Surcharge hurts good students

I, probably like most students, have always thought that the Old Testament was a dead book with no applicability to me. But as I was doing my homework for a Literature of the Bible course, I found something that seemed to be taken directly from my own life.

Amos criticizes Israel’s economic system because it promotes a gap between the rich and poor. The Access Bible says “”the wealthy imposed heavy taxes, took collateral for themselves, and cheated customers in the marketplace, the poor were eventually … reduced to debt slavery,”” (page 1178).

I would like to suggest that the same thing is occurring here at the UA today. The $1,000 “”surcharge”” is not fooling anyone – it’s a tax of the most brutal kind because it gives to those that have and takes from those that have not, namely, students, without giving anything in return. We are still being cheated in the figurative marketplace because we still can’t register for major-required courses, which only delays graduation.

The UA hires new coaches with million dollar contracts and the students get class offerings slashed and class sizes raised. Basically, the UA is hoping that although you’ll never be able to graduate, you won’t care because you’ll still get to see Jordan Hill play ball.

This surcharge won’t hurt those whose parents pay for their college tuition – those who care more about the next kegger than they do their grades. No, this will hurt those who are here on academic scholarships, like myself, who did well in high school because Uncle Sam told them that hard work pays off. Student are already struggling to afford school as it is and are not having their scholarships expanded to allow them to continue their education.

What President Shelton fails to realize is that good leaders fight for those whose voice is too small to be heard. But since he isn’t doing his job, it is up to us to find that voice. It is time we stop paying thousands of dollars for a sub-par education. Let the UA step up, and give us an education worth paying for first before we are all reduced to debt-slavery.

Samantha Ferrell, UA Sophomore majoring in English and Journalism

Pedestrian safety at risk with bicycle culture

My congratulations to the UA and to Tucson for thier bicycle friendly culture and encouragement of bicycle riding as transportation, as exercise and for enjoyment. The many bike paths in and around campus are one of the assets of our great city. Unfortunately we have a safety issue here on campus. There is a posting and I believe an expectation that bicycles are to be WALKED in the Speedway underpass at Olive Road between 7 a.m. & 5 p.m. weekdays – a walkway that I take from the Park Avenue garage to my office. Every day for at least 3 weeks I have seen at least two people riding their bikes at breakneck and dangerous speeds through that walkway. It is often a crowded time, just before classes and a safety hazard for pedestrians and bikers. With this letter, I hope to encourage all to petition the Parking and Transportation Services on campus to create an area designated for bicycles through that underpass – for the safety of all of us. Thank you.

Patricia Coyne-Johnson, Director of development & marketing for the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.