lives.  With all that is going on in our society, are we living with those in control breaking the rules over and over?  Think about it!

Major college sports as big business

A recent article in The Tuscaloosa News, carried the headline “SEC’s 14 schools divide millions”.  During the 2017-2018 fiscal year each of the 14 members received over $43.1 million in revenue from the league office.  The source of these funds from television contracts, bowl games, the College Football Playoff, the SEC football championship game, the SEC men’s basketball tournament, NCAA championships and a supplemental surplus fund.  In the previous fiscal year each school received around $40.9 million.  In the last two fiscal years, each of the member schools received in excess of $84 million.  By any standards this is a lot of money, yet these same member schools continue to beg for contributions to their respective athletic programs. 

Big time college athletics have become a big business.  The motivation for success revolves around the amount of dollars that can be generated.   It is for this reason that television companies can dictate to the universities when they will play games and at what time.  There was a time when the fans that supported their team were an appropriate constituent—not anymore.  A football game that has a starting time of 8:00 or 8:30 PM will not end until close to midnight and the impact on the fan be damned.  Fans who live 3-4 hours from the university will not get home until the wee hours of the next morning.  Basketball games that begin at 8:00 PM will not end until around 10:00 PM and then these same fans will have a 3-4-hour drive home.  Television access drives when games will be played and that’s the bottom line.  If, as a fan, you do not like it, stay home; and that is what is happening around the country.  The attendance at games has been declining as more and more people are making the decision to watch the game on television rather than travel to see the game in person.  It is quite possible that this phenomenon will continue, and the numbers of fans will be on a downward slide.

I have been buying season tickets for both football and basketball at The University of Alabama for over 40 years.  The price of the tickets has continued to increase and even though both my wife and I are retired members of the faculty, we paid over $1,500 for four tickets to seven home football games for the 2018 season, and our seat location has gotten progressively worse.   Our tickets are at a discounted rate, thus the amount that someone who is not affiliated with university would pay would be about 20% more.  In addition to the cost of simply getting into the stadium, there is also the cost of parking and concessions.  A package of M&M candy costs $4, a soft drink $4 or $5, a bottle of water $3, and a hot dog $5.  Parking can cost anywhere from $20 to $50.  It is apparent that attending a sporting event at a major university is going to cost a significant amount of money.  Is it worth it?  Indeed, there is the excitement of being in attendance; however, the constant barrage of noise can be rather disconcerting.  At any lull in the game due to timeouts, media timeouts, injuries or change of possession, blaring music blasts through the sound system.  It is not the bands playing, it is music that students want to hear.  I recall at a meeting of the Basketball Tip Off Club, the head coach was asked if something could be done about the loud music being played during timeouts.  His response was that it is what “the kids want”.  Maybe this will be what it comes to.  Older folks who pay to attend these games will stop attending and “the kids” will get what they want, but the revenue coming from the season ticket-holders will not continue to support the team.  Both football and basketball are revenue-producing sports, and administrators of the university, athletic administrators, and head coaches need to work out a balance on what defines the atmosphere of a major college game.  The atmosphere includes the cost of attending, the cost of concessions, the cost and inconvenience of parking, and the incessantly produced noise.  If there is not some attention given to these issues, the decline in attendance will continue and the revenue streams from these sources will also continue to decline.

 Major sports in major universities generate a lot of money and the current climate seems to be very favorable, yet this comfortable bubble may not remain inflated.  There are no guarantees that will keep these resources coming at the rates that they are currently experiencing.  As noted, there is evidence that people are not attending games on a consistent basis.  The cost of attending is prohibitive to many of the average fans and this base may continue to decline.  The current heyday is good, but nothing lasts forever.

The absence of political sensitivity

It is not often that I would, openly, agree with action taken by President Trump; yet this past week I did find myself doing just that—agreeing with a decision he made.  Indeed, there is a great deal of adolescent name-calling and fruitless activity on both sides of the issue involving the governmental shutdown.  Up to this point there has been nothing to provide a glimmer of hope that the end of this inane presidential decision is near.  Day-by-day, the shutdown adds another day to the historical reality that never has a shutdown gone on for longer than 22 days.  We are all too familiar with story after story of federal workers selling their blood plasma, cashing in certificates that been set aside for retirement, and doing what ever they can to keep their mortgage from being foreclosed, their car being repossessed, or their health insurance being canceled for non-payment.  As we know, there are approximately 800,000 federal workers either on furlough or working for no pay.  They have missed one paycheck and if the shutdown continues until this coming Friday, it will be two that have been missed.   While the stories of survival are legion, the two sides in Washington continue to bicker with no resolution in sight. 

The Democrats argued that the president should postpone his State of the Union Address until the shutdown is over.  In what is deemed to be an act of retaliation, the president denied access to a military plane for the Speaker’s trip with her entourage to the Middle East and Brussels.  The effect of his denial was the cancellation of her trip and I applaud the president for making the decision.  What is evident, ever so often, is that politicians are out of touch with the people whom they, ostensibly represent.  Common sense would seem to suggest that with what is occurring, including the number of people who are suffering from the inaction by the politicians, such a trip would be inappropriate at this time and could be viewed as a slap in the face to those who are suffering as well as to the general public.  As decisions are made by politicians at the national, state or local level, there does seem to be a failure to recognize, or even care about the effect or impact on their constituents.  You would think that the Speaker of the House as well as those who were scheduled to travel with her would see that this is not the thing to do at this time.  Not so, and this is what is disturbing.  When the Founding Fathers were arguing over what the new government should look like, they concluded that one arm of the legislature should be close to the people they represented, hence the establishment of the two-year term.  Although this was a significant component of the founding process, the mandate has been lost.  The overwhelming majority of the politicians at the national level are, perpetually, consumed with getting reelected and being an advocate for their constituents is lost.  Often, they are simply the pawns of the special interest groups that make substantial financial contributions to their campaign.

