Contrary to the title of this post, the school that I attend does not have a water park (unless students tubing down a creek counts as a water park). However, some colleges do. More and more colleges are attempting to lure prospective students to their schools with amenities–new gymnasiums, rock-climbing walls, lazy rivers, and campus beaches. If you are skeptical, check out the article from ABC News about “Tricked Out College Campuses.”
In my opinion, the most absurd amenity can be found on a college campus in Texas.
In 2009, Texas Tech began an $8.4 million project to upgrade the campus’ recreation center. This upgrade included a 654-foot long lazy river, a tanning salon, snack bars, and, according to the college’s website, the “largest leisure pool on a college campus in the United States.”
Unfortunately, the water park symbolizes a huge problem in the realm of higher education–students no longer value the quality of their education as much as they used to. A study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2013 indicates that students value amenities and this weighs heavily on their college decision.
Ivy League schools can breathe easy because the students they attract still value the quality of their education above all else. These types of institutions will have a better ROI if they put their money towards increasing their academic prestige. However, for less selective schools, catering to student demand for amenities makes the most sense from a financial standpoint–at least at this point in time.
Although this expenditure will appeal to prospective students, particularly out-of-state students who bring in higher revenue to the college, is this really where colleges should spend their money? In the case of state universities, the money to fund such projects comes from students’ tuition and funding from federal and state taxpayers. If colleges exist to better equip students to live professional lives and to engage as active and well-rounded citizens (perhaps I am being too naive with this claim), how does a water park play into this? How is this a responsible use of funds?
Prospective students might look at a school like Texas Tech and think, “Woh, free tanning and swimming? This school is great!” This idea will also be drilled into them when they take a tour of the college. However, I look at this school and think, “Is there something so wrong with your college that you need to win students over with a water park?” That money could have gone to so many other places. Scholarships? New lab equipment? An upgraded media lab? Professional development and research grants?
Sure, from a marketing and financial perspective, the water park distinguishes the school from its competition and thus brings in more students, but should a college focus so much on competition and the bottom line that it loses sight of its purpose? From 1999-2009, spending on student services rose 19% while instruction spending only rose 10% at public four-year research universities (College Unbound, Selingo).
Follow the money and you can see where the priorities of the institution lie.
On Higher Ed. 