18
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Panther
      Prints
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Letter
      to
      the
      Editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editor,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UPEI
      will
      be
      a
      priority
     
     
      item
      for
      Liberal
      Leadership
      Can-
     
     
      didate
      Ian
      “Tex”
      MacDonald.
     
     
      The
      University
      is
     
     
      Charlottetown’s
      biggest
      busi-
     
     
      ness,
      the
      direct
      impact
      and
      the
     
     
      spin
      offs
      are
      critical
      to
      the
      eco-
     
     
      nomic
      development
      of
      the
      capi-
     
     
      tal
      district.
      Anytime
      you
      havea
     
     
      business
      that
      involves
      over
      3500
     
     
      people
      then
      you
      better
      make
      it
      a
     
     
      priority.
     
    

    
     
      I
      believe
      that
      our
      city
     
     
      compliments
      the
      university
      like
     
     
      no
      other
      city
      or
      college
      town.
     
     
      Although
      the
      university
      has
      its
     
     
      own
      boundaries
      and
      identity,
      it
     
     
      is
      being
      molded
      into
      the
      commu-
     
     
      nity.
      The
      setting
      is
      indeed
      at-
     
     
      tractive
      and
      the
      amenities
      that
     
     
      Charlottetown
      has
      to
      offer
      can
     
     
      only
      enhance
      the
      entire
      univer-
     
     
      sity
      scene.
     
    

    
     
      I
      would
      like
      to
      see
      our
     
     
      university
      marketed
      with
      the
      city.
     
     
      We
      should
      also
      strive
      to
      pro-
     
     
      mote
      UPEI
      in
      conjunction
      with
     
     
      city
      amenities,
      factors
      like
      a
     
     
      “safe
      city”,
      affordable
      housing,
     
     
      proximity
      to
      the
      campus
      and
      an
     
     
      overall
      “good
      environment”
      for
     
     
      learning.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Provincial
      Depart-
     
     
      ment
      of
      Tourism
      promotes
      and
     
     
      markets
      our
      Island
      at
      the
      na-
     
     
      tional
      and
      international
      level.
     
     
      Maybe
      its
      time
      we
      emulated
     
     
      tourism
      and
      marketed
      our
      uni-
     
     
      versity
      so
      that
      we
      can
      attract
     
     
      more
      students.
      The
      benefits
      of
     
     
      this
      strategy
      are
      numerous
      and
     
     
      could
      have
      an
      impact
      on
      main-
     
     
      taining
      current
      tuition
      fees.
     
    

    
     
      On
      the
      other
      hand
      there
     
     
      must
      be
      some
      incentives
      offered
     
     
      to
      our
      local
      high
      school
      gradu-
     
     
      ates
      to
      attend
      our
      university.
     
    

    
     
      Why
      do
      so
      many
      high-
     
     
      school
      graduates
      opt
      to
      attend
     
     
      other
      schools?
      This
      is
      a
      tough
     
     
      question
      to
      answer
      but
      it
      could
     
     
      be
      a
      good
      assignment
      for
      some
     
     
      business
      students!
      In
      my
      opin-
     
     
      ion
      McLeans
      Magazine
      has
      not
     
    
   
   
    
     
      considering
      the
      excellent
      staff
     
     
      and
      administration
      that
      we
      pos-
     
     
      sess
      at
      UPEI.
     
    

    
     
      I
      think
      that
      the
      construc-
     
     
      tion
      ofauniversity
      student
      center
     
     
      [sic]
      would
      bean
      enticement
      for
     
     
      local
      students
      and
      should
      be
      a
     
     
      priority
      item.
      There
      is
      a
      move
     
     
      toward
      community
      integration
     
     
      onbehalfofthe
      university,
      which
     
     
      can
      only
      have
      positive
      results.
     
     
      The
      university
      has
      so
      much
      to
     
     
      offer
      but
      is
      rarely
      tapped
      by
      the
     
     
      community.
      The
      library
      would,
     
     
      could
      and
      must
      come
      up
      with
      a
     
     
      fund
      raiser.
      As
      the
      only
      univer-
     
     
      sity
      we
      should
      have
      a
      more
      ex-
     
     
      pansive
      and
      extensive
      library.
     
    

    
     
      The
      issues
      of
      tuition
      fees
     
     
      and
      the
      cost
      of
      books
      are
      for
      the
     
     
      student
      the
      most
      crucial
      of
      all
     
     
      the
      concerns.
     
    

    
     
      Thecurrent
      cost
      of
      $292.
     
     
      per
      course
      has
      jumped
      $50.
      in
     
     
      the
      last
      three
      years,
      the
      cost
      of
     
     
      books
      is
      astronomical
      and
      diffi-
     
     
      cult
      for
      the
      non
      studentto
      grasp.
     
