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by Christopher Michaud

Over the last few years, the University of Prince Edward Island has undergone a number of changes. Some have been beneficial, while oth- ers remain in question. It is important to take a look at some of the changes, and think about what they can do for our old alma mater.

Towards the end of last year, Student Services, (now Student Development), changed vending machine com- panies. The new company, Western Vending, promised reduced costs to UPEI, with morerevenue going to students by way ofscholarships. Atthe startofthis year, students who have a bit of a sweet tooth, of which I am more than equally guilty, may have noticed afew price hikes. It appears we now haveto fork over an extra nickel for our favourite chocolate bars. Where have the fairer prices gone? Did anyone no-

tice the coffee machine at the AVC cafeteria was out of or- der for over a week last year?

Another thing we have

alldulynoted, is the increase in our tuition fees...AGAIN. For the last three years, or at least since I have been here, tuition fees per course have risen $10 per year, from $262 in June of 1994 to $292 for fall of 1996. And guess what? This will not endhere! Apparently, the Uni- Versity is planning to raise tuition... AGAIN...by January toan even $300. Ihave friends attending McGill in Montreal who are not paying any more than $200 per course. If UPEI Wishes to increase student enrollment (which is, surpris- ingly, up this year), how can it do so if tuition continues to

The Panther Prints Sept 17, 1996

And what do weall think of our Student Union? We should all remember the CIMN-SU fiasco! And what of our Student Union Presi- dent, Chris Burns? Nobody ran against him, so he is Presi- dent? Do not adjust your t.v. set, we are experiencing tech- nical difficulties. Do we have any idea what Burns stands for, what his position is on certain issues, not including the CIMN funding cuts? It means democracy has failed somewhere and, pardon the pun, but we are all going to get burned!

...tuition fees per course have risen $10 per year, from $262 in June of 1994 to $292 in the fall of 1996. And guess what? This will not end there.

Some good things have arrived on campus this year. MAPUS has some space to itself in the Robertson Library, and the new computers in Kelley are a dream come true. Now, when do we get CD- ROM? Aswell, the new Chem- istry Centre is a nice facility. Anybody have a space heater lying around in there? The Women’s Centre is now open to men. Is that not an interest- ing way of saying that? Now what would you rename it as? No bids, please, this could get nasty.

One thing some people have forgotten is the parking fees. And that is a good thing.

ee ORI,

flogged to death. Mind you, I am waiting for the University to try to get motorcycle own- ers to get a parking sticker.

Mylast point of review, and this is the big one. The beginning of the 1996 school year saw the loss of a few professors, and by the start of next year, we will lose a few more. This has got to stop. Some of the professors have not even hit the Big 65 and they are being given their walking papers! Freedom 55 maybe, but this is ridiculous!

Ah, well. What can we do? Isanyone listening? Hello? Hello?!

As tuition continues to soar, students considering a university education must ask themselves “Can I afford to go to University?” The an- swer -- Can you afford not to?

A recent publication by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commis- sion agrees. “The higher your education your chances of getting a job and the more income you’re likely to earn from that job increase.” A poll of 1990 graduates just two years after entering the work force found that those with a high school diploma or less earned $15,000, while those with a Bachelors de-

gree earned around $30,000. -

More Education = More Money. Ifafter pursuing your B of Whatever you decide to further your education a Mas-

17

issue... In fact, we

TECHNICAL OIFFICULT\ES

We at the Panther Prints would like to apologize to Michael “Santini” Klenavic for mis-spelling his name in the

September 10 issue. Also, we would like to make the following corrections to the Dr. Percival article: Dr. Percival was appointed to the faculty of arts more than twenty years ago. She chaired on the provinces Advisory Counal on the Status of Women.

We apologize for anything else in the last

errors in this issue as well. We need staff. Please come help us.

In advance for any

$41,000 and q doctorate around $45,000.

Your future employer is looking for academic skills. The ability to learn, think criti- cally, and the desire/ability to continually improve oneself, (and therefore ones place of employment), on a personal and academic level by con- stantly upgrading through learning.

If this generation, my generation, can’t afford not to attend post-secondary, but who are also finding it harder to afford a “higher” educa- tion won’t make a stand against tuition hikes and gov- ernment cutbacks, who will?

The threat or promise rather for some students is going into debt and owing 20, 30 or $40,000 in student loans. This is a major deterrent for

be. Ifyou decide notto attend post-secondary because of the cost imagine how much money you would be making working at the Golden Arches. I’ve accepted debt, maybe not gracefully, but I’ve accepted it, with the knowledge that it will make me a better person in the long run. Why? Be- cause I want the same oppor- tunities as everyone else. I want to be able to write me- diocre articles for a paper that struggles to produce the best paper they can, besides if I hadn’t attended post-second- ary I never would have metall of the wonderful, not so won- derful but interesting people that are now part of my life. Apathy is the best word to describe our generation, but it shouldn’t be. The next time the Student Union or- ganizes a protest or rally against government cuts go. It is that simple. Education pays, whether you attend for academic or monetary rea- sons it is worth it. The high cost of educa- tion is ignorance. Think about

rise? The whole issue was being | ters program will get you some people, but it need not it

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