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Show 5 OPINION www.dailyutahchronicle.corn Tuesday, February 2, 2010 Volunteer basis best for UTA needs better ASUU mentor program communication THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW eing in junior high school can be a tough time for many students. The halcyon days of elemenJOSEPH tary school have vanished, and suddenly there's a whole SIMMONS new set of guidelines to follow. Throw in having to deal with the roller coaster of Junior, Mass Communication hormones typically experienced, and you could easily say dents to be mentors when there that junior high kids need all the are many majors that are servicehelp they can get. based and could fill the positions with willing volunteers. In that spirit, the Associated Students of the University of However, the Assembly memUtah recently approved $15,000 ber who drafted the bill for the to fund a program that is going program, Assembly Vice Chairto pay 14 U students to go into woman Katie Ericson, said that the Granite School District and having a monetary incentive is help 13- and 14-year-old students vital for getting students from all prepare to apply for college. majors. This program sounds like "I think that being able to pay something that could do a lot our students is important if we of good for the students in that want to get the best mentors from particular district. Many of the majors other than ones that are schools in the Granite District are service-based," Ericson said. Title-I schools, which means— Although it would be great according to the Utah State Office to get mentors from across the of Education website—that at board, there is some validity to the argument coming from the least 4o percent of the students come from low-income families. other side. During the hour-andMany of these students are in a-half debate in the Assembly, after-school programs that are an amendment was proposed to designed to help them learn to keep the program but to use only read, and many of them are in the volunteer labor. English as a Second Language Brittany Coleman, a represenprogram. tative from the College of Social There is no doubt that a proWork, argued for the amendment gram sending mentors to even to strip the program's funding just talk to these kids about what and make it volunteer-based. college is could be beneficial, as Coleman said that not only would many of them would be first-genthere be more than enough voleration college students. ASUU unteers to fill the 14 mentoring is not at all off base in the way it spots, but also that the need for developed this program, but the this type of program is questiondebate on the budget has several able. sides to it, and the program could "I felt like the money could be have worked at no cost. spent towards a better process for Those who proposed the mentoring or an entirely different amendment in the Assembly program that could be more benwere concerned about paying stueficial to the students," Coleman for route changes B tarting April 5, commuting U students and employees can look forward to getting familiar with the Gallivan Center. On the heels of announcing the elimination of several bus routes, including many that provide service to the U, the Utah Transit Authority announced last week that TRAX Route 703—the direct route from Sandy to the university—will be reduced by approximately 6o percent. The proposal would eliminate all direct trains between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.—mostly affecting average U students who attend classes during the day—and decrease the frequency of direct trains in every other time slot. Commuters will still be able to travel to and from campus on TRAX, but many will be forced to wait io to 15 minutes for a transfer at the Gallivan Center. UTA has targeted these routes because ridership has been low since their frequency was increased just a few months ago, hoping to affect the lowest number of riders in order to save money lost because of the economic recession and low salestax revenues. But UTA's failure to advertise route changes might have contributed to the low ridership of Route 703 in the first place. Many commuters weren't aware this route had ever been increased. S Last month, UTA held public meetings to gather concerns over the reduction of several bus routes in the area. During a two-hour period, only two individuals visited the meeting. This is just one example of the dismal state of most public meetings held by UTA. Granted, route changes can be found on the UTA website, but clearly the average rider isn't getting the message. Failing to communicate the time of public meetings and route changes not only leaves consistent riders clueless when their discontinued train or bus doesn't arrive, but it also dilutes UTA's ability to gather an honest public opinion. UTA's efforts to encourage communication don't seem to be working. At the same time, UTA's stagnant "tap-on tap-off" rider-tracking system has all but failed, frustrating efforts to gather accurate statistics. Come April, U commuters should be prepared to allow themselves an additional 15 minutes to complete their trip. In the meantime, if UTA truly cares about public opinion, it should make an effort to better advertise public hearings and route changes—including the drastic reduction of Route 703—and seek more effective methods to reach out to riders and gather accurate information. letters@chronicle.utah.edu Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Signed editorials, editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, religion, creed, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. All letters to the editor will now be published online at www.dailyutahchronicle.com . Letters that the editor deems best represent those received will be printed in the newspaper. said. "I really didn't agree with the need, because with seventh and eighth graders—that's not what's on their mind." Although it's better to offer the students the chance as opposed to doing nothing, it's understandable that so many Assembly members