     
      “J
      just
      can’t
      believe
      the
      price
      of
     
     
      books”.
      Student
      fees
      and
      food
     
     
      add
      to
      the
      cost
      and
      makes
      at-
     
     
      tending
      any
      university
      very
      ex-
     
     
      pensive.
     
    

    
     
      There
      is
      no
      easy
      solution
     
     
      to
      tuition
      fees,
      but
      maybe
      one
     
     
      could
      make
      it
      [tuition
      fees]
      a
     
     
      priority
      item
      and
      look
      at
      the
      rami-
     
     
      fications
      of
      a
      2
      or
      3
      year
      freeze,
     
     
      like
      they’
      ve
      done
      in
      British
      Co-
     
     
      lumbia.
      Maybe
      the
      government
     
     
      should
      return
      to
      the
      business
      of
     
     
      student
      loans
      and
      bypass
      the
     
     
      banks
      and
      their
      interest
      rates.’
     
     
      Any
      bank
      that
      makes
      a
      profit
      of
     
     
      $400
      million
      per
      year
      could/
     
     
      should
      consider
      low
      interest
      to
     
     
      future
      customers.
      It’s
      good
      busi-
     
     
      ness.
     
    

    
     
      UPEI
      is
      like
      many
      uni-
     
     
      versities
      across
      this
      nation,
      there
     
     
      are
      some
      issues
      that
      are
      con-
     
     
      stant,
      there
      are
      problems
      that
     
     
      can
      be
      solved
      and
      there
      are
      ad-
     
     
      justments
      that
      must
      be
      made
      in
     
     
      order
      to
      ensue
      a
      positive
      future
     
     
      for
      our
      university.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tex
      MacDonald
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Editors
      note:
      Letters
      to
     
     
      the
      Editor
      are
      not
      edited
      for
     
     
      grammaticalerrors,
      spelling,
      or
     
     
      content.
      Nor
      do
      the
      views
      ex-
     
     
      pressed
      in
      Letters
      to
      the
      Editor
     
     
      represent
      the
      views
      of
      the
      edi-
     
     
      tor,
      the
      Panther
      Prints,
      the
      Stu-
     
     
      dent
      Union
      or
      UPEI.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      was
      recently
      ap-
     
     
      proached
      by
      another
      student
     
     
      and
      asked
      to
      join
      the
      upcoming
     
     
      protests
      against
      rising
      tuition
     
     
      costs.
      I
      was
      told
      that
      the
      gov-
     
     
      ernment
      is
      breaking
      the
      backs
     
     
      of
      students,
      forcing
      us
      to
      sink
     
     
      in
      debt,
      and
      denying
      us
      our
     
     
      right
      to
      an
      accessible
      educa-
     
     
      tion.
      I
      agree
      that
      every
      Cana-
     
     
      dian
      has
      a
      right
      to
      post-sec-
     
     
      ondary
      studies.
      One
      cannot
      be
     
     
      denied
      access
      to
      university
      due
     
     
      to
      colour,
      class
      or
      sex.
      Every-
     
     
      thing
      else
      though,
      must
      be
     
     
      earned.
      It
      is
      my
      opinion
      that
     
     
      ur
      ridiculously
      lowtuition
      fees
     
     
      e
      the
      main
      causes
      for
      the
      cost
     
     
      utting
      measures,
      made
      by
     
     
      niversities
      across
      the
      coun-
     
     
      ,
      which
      have
      resulted
      in
      a
     
     
      oorer
      course
      selection
      and
      a
     
     
      owering
      of
      the
      basic
      stand-
     
     
      ds
      of
      our
      education.
      (Take
     
     
      or
      example
      the
      loss
      of
      some
     
     
      lented
      professors
      under
      the
     
     
      niversity's
      “Freedom
      65"
     
     
      Olicy.)
      It
      is
      time
      for
      a
      radical
     
     
      hange,
      just
      not
      the
      one
      every-
     
     
      ne
      thinks.
      Over
      the
      years,
      I
     
     
      ave
      come
      up
      with
      a
      few
      ideas
     
     
      at
      I
      believe
      will
      truly
      better
     
     
      ur
      education.
      Approach
      them
     
     
      ith
      an
      open
      mind.
     
