F. A. Hayek famously argued that among the defects of totalitarian government is that the worst people tend to seek and get the reins of power.

In today’s Martin Center article, Professor Scott Scheall observes that “a less dramatic, but equally perverse, logic governs American academia.” He writes:

The incentive structure of the modern American university encourages relatively unsuccessful scholars, those who fail to establish fruitful research programs early in their careers, to pursue administrative positions, where they wield authority over more successful colleagues, who actually generate educational value. As a result, the American university is disproportionately governed by relative academic failures.

Because administrators control the purse strings, more and more resources are directed their way, and less into actual education and research.

Scheall continues:

Hiring and promotion decisions reward the administration’s favorites, the compliant box-checkers, rather than more accomplished, if less accommodating, scholars. Instead of focusing single-mindedly on scholarly excellence, young professors are encouraged to build alliances with administrators.

This is one more reason why we spend so much on education and get so little benefit.