Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Investing

Maryland’s Certificate-of-Need Law for Higher Education

by September 8, 2023
September 8, 2023
Maryland’s Certificate-of-Need Law for Higher Education

Walter Olson

I’ve got a new article in Reason on an unusual regulatory arrangement in Maryland that requires universities to ask permission of the state higher education commission to start new degree programs, and invites rival institutions to file objections on the grounds that they would be harmed by the resulting competition for students.

In short, it replicates for higher education the kind of “certificate of need” rules strongly criticized by libertarian thinkers in the realm of health care. As in health care, I write, the “result can be state‐​enforced cartel arrangements that protect inefficient incumbents, slow innovation, and leave consumers with fewer and less attractive choices.”

Description

(Getty Images)

The Maryland program is not, for the most part, rationalized as a matter of cost containment and, in fact, is very poorly suited to such a purpose. It does nothing to curb the number of students that can be admitted, only the opportunities they can be given. In practice, the rules often protect incumbent programs with low rates of student completion, which are among the worst offenders in contributing to government spending and burdensome student debt.

The fiercest disputes under the law tend to be over degrees in sought‐​after professional fields like business, engineering, and computer technology. (The Maryland Higher Education Commission guidelines provide that basic liberal arts programs are not normally suitable subjects for objection since colleges have a core interest in offering them.)

Contrary to the picture sometimes painted by “campus life gone wild” accounts, the top fields in which Maryland’s major state system awards degrees are sober and career‐​oriented: business, computers, and health professions. (All the social sciences combined, including economics and political science, come in as fourth.)

After documenting some recent battles under the law, worsened by a racial angle in which the state tries to bend over backwards to assist historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), I quote a Baltimore Sun editorial: “The insanity of it” is that the conflict has little to do with the well‐​being of the students and “everything to do with protecting the institutional prerogatives and egos of the schools.” The best way to promote students’ interests, I argue, would be to allow competition and choice. You can read the piece here.

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Friday Feature: Streams of Hope Christian School
next post
Optimizing Your Stock Selection With the Williams True Seasonal Indicator

You may also like

Business Cases Could Loom Large at the Supreme...

June 24, 2024

“Suppression” or No, Most Voting‐​Law Changes Don’t Alter...

July 21, 2023

Trump’s Suspension of Refugee Admissions Blocks Christians Fleeing...

February 26, 2025

A US Sovereign Wealth Fund and Tariffs

March 12, 2025

Friday Feature: Saint Joseph Academy

November 4, 2024

Local Government Corruption

December 19, 2023

Reviewing the House Budget Committee Tax Options

January 23, 2025

Just in Time for Valentine’s Day, Hegseth Takes...

February 12, 2025

Calling for Papers! Beyond the Fourteenth Amendment: Protecting...

August 22, 2023

FISA Legislative Whiplash

April 12, 2024

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Musk feud presents ‘unprecedented’ dynamic compared to past Trump disputes: expert

      June 7, 2025
    • Snub of Musk’s NASA nominee ally preceded sudden ‘big, beautiful bill’ criticism, Trump feud

      June 6, 2025
    • Supreme Court rules DOGE can access Social Security information

      June 6, 2025
    • US sanctions money laundering network aiding Iran as regime faces nuclear reprimand at IAEA

      June 6, 2025
    • From Tariffs to Tech: Where Smart Money’s Moving Right Now

      June 6, 2025
    • Your Weekly Stock Market Snapshot: What It Means for Your Investments

      June 6, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,149)
    • Investing (2,019)
    • Politics (15,556)
    • Stocks (3,134)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved