THE NCAA IMPOSES DEATH SENTENCES. Critical Mass has some critical observations about the University of Michigan (motto: we'll be champions of the west by the book) employing more advanced undergraduate students as teachers. Perhaps it's a way to cope with budget woes whilst allowing professors to conduct some research regularly. It is, however, an illustration of a scam first noted by Martin Anderson, that of selling the collegiate experience as a chance to take classes with famous professors, then letting the students (in Anderson's argument, first year graduate students) do the teaching. One wonders if Michigan will be as forthcoming about irregularities in its delivery of degrees as it was about fundraising in the basketball program.

UPDATE: There's a thesis topic nailed to Newmark's Door: what is the per-pupil expenditure at The University of Michigan, death sentenced of the west? (For that matter, what is it at Northern Illinois University? Developing...)