Some advice for the University

The rule of bureaucracy is that, left to itself, it will perpetually grow in size and complexity. Politicians implicitly understand this concept and are painfully aware that bureaucracies must be controlled or circumvented to exact change. Why, then, do the IU trustees not understand this concept?\nIU's tuition policy serves as a perfect example of the prevailing bureaucratic mess. IU had to raise tuition 7.5 percent this year because of its inability to operate within its means. In fact, IU has had to raise tuition above the cost of inflation (2 to 3 percent in 1990s) most of this decade. Also consider that IU's budget for all campuses exceeds $2 billion! That is more than many small states' budgets. IU does not need more money; it needs to utilize what it has more effectively.\nUnfortunately, I do not think that this will come about for the foreseeable future. Why? OK, you pried it out of me. First, Gov. Frank O'Bannon chose to reappoint the same four trustees who have been so lately embattled. The only things these trustees have brought to this University are costly lawsuits and a persistent press. \nWhile the board of trustees is distracted with such games, the bureaucracy for which the trustees are responsible is left to its own devices. The system protects itself by blaming faculty for higher funding requests while paying budgeting administrators merit raises. IU's current attempt to pay professors more is commendable, but while the bureaucracy protects extraneous numbers of "professional" bureaucrats, there will never be enough money to attract and keep the best faculty.\nPerhaps the worst thing about IU's bureaucracy is its infinite source of new ideologs churned out from Higher Education programs. These are well-meaning people that are poorly trained to deal with fiscal matters. I doubt they ever heard the words "fiscal responsibility," "downsize," or "living within means." The concepts that business majors deal with in the real world, the cohorts of Higher Education seemingly ignore with an air of indifferent smugness.\nBut it would be unfair to blame without offering solutions, so take notes trustees, administrators and president. First, privatize where the private sector can improve service. Let companies provide food service to the dorms because they can lower price and increase quality.\nSecond, stop hiring Chiefs and firing Indians. It is always the environmental worker that gets laid off instead of the person that studies the waste the worker removes. Paradoxical?\n Third, stop paying administrators more than professors. No one will ever convince me that a bureaucrat deserves more money than a teacher.\nFourth, appoint more faculty to administrative positions. The late IU Chancellor Herman B Wells and former Bloomington Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis were effective administrators because they understood what did and didn't work educationally.\nFifth, never raise tuition more than one point above inflation. This would yield approximately $2 million each year above inflation for program growth. Besides, there are many other sources of income than students' pocketbooks. \nFinally, let common sense be your guide. Don't build new buildings in a recession and don't stand in the rain without your coat.