2008 Woodie Awards
Editorials for March 31
ByLast update: 5/17/06 at 8:20 AM CST
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Only one way to be heard: Speak
Tuition and fees increased by 5 percent for the fall semester, an effort to raise $3 million to fully fund the district. Voters approved a $450 million bond election in November that gives the district the opportunity to build a new college and add onto existing colleges. But expected growth as a result of expansion means greater need.
Trustees and administrators, while budgeting, make sure you don't cripple our education to launch other enterprises.
Increasing tuition is normal college life. However, the district often increases fees as well - and money is still short and doesn't seem to meet ends.
Already the hours and services of the student learning assistance center have been cut. What else are trustees and administrators eyeing?
As students, there are things we are adamant should be protected. When we register for classes, we pay for the services of the SLAC lab. Now the printing services have been cut.
We pay a library fee and we want to make sure that these fees will be used to maintain the library at this college. The fee should enable this library to purchase books and add new databases.
Don't take our fees and begin building a library at another college as was done for Palo Alto and Northwest Vista.
If the district starts doing that, it will harm the learning process of students at this college.
Department and club accounts seem to be nonexistent thanks to Banner Financial, and some are struggling to make it to the end of the semester. Will this change as soon as we have higher tuition? Probably not.
We should never find ourselves in the position as we did some years ago of not being able to afford crackers and juice for the child development center.
Instead of maintaining the programs we already have, we have to add on, and on and on. And then we duplicate.
Not only programs from campus to campus, but services from the colleges to the district. This has, quite frankly, grown unhealthy.
When the tuition increase went before the board March 23, not one person appeared for the citizens-to-be-heard portion of the meeting to question the proposal. It seems like there is no interest in happenings in the students' environment.
Students, if you are that busy, just write your trustee an e-mail. The Ranger weekly publishes the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of each trustee on Page 2.
In addition to students, faculty and staff have to stand up and say what they want.
Besides the board of trustees, let Faculty Senate, Staff Council and the department chairs know about your needs. This could be an issue for students to mobilize around in Student Assembly.
Students need to make sure their rights are protected, and they can only do it by joining an organization that will give them the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Instead of complaining about being affected by change, take responsibility beforehand and help effect a healthy change.
Help available from many sources
There is no shortage of referrals for public assistance for students, faculty or staff at this college.
Nobody should feel embarrassed by asking for help.
Unplanned events can happen that change your life unexpectedly. It happens everyday.
The women's center offers a variety of referral assistance.
They helped 3,812 students in fall 2005, with over 7,000 follow-up visits. They also have assisted 79 evacuees from the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, with 242 follow-up visits.
The women's center in the Balditt Counseling Complex on the first floor of Moody can be reached at 733-2299.
The Methodist Student Center offers peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Tuesdays through Fridays inside Loftin Student Center near the east entrance. Students need only a coupon available from the cafeteria.
The United Way offers a call-in referral service that includes food pantries nearest to a client's address, referrals for clothing assistance and various government agencies providing assistance.
The phone number for the United Way is easy to remember - 211.
So if you or someone you know has a need, help is out there.
Take advantage of it.
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