Since 1965 an increasing preoccupation with money has resulted in the inversion of its role in higher education, from a practical means to an end that crowds out all others. No longer do students and parents choose the best education that "money can buy." Instead, they are faced with choosing which college or university will "buy them more money."
This comes as no real surprise, as the cost of attending a four-year college has doubled since 1985. Yet the question persists: at what real cost are we sending our students to college? Renowned educator James Engell and coauthor Anthony Dangerfield explore the answer to this question in Saving Higher Education in the Age of Money. They argue that the counterbalancing attitudes that used to temper a focus on money with other equally legitimate and more fundamental goals have steadily weakened, resulting in a new consensus that elevates money and the marketing of oneself and one's institution to the foremost ambitions of the intellectual world.
This new minimization of higher education to the category of an investment to be repaid has damaged all disciplines not directly associated with money, particularly the humanities. Students often now are told they face a choice: between the practical sciences, business, and economic success, or the traditional liberal arts and sciences and expected poverty. In their comprehensive analysis of admission practices, institutional rankings, salaries, hiring practices, scholarships, student attitudes, tuition costs, research programs, library budgets, and class barriers, Engell and Dangerfield expose the major changes that the Age of Money has wrought in higher education while also offering a practical method of understanding and prioritizing the various elements involved in choosing the right school.
Focusing on liberal arts and sciences colleges, private research universities, and flagship public institutions, the authors provide an explicit and coherent model of what an academic institution should offer, while encouraging individual institutions to retain their unique identities. Written for a general audience as well as for professionals, Saving Higher Education in the Age of Money will appeal to teachers and administrators, parents of students and prospective students, students and faculty in schools of higher education, and anyone interested in intellectual life.
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Ryan O. Mack has had to learn to be frugal out of necessity. He grew up in a working class neighborhood of Mckeesport, PA (just south of Pittsburgh). Although he didn't lack the basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter, he quickly realized that, in order to have anything beyond the absolute basics, he would need to work and stretch what he earned. So, since the age of 14, he has been working and stretching his dollars. Throughout his various jobs and travels he often met people who complained constantly about the cost of living (utility bills, food expenses, low pay, etc.).
He would visit friends who expressed displeasure about how high their electricity bills were while having almost every light, television and radio on - even when they were the only person in the house! Some of his friends and co-workers struggled financially but still had to have the latest model appliances, automobiles and furniture. He would always preach, "You know, you can look just as good for a lot less money."
Ryan would often describe to co-workers how he had slashed his heating bill by 60 percent. A co-worker once complained about having to spend over $600 on a washing machine. Ryan responded by explaining how he paid only $210 for a "gently-used" washer and dryer, both of which are still running strong after over six years of use. After years of shopping smartly, Ryan has become known among friends and colleagues for his sensible saving and spending habits. And years of living lean and cutting costs has benefitted him.
Money saved from his frugal lifestyle has enabled him to diversify into the real estate/rental property business. People used to tell him, "Why be tight? Spend it because you can't take it with you!" But in the next breath they would ask, "How can you afford to get into the real estate business?" Ryan continues to tell people that "you have to learn how to keep more of what you earn because it takes money to make money." He currently resides in the Tidewater area of Virginia but spends much of his time traveling between Pittsburgh and Maryland managing his real estate business.
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Each book contains recipes for 101 tasty and imaginative dishes. For eating well without breaking the bank, try Money Saving Meals. If you like good food, but want to stay healthy, try 101 Low-Fat Feasts. Or for family meals in a flash, try Simple Suppers. Each of these volumes is divided into Soups and Salads; Snacks; Pasta, Rice and Noodles; Meat; One-pot Dishes; Fish and Desserts, you're guaranteed to find a delicious recipe for every occasion.
The fourth, Vegetarian Dishes, where you'll find exciting vegetarian inspiration, is divided into Soups and Salads, Light Lunches, Pasta, Main Courses, Food for Friends and Desserts. The 101 recipes in each volume are all short and simple with easy-to-follow steps, using readily available ingredients and are accompanied by a full-color photograph of the finished dish. Whether you choose Sausage and Potato Bake, Pork and Tarragon Meatloaf or Canadian Pecan Tart, every recipe has been tried and tested by the Good Food team to ensure fantastic results, every time you cook.
Now you can find everything you need in one book, and a book small enough to put in your purse or pocket when shopping, so there's no need to write out any more shopping lists. In fact with the titles in this series, you can find ideas for every culinary occasion! The recipes in these are quick, easy, affordable and delicious- as well as being a fantastic value!
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