"But we also need to look at why colleges spend so much on things not related to education."
Because student debt is given out like candy, and there's ZERO incentive all around to compete on cost (Mitch Daniels' Purdue being the lone exception I can think of[1]). Until student debt can be discharged as easily as other forms of debt, taxpayers will be left holding the bag, and schools will continue to add non-academic amenities (cheaper and less argument in the long run than hiring actual human professors) that allow subpar schools to compete with better schools for their place at the federal student loan teat.
"But we also need to look at why colleges spend so much on things not related to education."
Because student debt is given out like candy, and there's ZERO incentive all around to compete on cost (Mitch Daniels' Purdue being the lone exception I can think of[1]). Until student debt can be discharged as easily as other forms of debt, taxpayers will be left holding the bag, and schools will continue to add non-academic amenities (cheaper and less argument in the long run than hiring actual human professors) that allow subpar schools to compete with better schools for their place at the federal student loan teat.
[1] https://www.npr.org/2022/09/06/1121201296/purdues-reputation-for-affordability-results-in-substantial-growth-for-the-schoo