Education is very important to me. It's not something everyone has access to and I believe it's one of the best ways to improve yourself. I am fortunate enough to go to university in Wisconsin, which has a great public university system. There are 13 four-year campuses and 13 two-year campuses as well as an online university. Each university is known for something different, and it's easy to find a fit for yourself at one of the many campuses.
Recently the governor of Wisconsin announced budget cuts to the system that would amount to $300 million over 2 years. He then announced a deal to help build a new arena in Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Bucks. During an interview with a Milwaukee radio station, Governor Walker suggested that the professors who teach at UW schools should just work harder.
As a student who picked a smaller public university in order to have more personal relationship with her professors, I'm offended by that statement. I have kind, hard-working professors who are leaders in their industries. Almost all of my professors have real world experience, and are able to teach us about the latest technologies and trends in the industry. They are there to answer questions, and are pretty consistent with answering emails. My department has been extremely supportive of its students, especially when we wanted to charter a chapter of a prestigious organization on campus.
As a student I would much rather have a professor who is still in touch with the industry, reachable and friendly because they have a manageable work load. Many professors not only teach, research, and write but they also serve as internship chairs for their departments or advisors for organizations. As a recent study abroad student I can appreciate student organizations and the value they add to my education and experience at my university.
As a student I would much rather have a professor who choose to come into the profession after working in the industry in order to encourage passion for their passions in young adults. I would rather have the position of my mentor be a desired job, rather than a last resort. The UW system attracts amazing professors, and these budget cuts would harm that.
As a student who appreciates what sports have to add to a community, I still don't believe that the trade off of autonomy for a new sports arena is worth while. I understand the economic benefits of a sports team, however when 26 communities are going to be losing jobs and levels of education I don't believe in the worth. The Bucks are a Milwaukee team, however Milwaukee is just one community, where as 25 other communities would suffer a great loss. Wisconsin has a long-standing tradition of putting education first. We love our football, and we love our baseball but we also believe in our level of education. The money needs to come from somewhere, and the education shouldn't be that place.
As a student who pays to receive a higher education, I believe that these budget cuts are unnecessary and dangerous to our communities and future as a state. The status quo of politics in the United States has become increasingly polarized, and I believe that it's now the time more than ever to create an open and civil dialogue amongst all parties especially at a state level.
As a student who is proud to go to a UW school, I will be contacting my state representatives asking them NOT to pass the budget as Governor Walker has presented it.
I welcome discussion from all sides of the issue. Any mean, personal or rude comments will be deleted.
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