Blame the state
Like many students throughout our university, I am disheartened to see that our school has been forced to add tuition surcharges on students. It is painful to consider an additional $1,200.
However, I am fearful of what will be become of ASU without the additional funds. If there is no additional funding, students better start a list —– a list of colleges, schools, programs and majors that are OK to eliminate. I don’t even know how you could approach such a list.
It is easy to be against the surcharge like many loud people, but it is takes true character to recognize the need for it. We have already seen the dissolution of the College of Design, the consolidation of the College of Engineering, the eradication of majors across all four campuses, and more.
Without the surcharge, things will get worse! There could be mass firings of tenured faculty, the purging of University scholarships, the removal of student services like evening hours in the Memorial Union and far worse.
The University scrapped the bottom of the barrel: All the thermostats are set to 82 degrees, there are dozens upon dozens of offices eerily empty from support staff let go, class sizes are sky rocketing, and the number of courses is plummeting.
To the people shouting outside the Memorial Union and in The State Press against the surcharge, there is no more money. I don’t like the surcharges, but I am not going to let my education be ruined.
Today, I stand up for my friends: the architecture major, the agribusiness major and the criminal justice major. Their degrees are being held together with Scotch tape. We will make it through this together.
I do not blame the University for this situation — the state of Arizona has failed us. The state leadership are constitutionally mandated to help, but they have turned they backs on us. I blame them.
If there is one message to send, it is that message of disgust. The state should be ashamed. Our children’s children will be made to suffer from the lack of education, innovation and advancement from today’s leaders.
Chris Gast
Undergraduate
