One of my favorite political economists is Ludwig von Mises, who gave us the “Seven Rules of Bureaucracy,” the most important being Rule #1: “Maintain the problem at all costs! The problem is the basis of power, perks, privileges, and security.”
Indeed, maintaining the problem is one thing. What happens when you create a problem that didn’t exist? The same rule applies but in spades.
The Ohio State University is a proud institution of higher education with great traditions, a fine football team, and a great marching band. But the school has a huge problem with “diversity.” Or maybe not. Maybe they only think they have a huge problem with diversity. Regardless, their diversity office might be the best-staffed department on campus with 100 employees pulling down $10 million a year in salary and benefits.
The “problem” of diversity is being fiercely maintained, for sure.
@OhioState Now Employs More Than 100 "Diversicrats" at a Cost of More Than $10M/Year, Which is Equal to In-State Tuition for >900 Students. @TheLantern @jennsmola @Chronicle @insidehighered @rickhess99 @AdamKissel @peterboghossian #AdministrativeBloat @CollegeFix @Smith_Surge pic.twitter.com/MvKpJh4Q0j
— Mark J. Perry (@Mark_J_Perry) November 28, 2020
In interviews with The College Fix, a couple of current Ohio State students said that they don’t have much interaction with the diversity and inclusion office other than emails they get from the department about events and other announcements.
Another thing the students noted is that the office sends out campuswide emails to respond to incidents of bias and that they are unsure of how effective the division is at creating unity.
From Perry’s perspective, he argues the office represents administrative bloat and refers to the employees as “diversicrats.” He said these costs continue to increase and build upon themselves.
Do you want bureaucracy? How about 16 employees of the 100 making in excess of $100,000 a year?
Some of these job titles have to be someone’s idea of a joke. The Institutional Equity Office has both a “Compliance Officer” and a “Program Director,” as well as an “Executive Director.” There are four — count em’, four — “Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion” positions. They are all paid different amounts — all over $90,000 a year.
Ohio State has to be the most diverse, the most inclusive institution in the world.
Perry, citing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, points out that college tuition, fees and textbook costs have increased more than any other good or service analyzed besides hospital costs between January 1998 and June 2020, inflating about 180 percent compared to the overall standard inflation rate of 58.8 percent between those dates.
He adds that the high spending on diversity measures has contributed heavily to these cost spikes, boiling over to a greater barrier to entry into college and higher student loans.
For comparison, Ohio State’s tuition for the 1998-99 academic year came in at under $4,000.
Yes, but think how unwoke Ohio State was in 1998. There weren’t any “safe spaces” to keep students of color being exposed to white people. There were plenty of triggers back then too. The American flag wasn’t banned and I bet they had Bible studies on campus. Politically incorrect comedians appeared on campus, conservative groups meeting right out in the open — it was a mess.
Thank God Ohio State administrators woke up and got woke. With 100 diversity office employees including “academic encouragers,” parents can sleep soundly at night knowing their kid is in the best of hands.
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