Budget cuts make nursing more competitive

Many students who attend The University of Arizona, have one thing in common … they are pre-nursing majors. All are in hope of getting into the program that has only become move competitive each application cycle. Why does this happen? Well, one of the factors is the lack of qualified faculty to teach the students. The lack of faculty causes schools, not just at The University of Arizona, to turn away numerous qualified students per year that apply to the program. Because of this it is easy to say that pre-nursing is probably one of the most competitive majors on campus, give or take. Students with this major are required to take difficult and challenging classes such as chemistry and anatomy and physiology … which are almost impossible to get into because there is such a wide number of students with this major and other majors that are required to take the classes. Perfectly qualified students are turned away from the nursing program because there are not enough professors to adequately teach the skills necessary to become a nurse without having an outstanding student/faculty ratio. This shortage of faculty can also lead to nursing positions being filled by those who are not properly trained and educated. By doing that, nurses enter the field without enough training, which can create many issues on its own. Another concern would be the growing age of those who are currently teaching. Even though there are numerous nurses that are eligible to teach, many choose to work in the field instead of the classroom because the salary is somewhat higher and there is more career flexibility. While nursing schools only continue to deny admission to their programs, college students are more likely to change their major because trying to get into a nursing program is a gamble that consumes a lot of time, money and effort with only a small possibility of getting in unless you are a stellar student.

The lack of nursing educators is the problem and if those in charge would notice this, they could possibly change the criteria, or even recruit more people to teach, so not as many applicants are turned down each semester. Instead of somewhat discouraging students who don’t have at least a 3.8 GPA to apply, the nursing schools should find a way to be more accepting of students who are actually applying, and find a way to make accommodations so more students can be accepted.  

Pre-nursing undergraduate

Dangerous fluffballs

I have lived in Tucson my entire life and I have never ever experienced the attack of the fluffy flying floating creatures. I lived on the east side of Tucson and never did I once sneeze more than 20 times in the course of an hour. Allergies, allergies, allergies. Last Tuesday I woke up to a sore throat, runny nose and congested brain. I thought I was getting sick so I took a handfull of bright orange vitamin C chewable tablets and drank an entire eight ounces of water. Then, I walk outside and see that Tucson was raining yellow fluffy balls. Those trees on campus that seem innocent and beautiful turn into monsters in the spring. Walking from one side of campus to the other I found myself dodging these yellow creatures. Despite my constant efforts, I found pollen and plant debris in my hair, on my clothes and I felt like, at the time, in my nose. It was disgusting and almost frightening. To those who have never experienced such allergies, I am sorry that the University of Arizona has a great number of these trees all over campus. I hope you can figure out a way to avoid these monsters. I would love to know.

Nutritional sciences undergraduate

Affirming Affirmative Action

When you walk around the University of Arizona’s campus, what do you see? Sure, there are buildings, landscapes and crowds; but what kinds of people comprise these crowds? It is apparent that there exist students of different race and ethnicities; however, have you ever wondered the reason behind our diverse campus? If you guessed affirmative action, you guessed correctly. Affirmative action, a policy that requires college admission boards to establish certain privileges when dealing with minority applicants, has generated several debates throughout the decades that it has been in effect. For some, affirmative action may stand for opportunity, a chance to attend college to achieve a better life for themselves. However, for others, affirmative action may represent a feeling of resentment and frustration of not being admitted to their favorite college because another student got in due to affirmative action. One may ask how affirmative action even helps the school, and the answer is that it is the reason that we can walk around and spot a diverse mix of students surrounding us. It is because of affirmative action that every student is an individual, but is able to become acquainted with other cultures. Yes, some individuals may argue that affirmative action is no longer needed after we saw the election of our first African American President, Barack Obama. And, of course, it is easy to see why there are people who feel as if this event marks a time when an extra push for minority students is no longer necessary.

However, we know there are those who are the “”exception”” and there are those who are the “”rule.”” I think it is safe to say Barack Obama is the exception. If we raise awareness of affirmative action, events such as Obama’s election would not be such a rare occurrence. There is no denying that affirmative action has its flaws; however, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of others and raise awareness of affirmative action to make sure that minority students have equal opportunity.

Finance undergraduate

Athletes: Show me the money

According to NCAA rules, Section 2, Title V reads, “”it is a violation of the NCAA rules for athletes to accept money or gifts while intending to remain eligible.”” Even though these athletes do not get paid from the school, for a long time there has been the question of whether these college athletes get paid?  As a football player at the University of Arizona, I spend more time doing football activities than in the classroom. My daily schedule during the season starts with a workout at 6:30 a.m., followed by class from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. depending on the day. After class I have spend about two and half hours getting taped, watching film and in position meetings. Then at 4:00 p.m. practice starts and lasts until 5:30 p.m. Even though a full scholarship may seem like enough for some athletes, the truth is that it is not.

College football and basketball is a multi-million dollar industry and the players don’t get paid any of it. In an article written by Rod Gilmore for ESPN, he tells us that during the 2005-06 season, the University of Texas earned a $42 million profit just from the football team. The University of Michigan earned just about $37 million and the University of Florida earned $32 million during that same time frame. I understand that I might sound like some arrogant athlete that just wants money, but the reality is that the rule is not going to change any time soon, but just understand that for all the glory us athletes may get, we pay twice as much for the toll our bodies take and our traditional college lives.

— Alex Monetta

Business undergraduate

Online classes lead to failure

College students that live on or near campus and only have to focus on school should seriously consider the challenge of the online classroom before they enroll. I believe the online option should be reserved for students who work full time, have family or live far from campus. If one is a student who takes most courses in a classroom, the online option would be a major adjustment that requires discipline and has great potential for struggle.

As a student at the University of Arizona, I know that grades are the top priority and it can be difficult to manage with other parts of life. To add yet another component of adjustment would increase the risk of failure and complicate a student’s academic life. The online class requires more discipline because the student must set a schedule and continually monitor one’s performance. Online classes require the student to be internally motivated and driven, and have the ability to work independently. The traditional external demands and support of the classroom do not exist in the online setting. Students need to be fully prepared for this major change and consider the serious consequences of potential failure before they enroll.

— Michael Heslinga

Liberal arts undergraduate