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UB 2020 takes advantage of the students who need reform the most

Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Updated: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 21:01

Simpson and now Tripathi and Zukoski want people to come with dreams of grandeur and have a respectable, elite name on their diplomas, but currently, the University at Buffalo is a bargain, and that’s why students come.

The students who are putting up the money now for it won’t get to reap the benefits. Zukoski says it’s civic duty for your alma mater and for personal pride, but that’s nothing more than a selling point. The fact is that current students are not getting anything out of UB 2020 – not even a plan of what is to come or what their money will be going toward. All they know is their tuition will increase, and they may never get to see the reasons for the increase.

You know what would be nice? Letting students actually get the opportunity to finish their degrees without seeing tuition increases or having to scramble for money to stay another semester because of “civic duty.”

At one point in the 20th century, UB had one of the best English schools in the country; we are currently ranked 41 on U.S. News Best College Rankings for English. A decline in the quality of our education is not something that will happen – it is something that is happening, and we’re not fixing it.

On Jan. 23 and 24, there are open forums for the campus community to discuss the aspects of Realizing UB 2020 with Zukoski. We recommend – no, insist – you attend one of them to see what and for whom your tuition pays for.

 

Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

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1 comments

Anonymous
Wed Jan 23 2013 13:16
Look, I'm a humanities student, so I am definitely feeling the cuts as well. And I know it seems unfair that the money is mainly going to building up the medical campus and the science departments, but there is a logic behind it. The global economy is more and more based in knowledge of math and science. It's a bummer, but it's true. America is trying to push that agenda with upper level education (as well as high school and below I'm sure) so we don't fall behind. Think of all the grants for production, particularly in fields like green energy, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. If UB can get a head start and become an innovator in places like this, the money coming into the campus and the whole buffalo area will eventually be beneficial. Does it suck we just happen to be the students who got started with the tuition increases? Yeah. Does it suck we're in a major that's not marketable? Yeah. But putting money into places where there is demand is a smart move. Putting money into silk screen printing, musical theatre, or poetry is extremely noble. But putting money into green energy and medical technology, where people are looking for jobs, work, and products? That will bring people to the campus, to the area, and subsequently bring back money. More money will this place a better college overall. The lack of funding in humanities isn't just that UB is appropriating more money towards science than humanities. We're in a horrible economy: there isn't money for anyone, anywhere. Universities everywhere are shutting down arts, languages, English, etc. Maybe UB2020 is unfairly benefitting some students more than others because the money will go towards their programs directly. Well, that's what happens when some students choose to enroll in programs that are marketable in the age of science and technology. But eventually, the benefits to our campus and the area will be well worth it.




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