Nine plus nine equals ten?

Once in a while something unimportant pops into my head that I want to share. Like the fact that some of the finest institutions of higher learning in America cannot do a simple math task…count to ten.

I refer, of course, to The University of Michigan, Michigan State University, The Ohio State University and the FIFTEEN other colleges that that make up the BIG TEN conference.

The following is from Wikipedia: “The Big Ten Conference (formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is the oldest NCAA Division I conference. For many decades the conference consisted of ten prominent universities, which accounts for its name.”

In 1990, the league added Penn State as number 11, then expanded again to 14. Finally, four schools left the PAC 12 and made the Big Ten the Big Eighteen. My suggestion is that they simply call it the “Big Conference.”

That’s what the current logo suggests. Or maybe they could refer to it as the “Coast-to-Coast Conference,” since it spans the continental United States.

I suppose they’ll call it whatever they want without my input but at least stop trying to convince me that 9 + 9 = 10. In first grade, Mrs. Juhl taught me that it equals 18.

However, my dissatisfaction with the Big Ten and other colleges and universities is not what conference they’re in or what they call them. It’s what they charge students to get an education.

Granted, it was a long time ago, just after the Stone Age and before the Iron Age, but when I went to Michigan State, the whole four years cost about $8,000. Google tells me that’s about $17,000 in today’s dollars.

Yet, a student at MSU today pays almost $30,000 per year for a similar enrollment, or about $120,000 for four years.

Other schools vary but trend the same. The University of Michigan charges approximately $38,600 per year for an in-state student! Good ol’ U-M. They always have to top us.

My dad had saved enough money that he was able (and willing) to pay 75-80% of my costs. I worked on campus and had summer jobs and paid the rest.

I graduated with NO student loan debt. Most of my contemporaries incurred no debt, either. The national average for student loan debt was about $1,000 in 1970.

Fasten your seat belt. Today, the average student graduates with a student loan debt of $43,333. Many, of course, incur much more. Great way to start a career, eh?

In 2026, the cumulative student loan debt in the United States is $1.693 TRILLION! That, in my humble opinion, is a national disgrace bordering on a national crime.

How can the United States possibly compete in the world with the Chinese and other great powers if our best and brightest have to spend years just paying off their school debt?

I’m no fiscal genius so I don’t know how to remedy this problem. But I do have an issue when six of the highest ten paid employees at MSU are coaches.

The Dean of the School of Business makes $440,000, a livable wage in East Lansing. The Defensive Coordinator of the football team makes $1.6 million.

I love Spartan football but the School of Business is far more important to the country, in my opinion.

We, as a society, simply must figure out a way of reducing the cost of higher education and student loan debt. Maybe we could forgive some of the debt in exchange for some time in public service. Or at least reduce the interest rates on these loans.

Or, maybe with Artificial Intelligence (AI), we won’t need college anymore. Nah. Your thoughts?

Contact Rick at dave@tri-citytimes.com