As an administrator, I participated in a number of detailed discussions of their arguments, financial data, conclusions and recommendations. You mention their conclusion that increasing enrollment by 1000 students will not generate any payoff for the first 10 years. That may well be true, but it is not entirely to the point. As the Committee itself suggests, the University must look toward its long-term financial health. If adding more students will enable us to build laboratories and libraries, and compete for the best faculty and students over the next decades, then it is a strategy well worth considering.
Graduate assistants are current graduate students at Chicago, who assist faculty in courses.
I think that they can be well used, though I do agree that they should not be used as much as they are in many other universities. They are distinguished young scholars and scientists at the beginning of their careers, who generally participate fully in the governance of their departments. Junior faculty come with fresh ideas, and bring real intellectual excitement to the students. I can't imagine any serious reason to object to them teaching. Finally, let us consider the issue of the Core.