Fail
Tuition bill would charge students $2,000 more

A state representative is pushing a minimum tuition bill, HB 2675, that would make students pay at least $2,000 a year unless they have a full-ride scholarship for athletics or academics. While this completely goes against Arizona’s state constitution’s promise of making higher education as free as possible, it’s also punishing students who don’t get a full ride.

Partial scholarships, tuition reductions and other forms of financial aid are the only ways that some students can afford to attend school. Charging them an additional $2,000 because they couldn’t get it all paid for is ridiculous.

“I don’t see why these (college graduates) who are going to earn so much more (than high school graduates) can’t take out loans for $2,000,” said Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, who sponsored the bill. “It’s a small fraction of the cost of their education. Graduating with an $8,000 loan is not the end of the world.”

It’s not the end of the world, but it certainly is a rocky beginning. In an unstable economy with employment down, it’s irresponsible to assume college students are going to make money right away.

President Barack Obama spoke about the importance of higher education in America during his State of the Union speech. Well, adding extra costs to receive that education will make it even harder for Americans to learn.

For placing additional burden on students, this bill gets a fail.

Incomplete

Arizona attempts a ‘California roll’

An Arizona house bill would make it legal for some bicyclists to yield at stop signs instead of stopping. However, the bill is confusing and only applies to those 16 or older, because they’re more likely to know traffic laws. But that’s the classic, “Do as I say, not what I do.” If a child sees adults going through stop signs, why would they do any differently?

Also, giving bikes a special exception to stop signs will provide unnecessary confusion for cross traffic. As a vehicle that has the right-of-way starts to accelerate, they have to guess if the bike coming up will stop, yield or just blow through an intersection. If there’s one thing we’ve all learned on campus it’s that bikes don’t always follow the law.

The bill is poorly worded and offers a confusing solution to a simple problem. If bikes are treated as vehicles, everyone knows the expectations.

For poor wording, this bill gets an incomplete.

Pass

Fraternity system called out

A fraternity member at Dartmouth University, Andrew Lohse, wrote an exposing column about his time in his fraternity, and the dehumanizing hazing that took place there. Some say that his view can’t be trusted because he was kicked out of his own fraternity. But Lohse brings up several points about discussions with administration before he was out of the Greek system, and doesn’t attack particular people or the Greek system as a whole. Rather, he sheds light on a terrible cultural movement on campus and the school’s administration’s failings.  

This semester, the UA chapter of Phi Kappa Psi was kicked out after its national organization found that it was hazing pledges. Whistle blowers like Lohse should be applauded, and the national organizations of Dartmouth fraternities should get involved.
People like Lohse should be commended for speaking up and protecting their fellow students.

For taking a stand, Lohse gets a pass.

— Editorials are determined by the Daily Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Bethany Barnes, Kristina Bui, Steven Kwan, Luke Money and Michelle A. Monroe. They can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu or on Twitter via @WildcatOpinions.