Comprehensive fee hike charges students for the wrong reasons
Although the student comprehensive fee has increased religiously for the last eight years to improve campus conditions and services, this year's proposed increase will lighten undergrads' wallets without making an immediate impact on the students' college experience.
The proposed 3.5 percent increase in the student comprehensive fee will bump the financial burden to over $800 a semester, but to make matters worse, more than half of the proposed fee increase will support elusive UB 2020 initiatives, a program designed to address future improvements in academic and civic engagement programs.
The reality of this fee hike is that students will be spending more money for improvements that may not go into effect until after they cross the stage in cap and gown attire. While the intentions of UB 2020 are genuinely beneficial, a compulsory fee is not the answer, and officials should find a better way to get this money.
Instead of charging current students for future campus development, officials should look to UB alumni to generate funds for UB 2020 and to enhance the university's image. In UB history, Alumni have pledged a total of $101 million to facilities to revamp buildings and classrooms. More recently Sal Alfiero, a UB alumnus, donated $2 million to support the 2005 construction of the Alfiero Center, a major asset for the School of Management. The university should advocate better interaction with alumni donors, and efforts should be taken to increase pride in these community members, so the vision of UB 2020 can one day become a reality.
UB has benefited from generous fans of their old alma mater, like Alfiero, but a wider range of alumni involvement should be sought. This won't happen overnight, but this should be the fund-raising focus of UB 2020; officials should be glorifying UB's name on the backs of alumni and asking them for donations, instead of draining the current generation of students just looking to fiscally survive their undergraduate experience.
Immigration legislation left on the fence
Pointing fingers and verbal dueling set back immigration control
Although it was wishful thinking to believe that the bipartisan support would hold up, the complete disintegration of the immigration compromise bill on Friday is an utter disappointment for anybody hoping for decisive government action.
Appeasing pro- and anti-amnesty politicians alike, the bill still called for increasing border patrol but provided a path to legalization for some of the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the country. Those who have been here for 5 years would be set on a path for citizenship, while those unable to make the 5-year prerequisite would have an opportunity for temporary work visas.
The plan wasn't perfect -- far from it -- but in the beginning it was advocated by members of both parties. After complications caused by 3 republican amendments and political bickering, however, a key vote produced only 38 senators, 22 short of the necessary 60.
After Friday's failed vote, the pointing fingers began to fly. On Saturday, President Bush blamed solely Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for the bill's breakdown in his refusal to support republican amendments. Other senators joined the bandwagon of Bush's criticism of Reid.
It seems that Congress is in search of a scapegoat instead of a solution, and to make matters worse, the legislation gridlock will continue through the month as politicians head to their two-week Easter vacation.
It feels so good to get away, doesn't it?
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
