In a recent Leader interview, EC President Alan Ray said the College will assist those affected by the potential loss of the MAP grant by helping them find alternative financial resources. Beyond that, there isn’t really much they can do – the College is anticipating a $2 million deficit, and so they don’t have the means to make up the difference.
So, considering all of the latter, why is it that the College is taking such a hit? Furthermore, why is it that, during a deficit year, we’re spending money on a limo shuttle bus and sweet TVs at the entrances to the caf?
And then, a larger question about higher education as a whole: why is it that, as it becomes more and more necessary for kids to go to college, it’s becoming financially more and more difficult for them to do so?
Before examining these questions further, we’d like to emphasize a couple things.
First, the questions we raise are certainly things we find imperative to answer, but they aren’t meant to be a complete affront to the College. These are problems that seem to be consistent at colleges around the country – the cost of colleges everywhere have become ridiculous, not just Elmhurst.
Second, we are genuinely glad the College is promoting the rally in Springfield to save the MAP grant as much as they have been.
It illustrates their understanding of students’ financial trials and their commitment to helping us through it.
That said, it doesn’t look good when the College talks about maybe not being able to afford raises for faculty and about definitely not being able to financially help students affected by this, but then splurges on some super nice TVs that are hung in a place where nobody would ever watch them.
We get it – you want the College to look spiffy. And, let’s face facts, it makes us look spiffy when plasma screens tell us what the specials are that day in the cafeteria. But who are you trying to impress? Students? None of us think it’s cool – we think it’s wasteful. Prospective students? What are they saying, “Whoa, dude – did you see the plasmas advertising that [barely edible green shit] in the caf? Let’s go here!”
Students don’t care about pizzaz. We care about how much this all costs. And yeah, granted, a couple of TVs aren’t going to make up the difference for the MAP grant and secure raises for faculty. But it’s symbolic for what a lot of students feel is happening with their moolah.
And we give the College a lot of said moolah.
Tuition and room and board come out to around $35,000. If we have a new freshman class of more than 580, we’re talking big money here. Where does it all go?
We’re not saying the College is spending all of our money on TVs and limos; we just don’t get it.
Surely, the building of West Hall probably made a dent, as did the bike program. But with tuition being what it is, and prices in the cafeteria being what they are, how are we not generating more revenue?
EC administrators, you’re doing a pretty good job. As a group of 18-22 year old ne’er-do-wells, we don’t necessarily think we’re the most qualified to tell a bunch of people who deal with numbers like this for a living what’s what. But we are qualified to tell you what a lot of students, staff and families are thinking.
And what we’re thinking is, we’re confused. Sure, losing the MAP grant would be bad – but isn’t the price of college itself part of the problem? We know that’s a criticism of a system larger than EC, but it’s something worth talking about.
So where do we go from here?
We would like the College to produce a report about where our money is going. Like we said, it’s probably all completely legitimate and something we-who-are-not-acquainted-with-the-EC-budget would overlook. But since we and a lot of others are curious, it might do wonders for us to find out.
And beyond that, re: the ever-increasing cost of higher education, we should start a dialogue among all colleges to figure out a way to not be broke for doing what is becoming more and more necessary.