Students pay, and pay, and pay...
**SPOILER ALERT - This post contains some rather unfriendly things said abut Unions. If you don't share these particular opinions, consider yourself forewarned.**
My feelings on unions are a matter of blog record. I was a student the last time the faculty of the provincial Colleges went on strike and the experience was no joy at all.
The 9,100 strong academic brain trust is at it again, walking off the job and leaving 150,000 PAYING students in their wake.
"Oh, its not about money", the staff say.
Me: Bullshit. It's always about money.
Them: "Its about class sizes and workload."
Me: Rrriiiiiight. Don't make me go there.
Them: "We want the best for the students."
Me: Oh? Okay, then compensate them for the extra money that many of them may have to spend in food, accommodations and other expenses when you have to extend the school year. Cash or cheque, please.
Gov't of Ontario: "We regret to inform you that tuition will be increasing, following the lifting of a 2-year freeze."
Me: Oh nice. First, the unionista academics fuck the students out of the better part of 4 weeks of their education and THEN the government says they'll get to pay more for the privilege.
(As an aside, my College tuition in 1988-1990 was approx $770 per year. My University tuition was somewhere around $1600-$1800. College now costs about what my University did, and university is now pushing $5000 per year. Holy fuck!)
Since everyone keeps going on and on about how important higher education is, why can't we elect someone with the balls to declare education an essential service, barred by law from strike action??
k. Rant over. I feel better.
4 comments:
$5k a year before books, residence, various miscellaneous expenses...
And we'll have not one, but TWO attending at the same time.
Have a nice sleep, baby.
Why is it every time you post something I have a clever-but-too-long-to-type-out reply to one of your posts, you're not at your desk?
Hmpff.
Because fate is cruel that way. Will it wait until Friday?
I am no lover of unions by any means (and my father worked for the TTC, so think about our household discussions). However, having been a "professor" at Seneca College, I can tell you that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than is ever allowed to enter the public domain. There is a big problem in the way things are run in the colleges and universities. Money may go in but the distribution process is flawed, to be kind. I won't even go into how hard it is for one to simply go in and teach without having to kowtow to various inane policies and processes that handcuff you from truly doing your job; it would take far too long to bitch about them all.
So, as much as I agree the students who actually want to be there and actually are inconvenienced (much lower percentage than you may think or have been led to believe) are getting the shaft, it is not fair to simply blame one side of the strike issue. We could not do it in baseball, basketball, hockey or for the police. We cannot do it here either.
And Gila, you chickenshit, there is no limit on what you can type here. Type it in sections. Open your own blog. Do something, but at least say it. Don't tease; men really don't enjoy that as much as people think. :)
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