With that money, UT-Austin could have provided free tuition for all of its undergraduates.
It doesn't make sense economically to do this. Eventually the university will run out of money and then what? Increase taxes? Make the state tax people to cover for this cost? The money would still come from you, err your parents, but just through a different route. I think the current tuition rate for in-state is just fine and financial aid should be given to those who need it.
It could reduce class sizes, something programs like BHP have long enjoyed.
As a cs major it sounds like a great idea but then programs would become even more selective. Pretty soon unless you want to get into undeclared you will need ivy league stats to get into a state school. I think they should increase faculty size to deal with this issue.
It could crack down on the $143 million in administrative bloat spent last academic year, quadruple the figure in 2011.
This. This is the reason why depts are having a hard time with budgets and hiring more professors because deans out here getting paid 200k-300k for essentially making the degree plans and enacting "policies." Outside of sports, I think no administrative member should be paid more than a professor. Who helps the university gain more prestige hmm? The person who's busting their ass in lab trying to make advances or the person who's sitting in their office thinking of what new "policies" the dept. needs? Meanwhile TA's are barely making do, depts have to offer less courses because there's no money for professors, and student's have to deal with the effects of it all. But hey, thank goodness our administrative team is getting compensated properly. Thank goodness they can host luncheons for bs stuff. I say we give them a fair salary and put all that extra money we saved into hiring more faculty/TA's, offering more courses my class schedule isn't cancer after the 4th registration day, and give financial aid to those who need it.
Also, whomever was in charge of hiring a contractor for the speedway "renovation"...fire that person right now.
/end rant