Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-08-05
Editors Letter Box
A Study Of State Universities

figures available, | am glad to present
few comparative statistics which
are Illuminating and may be of inter-
est to the readers of your paper.
In appraising the financial status
Of educational institutions, three ques-
lions are most often asked. First.
what is the total endowment and val
uation of buildings and grounds ?
Second, what is the total annual in
come? Third, what is the annual per
student outlay? The first and the
second. obviously, do not offer a fair
method of determining the financial
strength or weakness of an institu-
ton. because neither the total endow-
ment and valuation of property, nor
the gross annual income, reveals
either strength or weakness until the
geographical location of the institu-
tion and the size of its student body
are known. There is no need, there
fore, to discuss the situation at the
University of Maine from either of
these two viewpoints.
Light is, however. shed upon the
situation by a comparison of the per
student outlay at the University of
Maine with that at other state univer-
stiles and that at the three colleges
in Maine. In this study, We should
ask two questions: First, over a 10
year period has the ratio between
income and enrolment at the Univer-
sity of Maine kept pace with the ra-
ito at other state universities, and at
the three colleges in Maine? Second,
are the present resources per student
at the University of Maine as great
as those at other state universities,
and those at the three colleges in
Maine?
First. during the past 10 years, the
University of Maine has grown Ill
per cent in income. but 200 per cent in
enrolment. Its income has increased
only about half as much as has its
student body. Over the same period
of years, the income of the University
of California has increased more than
twice as much as has the student
body. At the University of Illinois,
the income has outstripped the enroll
ment by one-half; Michigan, three
times: Minnesota, nearly three and
one-half times: Wisconsin, one-third
In Vermont, the enrolment and the
income have been exactly parallel;
and in New Hampshire, the enrolment
has outstropped the income by one
half. These figures are fairly typical
of all the state universities. In % the
income has increased more rapidly
than has the student body; in IS, less
rapidly; and in five, the two hare been
virtually identical
when we compare the four insti-
tutions in the State of Maine, we find
that, over the same 10 year period,
Bates College increased it's income Sc
per cent and it's enrolment 80 per
cent. its income growing nearly twice
as much as it's enrolment: at Bow
doin College. the growth was exactly
parallel 35 per cent in income and in
enrolment: at Colby College, the In
come increased five times as much as
the enrolment. being lis per cent as
against % per cent; while the Univer-
sity's income increased approximately
half as much as did its enrolment.
ION the basis. therefore, of the ra-
ito between income and enrolment Tor
the last decade. the University OF
Maine has not kept pace either with
the majority of state universities or
with the three colleges in Maine.
Were we to confine our study to this
one aspect of the financial status OF
the University, we could not help but
feel that the University was in seri-
Gus danger OF becoming inferior as an
educational institution.
But. fortunately there is one other
question which must be asked, name
": How do the present resources OF
the University of Maine compare per
student with those of other state uni
versities and with those Of the three
colleges in Maine? How much money
does each institution now have avail
able per student? How much does
each annually spend per studentP
The University OF Maine per stu
dent outlay is approximately s432. OF
the 43 state universities In the united
states, four others have virtually the
same per student outlay: The Univer-
sitv of Illinois. s435: Missouri. SAB;
New Mexico. s431: and Vermont. s422
"Of the "a state universities whose
per student outlay is less than s432, l
will mention eight which are typical
of all: Colorado, s39s; Indiana, S2ll;
Kansas, sooe: Kentucky, $40; Michi-
gan, $403: Minnesota. S2S1: Nebraska
1855: and Washington, $3.50.
Seventeen state universities have a
per student outlay higher than s432.
Typical of these are Arizona. $3.50
Arkansas, s494; California, s551:
North Carolina, $1126; Tennessee,
s72s: and Wisconsin, 1892.
"On the basis of present per stu
dent outlay, therefore, the University
of Maine ranks with two of the state
universities which are generally con-
coded to be Superior; and ranks be-
low only few, but above several
Superior" state universities.
"A similar situation obtains within
the State Of Maine. The per student
outlay is 1907 at Bates, s494 at Bow
dom, and 1917 at Colby, as compared
with s432 at the University.
when, therefore, the residents OF
Maine compare the present per stu
dent resources Of their State Univer-
sity with those at other state univer-
stiles and those at the three colleges
in Maine, they will recognize the fact
that during the past 10 years the In
come at their University did not need
to increase as rapidly as 1t grew In
the majority of state universities and
as 1t grew in the three colleges of
Maine, because the income has been
sufficient to permit per student out
lay greater than at majority of the
other state controlled institutions. and
at two Of the three colleges in Maine,
although not so great as at some.
But, on the whole, the residents of
Maine may we'll rejoice in the fact
that, Judged on the basis Of resources
per student. their University compares
favorably with the best known state
universities. and with the three col
leges in Maine.
Let the people know the truth,
and the country is safe" said Abraham
Lincoln. I believe that when the resi-
dents of Maine know the truth, their
University is safe, for they will
keep pace with the residents of other
states in gradually providing what