by Derrick A. Max
Cardinal News ran my guest column this morning warning that collective bargaining at Virginia’s public universities will only further deepen the political divides that are undermining Virginia’s once esteemed system of higher education.
The push to unionize university workers in Virginia is not about increased pay, better working conditions, or fairness. Beneath the rhetoric it is clear this debate is about reshaping how universities are governed, embedding a radical woke agenda in university leadership, and how Virginia will adjust to the most challenging period coming for modern higher education.
Demographers have long warned about a coming โenrollment cliff.โ Beginning later this decade, the number of college-age students will decline sharply due to falling birth rates following the Great Recession. Colleges across the country are already preparing for fewer applicants, greater competition for students, and tightening budgets. Smaller colleges are already closing or seeking ways to merge with more stable institutions.
At the same time, higher education costs have been rising far faster than inflation for decades. Tuition increases are driven largely by labor and administrative costs โ the largest components of university budgets.
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