It is difficult to fathom the insensitivity that is apparent in the decision to “take a trip”.  It is my belief, that there are too many such trips made by politicians at the taxpayer’s expense.  Commentators have identified specific politicians who seem to thrive on these boondoggles with very little pay-off to the citizens and no shame. The Pelosi junket would fall into this context of wasteful use of federal dollars.  A plus for the president  for halting the excursion.

2019-what to expect

Another year is gone, and a new year as arrived.  What will be the issues, concerns problems and challenges of 2019?  In the amount of space dedicated to this blog, it is not possible to include every potential problem or issue.  Le me note some that, perhaps, could engender some level of support.  Obviously, immigration has been raised to a crisis level by the current administration.  There are those seeking political asylum who are being denied that opportunity.  There are children who have been separated from their parents, only to be housed in detention centers that offer no emotional support for the youngest of children.  There are companies in the United States that are finding it difficult to engage in the work that they do because they do not have the laborers to perform the work.  There is the ever-present debate over border security and the “wall” to protect the southern border.  The $5 billion price tag seems excessive, especially when other more pressing needs are identified.  The United States has been open to those from other countries and cultures throughout its history.  There continues to be misrepresentation of facts by the administration—the latest being he claim that 4000 terrorists have entered the country through the Mexican/U>S> border.  When confronted this past weekend the Vice President sat with a blank stare on his face and never did provide information to support this claim.  It is interesting to note that the most recent available data found that 2554 individuals on the FBI’s terrorist list were stopped from entering the country.  The majority, 2170, were at airports, 49 were by sea and 335 were by land.  The State Department has also stated that there is no evidence of terrorists trying to enter the U.S. via Mexico.  The refusal to allow immigrants to enter the country has contributed to the ongoing divisions among the country’s citizens.  We have been a nation of immigrants and to deny entry undermines what the country has stood for from its inception.

The partial federal government shutdown perpetrated by the president on the American people is directly related to his demand for the wall and is creating hardship after hardship for the people of this country.  Farmers are not going to receive their subsidies, the food stamp program is going to run out f money in late January or early February, federal workers in prisons, airports and other entities are not receiving paychecks.  In many instances those most affected are those who are living close to the margin of existence and make it paycheck to paycheck, but this resource is no longer available.  People are bewildered about making mortgage payments, buying food, obtaining medical care for their children or, purchasing gas to travel to work.  A TSA employee was interviewed on a recent newscast and she explained that she lives 39 miles, one-way, from the airport where she works.  With no paycheck, how will she afford to get to work that she is mandated to perform.  A resolution to this crisis must occur without additional delay.

Healthcare will be another problem area that continues to beg for some resolutions.  Whether the discussion is about Medicare, pre-existing conditions, single-payer healthcare, Obamacare, drug price regulations, covering mental health problems, focusing on preventive care, the use of medical marijuana, or requiring those receiving Medicaid to be employed, there is much to be done and the challenges are forever present.  An argument can certainly be made for universal healthcare and if this did exist, many of the issues would be resolved.  The cost of healthcare for all may well be prohibitive, yet as with any decision, choices must be made.  In the preamble of the Constitution of the United States, the promotion of the general welfare of its people is one of the salient tenants.  Would healthcare for all its citizens be an illustration of promoting the general welfare?  More attention must be given to preventive care, and this would have the effect of lowering the costs associated with healthcare.

Education will continue to be a source of concern for parents, students, educational administrations, funding sources, and the general public.  Many of us are familiar with the massive student debt that students incur while seeking a degree, certificate, or diploma.  Recently, there was an article in the New York Times which carried the title, “A $21,000 Cosmetology School Debt and a $9-an-Hour Job”.  Most students graduate with some student loan debt.  It is predicted by some that the next bubble to burst in the country will be associated with the trillion-dollar total of student debt.  Forbes reported in 2018 student debt was $1.52 trillion an involved 44.2 million individuals.  The report continued by noting that New Hampshire had the highest average debt, $36,367 and Utah had the lowest, $19,975.  Further, over 12,000,000 people owed between $10,000-$25,000 and a staggering 500,000 plus owed $200,000 or more.  In the August 2016 edition of Consumer Reports, the featured story was titled, “I Kind of Ruined My Life by Going to College”.   The story was about a woman who eared a degree in nursing and was making $62,000 per year but owed over $150,000 in student debt.  A primary reason for the substantial amount of student debt can be attributed to the for-profit programs that exist throughout the country.  Many of these programs have folded, but the students are still required to pay off their student debt.  Many of those carrying significant student debt cannot start a family, save for a down payment on a house or, purchase a house.  There has to be a way to establish some controls on the amount of student debt that any one person can amass.  There are a multitude of issues that can be discussed within the educational context, including the predatory practices of the for-profit programs, and I leave this for a future posting.

What has been included are woefully inadequate predictors of what will characterize 2019.  In the months ahead, issues related to the environment will be highlighted and will include climate change, fracking, alternative energy sources, and the plastic product bans.  Issues related to the infra-structure of the country must require discussion and will include the condition of roads, bridges, and dams, the antiquated nature of sewer, water and gas pipes buried below major population centers.  Social issues such as abortion, the rights of the LGBT community, gay marriage, gender workplace diversity, and the death penalty require attention.  Domestic policy issues that will include gun control, school safety, social media regulation affirmative action, Social Security coupled with the growing number of senior citizens and whistleblower protection.  No doubt, other issues may surface throughout the year.