An accounting professor at Middleton University devotes 60 percent of her time to teaching, 30 percent of her time to research and writing, and 10 percent of her time to service activities such as committee work and student advising. The professor teaches two semesters per year. During each semester, she teaches one section of an introductory financial accounting course (with a maximum enrollment of 40 students) and one section of a graduate financial accounting course (with a maximum enrollment of 25 students). Including course preparation, classroom instruction, and appointments with students, each course requires an equal amount of time. The accounting professor is paid $96,000 per year. Determine the activity cost of instruction per student in both the introductory and the graduate financial accounting courses. Round answers to two decimal places.

Middleton University

Activity Cost of Instruction per student in the introductory and graduate financial accounting courses:

Total Instruction cost   $57,600

Number of students  = 65 (40 + 25)

Instruction per student = $57,600/65 = $886.15

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations

Activities:                           Time Spent   Activity Cost Introductory Graduate

Course preparation                30%        $28,800         $17,723       $11,077

Classroom instruction            60%        $57,600       $35,446      $22,154

Appointments with students  10%          $9,600         $5,908       $3,692

Annual salary                                         $96,000      $59,077      $36,923

b) The activities are three for each of introductory and graduate courses.  The cost (annual salary) of the professor is allocated according to the time spent on each activity.  This cost is further allocated between the introductory and graduate classes according to the number of students in each course.  Overall, the same amount per each activity is spent on each student in both courses.

answer; lags, push the econ below the natural level of output;