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Show Private Versus Public By Cara C&hoon ASWC Executive Cabinet The 1987-8proposed to the Utah Schools Association (USA) that Westminster not be required lobe a member of their organ izat ion in order to be active in Utah Intercollegiate Association (U1A). U1A Is a mock legislative assembly which Is a division of USA, according to Tammy Hopkins, ASWC president. The proposal passed at the February meeting of Utah Council of Studentbody Presidents (UCSP) of USA and will allow the ' 1988-8Executive Cabinet to decide if they want to remain mem bersof the organization. Previously, membership in USA was a requirement of all public and private institutions of higher education In Utah. According to Hopkins, this proposal was made because USA and ULA consist mainly of public institutions: they deal with issues which do not affect private schools such as 8 9 slate tuition increases and state funded libraries. Westminster should not be to pay to be a member of an required organization which functions mostly on a state school level said Hopkins. The biggest difference in public and private schools is that the state subsidizes a public school: a private institution receives its funds from other sources," said S' .r Hopkins. s' rc She said it is not beneficial for a private institution such as Westminster to be a member of a group that is concerned mostly with issues on a public level. According to State Student Lobbyist and University of Utah student Greg Egneman, there is a difference between the lobbying interestsofpublicstudentsand the interests of students lobbying for private schools. Both public and private institutions may present bills to the state Legislature. Engeman cited the tuition argument saying the main issue public schools lobbied for thisyear was to lower increases in tuition. He also pointed out the efforts made by student lobbyists to increase library funding. Hopkins said that while the library at the ' ' University does affect Westminster students because they use its facilities, it Is not an issue Westminster can bring up for their own library. The state does not fund Westminsters library. Engeman said the biggest difference between public and private schools is in the main body of administration in the schools. He said public schools In Utah are governed by the Board of Regents whereas private schools are governed by another body such as Westminster's Board of Trustees. These obvious differences bring up several smaller differences between public and private institutions. "I believe students attending a private institution of higher education look at going to that school as a privilege; students at a public school look at It as a right," said Hopkins. She said it would be nice if the state could pay for everyones education but because this is not possible she feels and education is a privilege. Engeman confronted the question that students at. a public Institution expect" their tuition to be paid for by the state. He referred to this as an "ignorant attitude" saying that the students he knows at public institutions work very hard for the money to pay for a higher education. Westminster senior Patty Teal believes receiving a higher education is also a privilege. She attended the University of Utah for one year and three summers. She currently attends Westminster and will graduate this spring. She said Westminster was more like a privilege to her because it gave her many opportunities, especially in areas such as student government. She also said the emotional and academic support she receives at Westminster is far greater than what she experienced at the University. 8 Forum r & 4 ' t 4 o Nothing will get you through geography quite as easily as the new 1988 Subaru four wheel drive Justy. The four wheel drive Justys not bad at math, either. It s the lowest priced four wheel drive car you can buy. And if you think were talking about some stripped down, bare bones, topless wonder, youre wrong. Were talking about a car that has more standard features than a math class has calculators. transmission. Independent suspension. Rack and pinion steering. Power assisted front disc brakes. Steel belted radial tires. Tinted glass. Mud flaps. Tachometer. AMFM stereo radio. Digital clock. Plush carpet. (Yes, in the trunk, too.) ed And since 92 of all the Subarus registered since 1978 are still on the road if you buy your Justy 4WD right now, it might even be around when you graduate. Ask your Subaru dealer about the First Time Buyer Program. Then test drive a new 1988 Justy 4WD. Itll help you pass a lot more than your classes. SUBARU JUSTY 4WQ S72B4 RL Polk & Company statistic,. July of Utah junior Jaimee believes that public education Christensen, is alright. Although it is often more difficult to afford a private school she said, she feels it should be everyone's right to decide of they want to attend a public or private institution ; it should not be a privilege. Christensen has also attended Utah State University. She feels public schools have an advantage in the variety of classes they offer. She said the size of the classes is a disadvantage. As an average student she said she finds it difficult to approach her professors because of class size. Engeman said he felt it was just as easy for a student in a large class to approach a professor as it would be for a student in a small class. He cited an example of a class he attended with 200 to 300 people: he said he found no problem in interacting with his professor in this class. He said the claim that University l.l987.FMcexcll,mi.licens.deaWpreparationandinIandlran5nortH students in a public institution cannot communicate as easily with their professors is unfounded. It usually comes from students who aren't as ambitious," he said. According to Hopkins the "typical" student would find it easier to approach a professor at a private school. Another area where differences in public and private universities and colleges arise is in student government. "There is a lot more freedom (in a public school's student government) than at a private school." said Engemen. He said that while there is rpore red tape involved in student government at the University, it is easier for them to govern because of the facilities available to them. He said a decision made by a private schooL's student government might depend on money. Whether or not a certain activity took place may not be in the hands of the students themselves but in the hands of their budget. He said the University has a lot more leeway in student government because of its size and budget. Hopkins also felt the student government on a public level was more complex. She said there are times when certain events the student government would like to sponsor do not take place because of money. She said she feels the different areas of student government work well within their budgets when the size of Westminster is taken into consideration. Hopkins said the students in government at a private school are able to take a more active role in their schools than those at a public institution. She used the example of tuition. Student government at a private institution is able to see exactly where their tuition goes and to give input on the matter she said. The student government at a public institution is only able to concern themselves with keeping tuition down, not with having a say in where their tuition goes. Issue 15 - April 19, 1988 |