It is interesting to consider the "education question" not as usually cast, K-12 and the dire costs of obtaining a BA these days, even at a "State school."
An education is important for upward mobility opportunity, with Al Franken being an example where doors might have been less open had he not had the opportunity to attend Harvard. But that does not go to the question of the need to maintain absolute post-graduate excellence at the U.Minn. Twin Cities campus, now and steadily into the future, when funding for that might not be as plentiful as during "Sputnik" days I can recall.
So, Tinklenberg holds a theology degree from a private school, Northwestern; Bachmann got her law degree from Oral Roberts; and Immelman earned his series of degrees from University of Port Elizabeth, (which sounds as if he is the only graduate of exclusively public university training). Apparently renamed Nelson Mandela Municipal University, there still is an active "www.upe.ac.za" web address.
Presumably while studying in Psychology Immelman either utilized Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant aid or had it available and is familiar with how post-graduate education availability is often dependent on such assistance capability.
The ultimate question for the three - where do you stand on maintaining post-graduate excellence at the Twin Cities campus along with plentiful available post-graduate financial aid where needed [it being more frequent that post-graduate education might involve a marriage with possibly the only family income being from a teaching or research assistanceship, something especially true for Post-Doc research, which reaches an older population segment]?
Is it an, "I worked my way through, others can," mentality, or "My parents paid, other parents can," mentality, or is it a recognition and strong and perhaps unwaivering support for advanced education training, as a social benefit to us all and something all should share in funding?
I would hope each of the three advanced degree holders would publicly take a stance.
Because if you are for it, you have to be for funding it, and that means it is a priority over funding something else because you see the long-term social benefit.
If post-graduate excellence is not funded, it will not be maintained. The best scholars are the ones most vigorously recruited by the other excellent universities, public and private, in our nation. Indeed, Prof. Immelman appears to have been recruited internationally, which is not an uncommon thing, either.
