page five |

Thursday, November 20, 1980. The Other Press

: Student Society to students

 

Dear Editor,

Your recent editorial re-
garding the possibility of
tuition fee increases and the
“‘wait-and-see‘‘ attitude of
student society president,
Kevin Hallgate toward the
possibility raises an import-

 

of the student society to the
student body. 4

The student society has a
responsibility not only to
represent the interests of the
students, but just as import-

antly, it must keep the
students informed about
what decisions affecting

their ‘education are being
considered by the various
committees they have access
to. As your editorial pointed
out, although tuition fees
haven’t increased for a num-
ber of years, any increase in
the existing fee structure
will further limit the access-
ibility of education to large
numbers of people. Surely
Kevin has seen the statistics
compiled by the national
Union of Students (NUS) and
by the BC Students Federa-
tion that indicate clearly the
dramatic decline in recent
years of enrollment of stu-
dents from middle and lower
income’ backgrounds. The
time for student represent-
atives (and students) to
speak out is now, let the
ministry of education and
the college board know ex-
actly where we stand on the
right to an education, before
tuition increases become a
fate accompli.

Had The Other Press not
brought this matter to the
attention of students it is
very unlikely it would have
been raised at all. Where
does the responsibility for
keeping students informed
lie? I submit that it is
incumbent upon our student
politicians to ensure that
we, the students, are kept
informed of what decisions

are being considered. Our
student representatives sit

on a number of committees
, and associations both within
-and outside of the college

 

ant question: the obligation,

structure (e.g. committees
dealing with the college
split, the ACCC, BCSF,
NUS, etc.) and yet I have
neither seen a written report
nor heard through an as-
sembly what is going on
within those bodies. No
doubt those committees and
associations deal with issues
of concern to students, if
they don’t then why is there
a need for student repres-
entation on them (particu-
larly when one considers the
cost of flying representatives
to meetings outside of the
province)?

Perhaps if I were able to
attend meetings of the multi
campus council on a regular
basis I would find out what
is going on, but Iam unable
to, that’s why we elect
student representatives.
Some might argue that the
Other Press doesn’t report
as fully as they should the
business of the student soci-
ety, I wouldn’t agree, but
whether or not that is the
case is irrelevant to the
question. The responsibility
of informing students of
committee work rests solely
with the student society. If

they choose to use _ the
student press as a vehicle to
pass on that information

then fine, but nevertheless
the responsibility is theirs.
With this letter it is not
my intent to take a hit-and-
run swipe at the student
society. I give them due
credit for the long hours of
work on behalf of the stu-
dent body. Also, Kevin and
the other members of coun-

‘cil maintain regular office

hours and are available in
their offices to deal with
students’ questions. But that

is not enough. many stu-
dents aren’t aware of the
various committees operat-
ing within the college let
alone those outside, so how
are they going to know what
these committees are doing
unless the student society
lets them know? I suspect
the editors of this paper

Communication needed

would not hesitate to print
a regular report from the
student society detailing the
activities of the various com-
mittees on which students
are represented.

I look forward to improved
communication between the
student society and the stu-
dents they weren't elected to
represent.

Kim Manning,

[student, New
ster campus]

Quiet please

Dear Editor,

Westmin-

I believe it to be almost —

impossible to study to any
worthwhile degree in the
New Westminster campus
library. I’m sick of all the
ignorant people, talking in
loud, annoying tones, not
only students, but library
employees as well. Another
thing that contributes to this
intolerable racket is the
people who stomp around
the library in heavy shoes.
They shouldn’t be allowed to
set foot in the library.

Something should _ be
done. A library is for study,
not idle conversation, or
testing out new clogs or
other heavy footwear.

Philip Staines

Time to set it
straight

Dear Editor, ©

It amazes me to see how
after being in school for
2% months the school clocks
are still wrong on the Wins-
low campus. Being a person
who doesn’t wear a watch I
find this very infuriating.
Finally, a week ago they set
two clocks in the library
and taped a cardboard circle
on the third. But the rest are
all wrong. 3

I did find a way. If the
clock said 3:30 it would be
time for my 2:00 class. You
can imagine how screwed up
I was when daylight savings
time ended.

Please set them right.

Robin Smith

 

 

i

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

r
a o
ae

Stewart Campbell: If they

can prove they need it I can

go along with it, but i'd want e

to see proof.

 

Rhonda Frostad: I don’t
have to pay for tuition. I
don’t think it’s bad, educa-
tion costs money.

 

Jay Osborne: I think it’s /
high enough already. This is
a college not a university. 10 /
per cent is fair though, it’s

got to keep up with the cost
of living.

 

Kathy Flawith: It will be
~ worse for the students com-
ing here. I’m not coming

back here ever again in my
life.

 

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