THE BEGINNING of school is an extremely hectic time. Between untangling schedules and unpacking boxes, it's easy to get caught up in immediate details at the expense of larger goals. Yet this type of thinking wastes precious time that could be used to solve ongoing problems. Students must get involved in University problems early.
We at the University pride ourselves on student involvement in University decisions. In reality, though, the student body often comes to the table late in the decision. We pay attention to problems in time to protest, but not to offer viable solutions.
Every year in the spring, the administration announces its proposal for the new schedule of tuition and fees. Non-Virginians have been getting the short end of the stick the last few years: a 4 percent hike last year following a 6 percent increase the year before. Yet even the most well-reasoned student protests do little good. This is because by the time the students become involved, the proposal has been submitted to the Board of Visitors, and its passing is inevitable.
The problem of skyrocketing tuition for out-of-state students can be addressed effectively through student and administration coordination early in the year. The University has managed to keep high standards in the face of declining state support. But the Assembly's tuition freeze for Virginians puts the burden on non-Virginians, and these increases are not a sustainable source of revenue.
By themselves, annual reactionary protests are not going to spur the Assembly to action. Rather, it will take a sustained, united effort before we see any changes. Financial concerns are important to students, and so student representative bodies such as Student Council need to provide effective leadership on this issue. Rather than simply protesting in the name of non-Virginians, Council must engage administration officials in constant dialogue about how we as students can help keep the University a quality institution without excluding those on a limited tuition budget.
The University's student leadership traditionally has focused more on undergraduate than graduate concerns. Yet graduate students have their concerns as well, especially on the financial front.
This past spring, graduate students became fed up with the University's lack of response to their healthcare concerns and began their own advocacy group. Some in that group have become so frustrated that they have advocated forming a union (Cavalier Daily , Feb. 9). When students are willing to go to these lengths, clearly a problem exists.
The Cavalier Daily published several articles last spring in favor of partial or full payment of Teaching Assistants' QualChoice premiums.
Springtime, however, is not the best time to address these problems to find a solution for the coming year. Student Council needs to work with the administration and the teaching assistants to find solutions to the problem of rising costs, not just give verbal support.
Many of our competitor schools have found ways to pay premiums, and they use it for recruitment. If the University had proposals underway by the time prospective graduate students are working on their applications, and have a solution by the time the acceptance letters come out, it would be helpful in gaining the best graduate students. At the very least, the University must address graduate students' complaints about QualChoice. An insurance plan that is utilized most often by graduate students should be structured to fit their needs.
This University made great progress last year in examining our most famous tradition, the honor system. Honest discussion of touchy issues such as the perception among minorities that the honor system discriminates is uncomfortable at best, and divisive at worst, but absolutely necessary.
Honor's supporters also often shrink from discussion of changing different clauses. If the current system is the best possible, then it will survive open discussion of change. However, this must be informed discussion.
That did not happen because the Honor Committee did not attempt to put a referendum to student vote until March, which was too late according to Student Council bylaws. The Committee abandoned the referendum and wisely realized that changing a revered institution should not be undertaken without careful thought and revision.
The issue of the seriousness clause must be taken up again this year. The honor code means nothing as an institution unless all student voices are taken into consideration. The beginning of the school year, when new students are interested in the system, is a time to listen to these voices and make sure that if the school contemplates change, it will not be in haste.
Students at the University must become involved early in issues that will determine the future of this school. Like any institution this University has problems that need solutions. Students cannot expect administrators to come up with acceptable solutions without their involvement. Too often, student ideas come out late in the year and then get lost in the shuffle of final exams. Both students and administrators need to ask themselves which unfinished issues are still important to them, and begin addressing these now.
(Elizabeth Managan is aCavalier Dailycolumnist.)
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