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Budget
cuts affect everyone at CSULB
While
registering for classes last semester most
students probably noticed that the tuition
and parking fees are noticeably higher.
Like many students, I naively assumed that
with the increase in tuition there would
be an increase in the quality of education.
Because I am spending more money I naturally
assumed that more resources would be available
to the students and faculty, or that some
other essential improvement would be made.
It quickly became apparent that the extra
money gained from the tuition increase is
not benefiting the students or faculty at
all.
The
resources available to the faculty are becoming
more restricted rather than more accessible.
Teachers must make fewer copies of necessary
classroom material each semester. This greatly
limits the teacher's ability to provide
pertinent outside information. These limitations
curb students' exposure to different opinions
and ideas that relate to their studies.
Without
these tools, students are only given one
perspective. While the recommended texts
are effective for most students, supplemental
information from outside sources often clarifies
aspects that would have otherwise left students
with only a vague understanding of the material.
Should
students choose to seek outside text for
further understanding they are faced with
copying costs. When doing research for an
essay or just looking for information, checking
out multiple books can be a burden. Photocopies
of informative pages would be a helpful
solution for this problem. But making multiple
copies can become costly and becomes another
obstacle in a student's quest for information.
Other
budget cuts include restrictions on faculty
use of the phones. The English department
in particular is no longer able to call
outside of the 562 area code. Although most
students have access to a computer and can
communicate with their professors via e-mail,
the ability to speak to a professor is important
for students. Those students who do not
live on campus and cannot meet with their
professors during office hours now face
challenges when trying to reach them by
phone. Although students may call and leave
questions for the professors, the likelihood
of a returned phone call is slim because
of these restrictions.
The
school has been negatively impacted by the
California state budget crisis, and certain
budget cuts are necessary in order to maintain
the integrity of the school, but the reputation
of the school would be most damaged by a
decline in the quality of education. Cal
State Long Beach is known for its quality
of education and has just recently been
recognized for its outstanding programs
by U.S. News and World Report which ranked
CSULB among the top three universities in
the West. These new cuts will affect education
immensely. The increases in expenses are
making education at Long Beach increasingly
difficult.
As
students, we have a lot invested in this
university. For many, time, money and personal
sacrifices have been made to be able to
invest in the promise for a better future.
The hope of every student attending a university
is that their experience will enrich their
lives with knowledge unattainable elsewhere.
We need to voice our concerns about how
these investments are recognized and ensure
that they are met with respect from those
we have entrusted.
Lauren
Williams is an undeclared freshman at CSULB.
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