Paying the Piper: Productivity, Incentives, and Financing in U.S. Higher Education

By: Michael S. McPherson and Morton Owen Schapiro and Gordon C. Winston

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Synopsis: Rising tuitions and shrinking government budgets have pushed questions about productivity and resource use in U.S. higher education to the fore. In Paying the Piper three distinguished researchers examine the many successes of U.S. higher education, identify real problems, and carefully analyze potential solutions. Among the questions addressed are: On what do colleges and universities spend their money and how have their spending patterns changed over time; what does "quality" really mean in higher education and how is it related to price and cost; what are appropriate measures of "productivity"; and does increasing the amount of federal financial aid encourage colleges to raise their tuitions? The essays comprising this volume demonstrate that the application of basic economic principles and a combination of both descriptive and econometric analyses can illuminate a number of issues. Using economic concepts and tools to provide insight into these pressing questions, Paying the Piper helps us to understand the recent past, anticipate the future, and develop policies that can influence the future.