First of all, a "free" education will end up being worth what people paid for it.

Hmmm...I'm not sure I understand where you're coming from on that point. Would the school take government dollars less seriously than they take dollars coming in from the student's mom and dad?

Second, other college students aren't going to stand for only certain disciplines being "anointed" in this way.

Yeah, I thought of that too. In another life, I was once a student in a Social Sciences dept, and an arrangement like the one outlined in the article may well have irked me badly...but you know, I think I may have still understood the reasoning.

Besides, I think we all know that the "annointed" boat has already sailed, especially for faculties of engineering. I don't say that bitterly...I think it makes a certain amount of sense. We depend on engineers for a great deal, if you'll pardon the understatement.