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Show PACE 4 THE THUNDERBIRD MONDAY FEBRUARY 9, 1987 )n ASSUSC MUST ENSURE FINANCIAL FUTURE Sacrifice is certainly a burdensome guest in the best of times and a loathed rogue when times become hard. Indeed, there can be no doubt that the current fiscal crisis of education has demanded sacrifice and it seems that, at times, the sacrifice is without end. In a year in which our college has been deprived of vital curriculums in social work and agriculture in the name of fiscal restraint, The Thunderbird finds it hard to accept a student government whose theme for electoral renewal is "How would you spend $100,030?" The current campaign keynote underscores an alarming trend of isolated decision making by the ASSUSC. A trend that we hope to see addressed ir the coming elections. Throughout this year, ASSUSC has seemed curiously out of touch with the hard fiscal realities that have faced our college and our students. In the fall, amid rumors of surcharges and curriculum elimination, the ASSUSC chose that time to appropriate excess funds in their senate account toward the end of increasing their own stipends while, simultaneously, remaining strangely silent while SUSC students rallied to preserve the academic quality of our school. With the academic quality of our col lege at stake in Gov. Bangerter's Alert Program, the ASSUSC "Academic" Senate and UIA did little other than to hold a dance to rally student opinion around this crucial funding initiative but otherwise-maintainan ineffectual silence. All the while the ASSUSC "Academic" Senate continued to dole out funds to campus organizations with little regard to fiscal crisis that enveloped our campus. The Communication Club is an unfortunate example of this trend. Inactive throughout the year, the organization requested and received $600 from the senate last month and then began to recruit members with a slogan that has become unfortunately familiar: "Help us spend those bux." The senate's once effective system of cost control through careful audits seems to have been lost, creating in its place, a system of club funding that resembles nothing if not a soup kitchen. Given its performance this year, it is hardly that the ASSUSC election keynote, amid campuswide budgetary crisis, is "What would you do with $100,000?" The Thunderbird ca'ls upon the candidates for ASSUSC positions to affirm their commitment to a responsible and responsive student leadership. Further, we hope that the incoming student government will face the fiscal realities of our time and conscientiously ensure that their own budget reflects the reality of our time and the sacrifice made by our students to keep ASSUSC in existence. ed Education doesn't cost it pays 'Access' is a recurring column in which members of the campus community address topics of interest andor concern. The following is an edited text of an address to the leadership of the Utah House and Senate delivered by ASSUSC President ALAN BAILEY Friday. g THE STUDENT NEWS AND VIEWS OF SOUTHERN UTAH STATE VOLUME 81, NUMBER Editor Dclsy Kramer Associate Editor Ann Hollinger Copy Editor Greg Prince Photo Editor Richard Engleman Sports Editor Greg Miles COLLEGE L CEDAR CI1Y, UTAH 17 Entertainment Editor Paige White Senior Staff Writer Kris johnson Production Manager Gavin McNeil Advertising Representative Kellie Jensen Faculty Adviser Larry Baker The Thunderbird is published each Monday of the academic year b and for the student body ol Southern Utah State College and is not affiliated in any manner with ine College's department of communication fhe views and opinions expressed m The Thunderbird are the opinions of the publication's individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the institution, faculty, staff or student body m general The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of The Thunderbird as a single entity Letters to the editor must be typed and include the name and phone number Only the name will be printed Names will not be withheld under any circumstances and the editor reserves editing privileges Letters must be submitted by noon Friday for inclusion in the following week's edition The Thunderbird editorial and advertising offices in SUSC Library 103 Mail at SL SC Box 9384, Cedar City, UT 84720 (801) 7758 would like to briefly talk about Utah's most vital resource. It's not Kennecott, it's not our mining industry, it's our youth and those in education. We spend a lot of time and money considering and developing mineral wealth in our state. The question ask is, "What are we doing to develop our youth?" Education doesn't cost, it pays. It's not an expenditure, it's an investment. By investing in education, we, in turn, reap the benefits of an educated society; therefore, when we, as college graduates, receive a quality degree with specialized training, we'll earn more and pay more in taxes. Utah's college graduates have traditionally performed at high levels in comparison to other graduates in the country. This is primarily because of two reasons: 1. Our work ethic. 2. Outstanding instructors. Hard work doesn't make up for lack of expertise on new technological equipment. The loss of our best teachers to higher paying jobs will result in mediocre students because of mediocre teachers. Who wants to be just average in their profession? Would you want to ha e an average doctor perform a complicated operation on you, an average mechanic work on your car, an average accountant figure your taxes or an average teacher teach your children? Do we want to settle for second bect individually or as a state? say NO! Mediocrity is not good enough. know no one likes to pay higher taxes or higher tuition. But when it's the only alternative, it's a price that should be paid and paid now instead of later. It's not a matter of if we can afford to pay anymore, it's a question of what the price is if we dont. I I Sacrifice is going to be required for all of us. 1. Taxpayers, pay more in taxes. 2. Students pay more in tuition and fees. Students have had to pay more, proportionately, over the past 20 years; 3. Institutions' budgets have already been cut. When we are asked if our institution can be more efficient more cuts my reply is that further budget cuts means "restricting educational opportunities." Further reductions don't promote efficiency, they do away with quality. In solving problems, I've learned that it's not a matter of who's right, it's what's right. What's right is we've got to find a way to provide more resources to preserve the quality of education for our most vital lz. jzzz.:::. 'Mediocrity is not good enough in education '...""'I resource. We are at the point now where further cuts will result in a serious erosion of quality. Put yourselves in a student's position today. Society has never been this competitive. Those that depend on government grants and loans are in the position of being cut 50 percent or more. If don't have the best teachers and the best equipment and resources available, my future is extremely limited. Sometimes think how glad I am to be a senior and graduating this spring. You might be wondering why am here sharing my thoughts and concerns with you when more cuts and the future of education in Utah won't even be affecting me. That's my point it will affect me and it w ariect you. I don't want my fellow classmates to suffer more nor do want my children to settle for mediocrity in the school system in the years to come. You're not deciding in favor of educators or institutions, you're deciding in the favor of the state of Utah and its future. I I I i I |