Kevin Reynolds / Roundup
Many things have been happening on campus this week with the budget crisis talks leading the way.
The Los Angeles College Faculty Guild hosted a meeting on Thursday Feb. 17 in the Great Hall. The meeting was spent mostly talking about the upcoming June ballot initiatives.
Don Sparks, professor of physics and astronomy, and the AFT faculty union chapter president spoke of the importance to the Los Angeles Community College District of these initiatives passing.
This is a tricky subject for students however.
With the cost of education growing at a ridiculous rate these measures are important in helping to keep some sort of stability in the cost.
However on the other hand with the high amount of taxes being paid outside of an education it seems almost ludicrous to vote in favor of a bill to stop taxes from being lowered.
It will be a tricky decision for students who enter the voting booth in June. Is it worth giving up this tax break for a slower rise in education cost?
I’m stuck on this question myself. It almost seems like a cruel joke played on us.
The cost of our education will be raised but the how much seems to be the question. These measures are supposed to keep the increase to a minimum but we are still loosing out.
Students should think long and hard about this before making their final decision in June.
Pierce College has become the first community college to install View Phones. These View Phones are similar to programs like Skype allowing the user to have video phone conversations.
These devices which are located in the Student Services Building are mostly being used by deaf students who need to communicate across campus.
Normally I would argue the practicality of such devices with the current budget crises. But fortunately these new view phones were actually free.
If used properly and not abused by students on campus I think these new view phones could become a wonderful tool for deaf students. As well as for students who want to learn about new growing technology.
March is almost upon us and that means the “March in March” event is coming. The event will happen on March 14.
This is an annual event in which thousands of California Community College professors and students march in Sacramento to the California Capitol Building.
The main focus of this years march will be the fee increase of $10 per unit bringing our current rate of $26 per unit to $36.
The Pierce College Associated Students Organization has agreed to send representatives from our campus to participate in the March.
This is a tremendous event that I’m glad has become and annual thing. I would encourage anyone who happens to be in the Sacramento area or who wishes to make the trip up to participate in this event.
These decisions affect our lives, and it is up to us to show them how we feel about them.
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