Quality of Education
What is a quality education?
I was invited to meet with a group of student leaders on Friday to discuss the current budget crisis and the fee increase. The UC Regents have formed a Commission on the Future comprised of the UC Regents, a couple members of the Academic Senate, about 5 overpaid Chancellors, and one undergraduate student who is also the president of the UC Student Association ( I feel like I'm singing about the 25 days of Christmas). It's unbelievable that this one undergraduate student and I guess the one alum is supposed to speak for more than 220,000 students. I have NEVER even heard of this guy before -___-
Anyhoo back on topic. Along with a couple other student leaders, we're to discuss what we envision for the future looking at the proposals the commission has created. Their proposals are divided into 5 categories: Size and Shape of UCs, Curriculum & Education, Access & Affordability, Funding Strategies, and Research Strategies. We decided that the overarching topic we want to discuss is the quality of education and so the question I want to ask you all is what does a quality education mean to you?
My group is focusing on Diversity and Access of the UCs to students. The UCs are slowly moving toward a private university model which is to say they're raising the tuition fee and justifying it by saying that they're also raising the amount of money for financial aid. However, the UCs are NOT the Ivy Leagues. The UC system is founded on providing a quality education at an affordable price.
So that brings me back to what is quality?
For me quality is the quality of my professors and my access to resources to help me succeed in my courses. With the current budge crisis the university is cutting classes, departments and resources. All of which are what I consider key to a quality education. With Furloughs and pay cuts what distinguished professor wants to work for the UC when there are other private universities willing to pay them more money and give them more benefits.
And then there's the issue of actually getting into the classes you need. Even as a freshman it was difficult to get into classes. Luckily for me, I came the university as an almost junior and got the Resident Advisor position which guaranteed my early registration time so getting the classes I want was never a problem. But the same cannot be said to all the non-athletes, non-DHC, and non-STEP students. My room mate Kelly is an out of state student with a gpa of 3.98, and an overall very distinguished student. She struggles every quarter to get into classes required for our major because there's only one class that's offered every year and there's a cap on how much students can take it.
I am worried about my sister who is applying to colleges this year. She does not have the massive amount of units I gained in high school nor do I see her becoming an athlete or honors student in the near future. I am worried that she won't be able to get into the classes she needs, her professors will be shitty, and she won't get the quality education she deserves.
And finally resources. The university, UC Davis specifically, has a bunch of really great programs that support students during their time here. These resources include the Student Programing and Activities Center, Greek Life, Women's Center, LGBT Center, Cross Cultural Center, Student Recruitment and Retention Center, Disability services, Academic services, etc... These programs are all being cut. The program known as the first resort used to provide academic counseling for transfer students, freshman and sophomores. This service is no longer is no longer available to transfers since it's been moved to student housing (first years only).
Perhaps I am biased working at the Women's Center, but I sincerely believe that these resources are crucial to support the needs of students on campus. I believe that these budget cuts are ruining the quality of the UC Education and I cannot say if the UCs will maintain their level of excellence if we continue to raise fees and cut departments and classes.
The Regents need to be more proactive in terms of seeking government funds and other types of funding. I mean if they're paying themselves $800,000 a year (about half a million dollars more than the president of the us), shouldn't they be doing something BENEFICIAL TO THE UC SYSTEM?
I suggest that we spend less money on prisons and more on public education. I mean the amount of money we spend on an inmate for a year can pay for 4 people to go to a 4 year university (no joke). =_____= The regents need to do something besides make the students carry the burden of their lack of foresight (ie when the last president made a deal with governor I WILL BE BACK TO CUT YOUR FUNDING). I will end my post here as I will just continue to go on rants if I don't.
I was invited to meet with a group of student leaders on Friday to discuss the current budget crisis and the fee increase. The UC Regents have formed a Commission on the Future comprised of the UC Regents, a couple members of the Academic Senate, about 5 overpaid Chancellors, and one undergraduate student who is also the president of the UC Student Association ( I feel like I'm singing about the 25 days of Christmas). It's unbelievable that this one undergraduate student and I guess the one alum is supposed to speak for more than 220,000 students. I have NEVER even heard of this guy before -___-
Anyhoo back on topic. Along with a couple other student leaders, we're to discuss what we envision for the future looking at the proposals the commission has created. Their proposals are divided into 5 categories: Size and Shape of UCs, Curriculum & Education, Access & Affordability, Funding Strategies, and Research Strategies. We decided that the overarching topic we want to discuss is the quality of education and so the question I want to ask you all is what does a quality education mean to you?
My group is focusing on Diversity and Access of the UCs to students. The UCs are slowly moving toward a private university model which is to say they're raising the tuition fee and justifying it by saying that they're also raising the amount of money for financial aid. However, the UCs are NOT the Ivy Leagues. The UC system is founded on providing a quality education at an affordable price.
So that brings me back to what is quality?
For me quality is the quality of my professors and my access to resources to help me succeed in my courses. With the current budge crisis the university is cutting classes, departments and resources. All of which are what I consider key to a quality education. With Furloughs and pay cuts what distinguished professor wants to work for the UC when there are other private universities willing to pay them more money and give them more benefits.
And then there's the issue of actually getting into the classes you need. Even as a freshman it was difficult to get into classes. Luckily for me, I came the university as an almost junior and got the Resident Advisor position which guaranteed my early registration time so getting the classes I want was never a problem. But the same cannot be said to all the non-athletes, non-DHC, and non-STEP students. My room mate Kelly is an out of state student with a gpa of 3.98, and an overall very distinguished student. She struggles every quarter to get into classes required for our major because there's only one class that's offered every year and there's a cap on how much students can take it.
I am worried about my sister who is applying to colleges this year. She does not have the massive amount of units I gained in high school nor do I see her becoming an athlete or honors student in the near future. I am worried that she won't be able to get into the classes she needs, her professors will be shitty, and she won't get the quality education she deserves.
And finally resources. The university, UC Davis specifically, has a bunch of really great programs that support students during their time here. These resources include the Student Programing and Activities Center, Greek Life, Women's Center, LGBT Center, Cross Cultural Center, Student Recruitment and Retention Center, Disability services, Academic services, etc... These programs are all being cut. The program known as the first resort used to provide academic counseling for transfer students, freshman and sophomores. This service is no longer is no longer available to transfers since it's been moved to student housing (first years only).
Perhaps I am biased working at the Women's Center, but I sincerely believe that these resources are crucial to support the needs of students on campus. I believe that these budget cuts are ruining the quality of the UC Education and I cannot say if the UCs will maintain their level of excellence if we continue to raise fees and cut departments and classes.
The Regents need to be more proactive in terms of seeking government funds and other types of funding. I mean if they're paying themselves $800,000 a year (about half a million dollars more than the president of the us), shouldn't they be doing something BENEFICIAL TO THE UC SYSTEM?
I suggest that we spend less money on prisons and more on public education. I mean the amount of money we spend on an inmate for a year can pay for 4 people to go to a 4 year university (no joke). =_____= The regents need to do something besides make the students carry the burden of their lack of foresight (ie when the last president made a deal with governor I WILL BE BACK TO CUT YOUR FUNDING). I will end my post here as I will just continue to go on rants if I don't.