This information in the OP's link to
Popular Mechanics caught my eye:
He needed 36 credits to complete his degree, but didn't know when he'd finish because some of the required courses were no longer being offered—and UConn couldn't say when the problem would be fixed.
Back in the late 90s, I knew a number of people who had recently attended or were still enrolled at public colleges in California. They told me that students commonly took 5 years to graduate because of needing an upper-level class that was oversubscribed and only offered once per year. My understanding is that the situation is even worse now, and that 5 or even 6 years is the norm for many majors (e.g. engineering). For example, my friend's daughter had to take two chemistry courses over the summer just to finish a science degree in five years. So she lost a year of earnings and a chunk of summer earnings for the next school year on top of that. And there were those extra loans for the fifth year.
This problem apparently occurs in many states.
I guess a guarantee that you'll be able to take courses when you need them is one thing you pay for at a private college. But of course, this leads us right back to the question of the value of $60,000 a year for 8 classes, some institutional food, and a bed (more when most of the kids here are ready).
