The information is staggering. The Higher Education Coordinating Board warned not to compare the costs between main universities and their branch campuses because of start-up costs related to new programs, limited enrollment in some disciplines, etc. The question that remains to be asked, however, is how useful it is to the state to have these costly branch campuses with limited enrollment. EFF suggests that the state cap subsidies on a per student basis. If student tuition and the state subsidy are not adequate to cover costs, the university would foot the bill or solve the problem.
Many possible solutions exist.
The legislature needs to assert its authority as holder of the state purse and universities must understand that higher education subsidies are not drawn from a bottomless barrel.