Professor Elam

Weekend Dec 2 2012

A student asks my opinion of this article which quotes an A & M College Station 'political science' professor. My experience is that most of those types are much more political than scientific but….

The Poli Sci Professor scoffs at the idea of a $10,00 degree saying it rests on large classes and professors lacking no surprise, his research credentials. He concludes, you get what you pay for?

In the not so distant past that was true. But today, are you paying for an inefficient,  top heavy school structure that may include climbing walls and luxurious dormitories as well as professors that are everywhere except in the classroom. I had a few students who transferred from UT Austin to Texas State while I was there. One young lady said it was the smartest thing she had done for herself. Her largest class at Tx State was smaller than her smallest class at UT Austin. And those hot shot professors were often somewhere else delivering a lecture or raising money. She was stunned that she could visit with me rather than a teaching assistant. 

What research really means is some sort of device that lands the School Grant Money. Period. By the way, in your college career who many professor authored academic journal research articles have you been assigned to read?  Have you ever read one at all?  Has a Professor ever reviewed such an article in class?  Just wondered. 

One thing I know typifies the great research institutions of UT Austin and A & M College Station, there is no place to park. This matters to commuter students. 

I am not a research focused professor. What you get from me on the other hand is

a weblog linking what we do in class with the business world, this blog

a weblog focusing on market analysis with readers all over the USA Canada

I never 'lazy teach' using a power point done by someone else rather than attempting to explain problems in class and engage the student. 

a Professor who is recognized at the meetings of SA CPa, SA Internal Auditors, and SA Management Accountants. I have delivered Continuing Professional Education to all of them. The advantage is that when you accompany me to such a meeting, I have raised the level of awareness of TAMUSA to those professionals. It's all about networking. 

and this allows me to bring accounting professionals to campus as I have done. 

A Research University requires huge expenditures for travel, access to data, and endless meetings which do not involve students at all. Rarely is the research demonstrated in class in my experience. All of this raise the cost of tuition and fees. Students who have transferred here from UTSA as it begins its Tier One Trek note that the cost of everything there has soared. 

A few decades back there was no internet and large universities were the true repositories of information. Today that is not so much the case with our Global Village of Information on the internet.

So what do you get at TAMUSA?

Easy parking and a short walk to class

Small classes I know you and you know me

Access to professors

Professors who are active in their business disciplines in San Antonio

Hundreds of linked articles on a blog designed for you the student rather than articles designed to be read by other academics

The same textbooks you would find elsewhere, 

So yes you do get what you pay for, oh you wanted a Marching Band, well you're outta luck here….