    

    
     
      First,
      students
      are
      to
      be
     
     
      esponsible
      for
      the
      full
      cost
      of
     
     
      eir
      university
      education.
      No
     
     
      ore
      4
      or
      5
      per
      cent
      incre-
     
     
      ents.
      Raise
      tuition
      fees
      all
      the
     
     
      way
      once
      and
      for
      all.
      Second,
     
     
      universities
      must
      be
      made
      open
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
          
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sept
      17,
      1996
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      mature
      students
      only.
      Cur-
     
     
      rently,
      this
      means
      anyone
      over
     
     
      21
      who
      has
      been
      out
      of
      school
     
     
      for
      a
      couple
      of
      years;
      and
      I
      see
     
     
      no
      reason
      to
      change
      it.
      How
     
     
      many
      bright
      first
      year
      students
     
     
      have
      lost
      scholarships,
      dropped
     
     
      courses,
      or
      failed
      due
      to
      lack
      of
     
     
      experience
      in
      life?
      Suddenly
     
     
      given
      absolute
      freedom,
      they
     
     
      suffer
      a
      sensory
      overload
      that
     
     
      can
      only
      be
      dimmed
      by
      late
     
     
      nights
      and
      Windex
      colodas.
     
     
      Atleast,
      this
      is
      what
      happened
     
     
      tomeand
      many
      of
      my
      friends.)
     
     
      So,
      upon
      completion
      of
      high
     
     
      school
      our
      government
      will
     
     
      give
      each
      graduate
      a
      one-way
     
     
      ticket
      to
      any
      country
      they
     
     
      choose;
      and
      then
      deny
      them
      re-
     
     
      entry
      until
      they
      learn
      alittle
      bit
     
     
      about
      life
      and
      other
      cultures.
      It
     
     
      does
      wonders
      for
      one's
      study
     
     
      habits.
     
    

    
     
      Third,
      anyone
      receiv-
     
     
      ing
      an
      80%
      average
      at
      the
      end
     
     
      of
      high
      school
      goes
      to
      univer-
     
     
      sity
      for
      free.
      Everyone
      else
     
     
      pays.
      Those
      of
      you
      who
      pay
     
     
      the
      first
      year,
      yet
      manage
      to
     
     
      reach
      the
      80%
      plateau,
      will
     
     
      receive
      full
      tuition
      scholarships
     
     
      forthe
      following
      year;
      and
      these
     
     
      scholarships
      will
      remain
      as
     
     
      long
      as
      your
      marks
      stay
      high.
     
     
      Students
      in
      the
      80%
      plateau
     
     
      whose
      marks
      fall
      below
      that
     
     
      line,
      lose
      their
      scholarships
      and
     
     
      get
      to
      pay
      just
      like
      everyone
     
     
      else.
      This
      way,
      university
      edu-
     
     
      cation
      becomes
      a
      reward
      for
     
    
   
   
    
     
      hard
      work,
      intelligence,
      and
     
     
      consistency.
      Furthermorethose
     
     
      who
      don't
      get
      the
      scholarships,
     
     
      yet
      choose
      to
      attend,
      will
      have
     
     
      a
      greater
      appreciation
      for
      what
     
     
      they
      are
      paying
      for.
      At
      a
      cost
     
     
      of
      over
      $10,000/year,
      they
      had
     
     
      better
      be
      absolutely
      sure
      that
     
     
      university
      is
      where
      they
      want
     
     
      to
      be.
     
    

    
     
      What
      are
      the
      results
      of
     
     
      these
      proposals?
      For
      one,
      uni-
     
     
      versities
      will
      be
      cost
      effective;
     
     
      and
      thereby
      able
      to
      offer
      the
     
     
      best
      education.
      No
      more
      con-
     
     
      cerns
      about
      salaries,
      computer
     
     
      paper,
      or
      free
      parking
      spaces.
     
     
      They
      can
      concentrate
      on
      what
     
     
      matters
      -
      the
      teaching
      of
      their
     
     
      students.
     
    

    
     
      Next,
      our
      society
      will
      be
     
     
      guaranteed
      that
      each
      and
      every
     
     
      graduate
      falls
      into
      one
      of
      two
     
     
      categories.
      They
      are
      either
      the
     
     
      brightest
      minds,
      or
      the
      hardest
     
     
      and
      most
      dedicated
      workers.
     
     
      We
      will
      go
      from
      being
      univer-
     
     
      sity
      graduates
      to
      “University
     
     
      Graduates.”
     
    

    
     
      -
      Perhaps
      these
      proposals
     
     
      seem
      alittle
      harsh.
      I
      could
      even
     
     
      be
      accused
      of
      creating
      a
      class
     
     
      system
      of
      the
      ‘have
      and
      have
     
     
      not's.’
      This
      is
      not
      my
      intention.
     
     
      I
      am
      merely
      trying
      to
      say
      that,
     
     
      maybe...
      justmaybe,
      we
      should
     
     
      stop
      begging
      for
      degrees
      and
     
     
      start
      earning
      them.
      —
     
    

    
     
      Then
      maybe...
      just
     
     
      maybe,
      our
      degrees
      will
      be
     
     
      worth
      something
      again.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      helped
      our
      overall
      reputation