Governor Corbett’s budget proposal is taking over the media, web, and now – our campus. Surely this is a reason for students, faculty and administration alike to be outraged. WCU prides itself as a low-cost institution offering a wide range of degrees, while building a relationship with its students and the surrounding community.There is no doubt that we as students should be involved and active in voicing our defense for our university. However, I find that recently many students are falling victim to blindly following the idea of “if we rally, we will win.” Though I am certainly not against protesting Gov. Corbett’s proposal, I believe students are glancing over the fine print of what we may be fighting for (who is the “we,” what do we win?).
A select group of students was recently asked to encourage an anti-Corbett protest. The message strongly supports the rally currently permeating Facebook and other sections of the WCU website. However, despite the fact that this proposal is not finalized, students were told specific areas which would be affected, such as class size, tuition increase and program elimination.
Why are these specific areas so strongly emphasized to a threat-like state of purging? Students are not given full access to the way the University distributes or spends its funds. A high percentage of the money being spent comes from our own tuition – so why are we hidden from where our money goes?
For example – building restoration is a necessary, but infrequent event. Still, the restoration for several of our academic buildings has coincided with the construction of the Rec Center (at the old Ramsey site), the Bull Center, and the building across from the Rosedale Avenue tennis courts. Why are all of these projects happening at once? Why weren’t students informed or asked about this? Why don’t we know what’s going on where we live?
The way WCU’s funds are dispersed is unknown to the core of the university – its students. With Gov. Corbett’s proposal, administration has decided that tuition increase will be the major consequence. Why? Despite the fact that our tuition is extremely low compared to other universities (including state schools), a call to action must also be issued to the powers that divide up our money. Does Corbett’s proposal really mean that we as students and families need to pay more, or is it really just a harsh reality that the university needs to be smarter with their funds?
Students – we must take action in this proposal, but what we take action for should be on our behalf. We must learn that to defend our university, we must show a strengthened student body that doesn’t rely on direction from our own institution. Take the time to research and decide your stance before blindly becoming a sheep. After all, you are a Golden Ram.
Cordially,
a fellow student.