favored making the program volunteer-based. In a situation such as this where it is uncertain how the program will function in the Granite School District, a smaller commitment would have carried less risk. The ASUU Senate passed the proposal without nearly as much debate as the Assembly had, and now the program is funded until the 2011-2012 school year. Ericson pointed out that the bill was presented several months before being voted on but said that few Assembly members paid it attention or voiced concerns. U students are great when it comes to providing service for the community. Forward-thinking programs that are service-oriented could be implemented much more affordably if done initially on a volunteer basis. Obviously there will be times when funding is necessary, but attention needs to be paid throughout the entire process of drafting these proposals to find ways to save money and provide service opportunities for students at the U. In this situation, the program could have reached all of those aspirations. It could have operated just as well on a volunteer basis, saved U students money and made service opportunities available. ASUU should look into cheaper alternatives to operate programs in the future. letters@ chronicle.utah.edu Women's roles unclearly defined in society s undance has officially come and gone. As one of the world's most famous film festivals, SunDOUGLAS dance always harbors pieces that tackle controversial issues. JENNINGS This year, in addition to a highly debated Proposition 8 documentary, abortion reigned Sophomore, Anthropology supreme with the inclusion of the film "12th & Delaware," by at this particular clinic say a wornthe directing team that produced an should keep her baby, even if "Jesus Camp" in 2006. her husband beats her. One of the The film focuses on a quiet women who visits the pregnancy street in Fort Pierce, Fla. On one resource center describes to a side of the road is an abortion clin- counselor her husband's emotional ic, and directly opposite is a Chrisand physical abuse. The counselor tian pregnancy resource center. retorts with: "What if the baby changes him?" Both businesses claim they offer a better opportunity for women who The film brings up good points are pregnant and don't want to be and difficult questions. What is a judged on that circumstance. But woman's place in society, in her the film is not only divided along own decisions, in her own capaccommercial lines. The ideological ity as an individual to navigate battle that ensues resonates with her life with her best interests in one blunt, reverberating question: mind? What is a woman's place? It tackles the issue with honesty I am not a woman. But as an and clarity, ultimately concluding individual who has experienced that we don't know where a womsocial ostracism based on nonan's place is. We don't know if we conforming to traditional gender trust women to truly make their roles, I can relate with the overall own choices without compromiscontext of the struggle of "the ing society. Yes, in the zest century, other." we are still communally uncomThe masses of society always fortable with the idea of powerful, claim to know what is best for "the non-sexualized women. other." In this case, the Christians On the same note, Norway passed a law in 2003 requiring that 4o percent of all company board members be women. The tactic obviously proved to be controversial, even in the historically progressive nation. With a total population of approximately 4.8 million people, how was it possible to not overinflate the job market with unqualified individuals? With France, Britain, Belgium, Germany and Sweden considering similar quota proposals, the idea that women are still not an equal, cohesive portion of global corporate leadership remains blatantly obvious. Yet do we trust a woman's ability to perform if we set a quota for her? The ultimate point boils down to this: What is a woman's worth in a global culture that will not let her make her own choices? Will quotas or the right of choice transform women into becoming equals? In order to reach a point of social equality, women should and must be treated as human beings. Not in a trite manner, not in a superfluous condescending manner, but as people who are capable of making their own choices, their own contributions, and who, ultimately, have the ability to forge their own path without the need, help or gaze of a man's approval. VIADi 93K010V --t1441641 2010 plioNopHivULGARIS E3/ v0_14.114(7 wiTH rrs mogc, 'THAN tiS owN i<11\11). W t TH VLADIMIR SOKOLOV /The Daily Utah Chronic! letters@chronicle.utah.edu • ww.dailyutahchronicle.co "Gay-rights bill hits legislative hurdle"(Katie Pratt, Feb. 1, 2010) News Irl Mr. Anonymous posted 2.1.10 @ 9:41 A.M. I can't imagine what the problem would be in legislating protections against workplace or rental discrimination. The only legitimate concern in the workplace would be that Utah is a "right to work" State (a misnomer if ever there was one), which means basicly that anyone can be fired without cause at any time, and there is little or no chance of a lawsuit because of it. If different employment standards are created for a class, such as gays, minorities or women, then this would change the basic structure in place today. Mr Spangler posted 2.1.10 @ 10:05 A.M. I think the real issue is that homosexuals cause a lot of problems due to their bad behavior, and they want a way to avoid being fired or evicted because of it. I think more attention should be paid to public behavior issues, and what exactly is acceptable. I know there are also a smaller number of heterosexuals who engage in bad public behavior also, and would like their bad behavior protected and enshrined in some law. Anonymous posted 2.1.10 @ 3:46 P.M. I'm sorry...WHICH bad behaviors have a specifically GAY source? If people are behaving poorly I'm sure it has nothing to do with their sexuality. Being homosexual does NOT connotate poor behavior. To assume that an employee or tenant will be poorly behaved based on his/her apparent sexuality is bigotry and a fallacy. |
