Surplus should benefit students
In response to Amanda Smith’s Sept. 28 article.
Last spring, along with many other students on this campus, I voted for a fee increase that would improve the bus system on this campus for this year and years to come. Because of the $50 increase, I can now ride any bus, anywhere, anytime that I want.
While this is something I am grateful for, I am not grateful that money I have paid in other fees is now a “surplus” to be used by the University as it sees fit. According to Smith, there are more than $1 million “up for grabs” left over from student fees paid in the last academic year.
This money previously was given to Bus Ops, but as my newly paid $50 now funds those operations, the allotment from my student fees now is openly available. The confusing thing is that Dr. Bowen is considering adding additional fees (an “excellence fee,” whatever that means) to my bill to cover some deficit that the University has.
Here’s a novel idea. Why not use this surplus money to alleviate that deficit instead of charging me more? Better yet, why not cut me a check for that surplus? After all, it is my money, right? I am in no way saying we pay too much for school here. I feel we get way more for our dollar than most schools in this nation.
A surplus that stems from student paid fees should be used to benefit the students, either by preventing future fee increases, helping to alleviate the parking problems, giving us a break on fees next semester or a rebate from our fees for this semester.
Albert Atkins
Class of 2001
Southerland should be commended
I cannot put into words how proud I am of Dr. Southerland, our vice president for Student Affairs. My heart warms whenever I hear his name announced at large gatherings like the last football game. He was received with a deafening cheer and “whoops!” a plenty. Let me give an example of his tremendous leadership of late.
Instead of going along with the recent trend of lowering student fees and making school more affordable for all of us, Southerland has decided to give the surplus from the Student Services Fee to a new retreat center for student leaders.
Before I go on, I should say that I believe with all my heart that the surplus is by oversight only and not design. Surely, our leaders did not foresee that the fee was redundant at the time.
I for one am extremely excited about the prospects of driving by such a pretty retreat center. I am sure it will look just as nice on the inside as it does on the outside.
Michael Emery
Class 2001
Organized religion not all bad
In response to Rich Bray’s Sept. 28 column.
The author stated that organized religion “has been a burden to society rather than a help.” Imagine just for a moment a society with no semblances of organized religion.
He also remarked that organized faiths “have been competing with each other to prove that their religion is the one true religion.” Such generalizations lack support.
My fellow Christians and I believe that we are running a race alongside mankind rather than against mankind. The author also informed his readers “that religion does nothing to stop [violence].”
An argument would be wasted on a statement as ridiculous as this. The most disturbing section of the author’s article proposed the following question: “If Jesus has such a low regard for non-believers, why should his followers?”
How could anyone who knows Jesus Christ ask such a question. It only serves to denigrate the ultimate sacrifice made on mankind’s behalf. Jesus Christ gave equal portions of His life to those that would love Him as well as those that would turn from Him.
As if blasphemy was not sufficient, the author went on to say, “Hopefully the near future will allow us to come to the point where organized religion will no longer be necessary,” adding that “the time for individuals to be molded by the views of the churches they grew up in has come to a close.”
Humbly, I ask this author is to make such a bold declaration. I will close by asking God to stir the hearts of his children.
Justin Estes
Class of 2005