Denison University in Ohio

June 10, 2008

An unexpected result of teaching at a liberal arts college is the constant opportunity to visit other liberal arts colleges. There is an economy of conferences and workshops that allows for mutual recognition. Year by year the colleges and universities of America will become better known to me.. along with the central tourist areas of big conference cities (San Diego, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta). These points make up a shared academic map.

Denison College, located in the tiny town of Granville about 40 miles outside of Columbus, Ohio, is a beautiful brick-dominated university. It is worth a visit, but it feels odd that I get four days to get to get to know this campus, wandering around the buildings for meetings and then into town for dinner, but will not get to see Columbus at all. The academic travel schedule is not particularly aligned with my desire to explore different parts of the country. I have to settle for these academic islands..

One feature of liberal arts colleges is the parade of buildings named after someone or other. This "someone or other" will always be an incredibly wealthy person. Above is just one out of many such named buildings on the Denison campus. I looked up F.W. Olin on Wikipedia and it turns out that he founded the Western Cartridge Company in 1898.. which manufactured ammunition. He left some of his fortune to the F.W. Olin foundation and the foundation in turn donated $6.1 million to Denison University for the construction of this science hall. The college and university landscape is largely a result of philanthropy.. which is a nice way of saying rich people looking to trade in their wealth for social prestige. I for one wish that such naming could be stopped.. so that we would not be stuck with this geography of wealthy donors.

The arguments about the inefficiencies of private health care could easily be applied to our system of higher education. Colleges and universities duplicate many times over the administration and infrastructure that could be streamlined with a more centralized system. On top of that, these institutions compete with each other to look prettier and have more amenities.. thereby attracting students, but thereby also increasing their expenses. In other words, the competition between institutions does not lead to efficiencies but rather to extravagant spending on plumage.

A college education is a great expense which will put many students and families in debt for decades. Why accept this as a necessity? Why does the American public not fund public institutions that would provide their children and grandchildren with an affordable education? I guess that would mean paying a little more in taxes every year. So to avoid that we will stick ourselves tens of thousands of dollars of tuition fees at a private institution! It's the American way.