OPINION & EDITORIAL
No CAN do
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Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:
- Money in the bank (April 8, 2008)
- Scrap the system (April 7, 2008)
- Common sense 4 Jesus (April 4, 2008)
- In light of yesterday's tragedy (April 3, 2008)
- With April showers come voting powers (April 1, 2008)
Related Stories:
- Iraqis to UW for free? Bring 'em on (March 3, 2008)
- Workin' hard for the money? (October 18, 2006)
- No movie plotline: Iraqi plan won't fly (March 6, 2008)
- Dean of students owes veterans an apology (October 23, 2007)
- Editorial: Millions for Donations, Not One Cent for Tribute (February 14, 2006)
by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Last week, University of Wisconsin students passed a referendum recommending a $1 tuition increase to pay for five Iraqi students to study here. While the Campus Antiwar Network and a sliver of the student population may have found the measure to be a worthy exercise of charity, the implementation of such a project at this university would be inappropriate.
The Iraqi Student Project is honorable in its mission: giving students of a war-torn region the opportunity for higher education is an undoubtedly admirable goal. Had this been executed by way of a private fundraising enterprise or occurred at a private university, the Iraqi Student Project might well have been a viable option.
But not at UW. A state institution should not overlook its immediate priorities for the sake of a proposal with hazy logistics and the equally vague justification of showing “solidarity” with Iraqi students.
Contrary to CAN’s reasoning, the UW administration has no duty to help educate the people of Iraq. Chancellor John Wiley and the Board of Regents are not politicians and the students are not their constituents; the UW administration’s job is to act in the best interests of the educational mission of this university.
This proposal is far removed from that priority. Using tuition increases to boost financial aid for Wisconsin citizens, increase professor salaries or fund other worthy projects focused on improving the performance of this university is justified. However, raising tuition — even slightly — to give a full ride to five Iraqi students, simply because it would be an “honorable” thing to do, would be a misguided endeavor for a public university.
Furthermore, one can hardly argue this referendum — approved by only 4 percent of UW students — represents a mandate from the student body. And even if the entire student body is willing to contribute another dollar to tuition, it is ultimately the Board of Regents, not the students, who should decide how tuition dollars are spent.
We recommend the Board of Regents keeps the needs of this university in mind first and simply declines to consider this proposal. If CAN wants to bring five Iraqi students here and has enough student support, they should create an independent fund rather than expect this university to venture into territory in which it doesn’t belong.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 7:05am):
Exactly. Everyone who wants to help the CAN continue to undermine the American military can donate money. And those of us who see the sham won't.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 10:44am):
ok lets go over how this will work out:
step 1: raise tuition
step 2: bring a few Iraqis
step 3: they get an edumacation
step 4: decide they don't want to go back to Iraq
step 5: stay and work in the US forgetting their noble Iraqi brethren trading Alah for the Dollar
step 6: DHS kicks them out for a small visa issue
step 7:???
step 8: profit?
the right way:
step 1: CAN sets up a 501C4
step 2: raise money from both student and other sources
step 3: send money to fund Iraq schools and train teachers
why? $56,000+ for one person here can help more people there in Iraq, plus it shows Americans don't all drink Arab children's blood (I mean hey I just use it to butter my toast)
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 12:11pm):
How does it undermine the military?
I'm really quite surprised that the far right wing BH editorial board uses this as yet another excuse to attack CAN or any other left group on campus.
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 6:19pm):
Excellent! I'm glad someone finally noted the distinction between a charitable organization and a university.
If CAN can't convince enough people to give to its cause, then by what right does it think it can force them to?
Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 7:54pm):
Whether you agree with the war or not, the Board of Regents accepts millions from war profiteering companies. Thus they have made millions in these students inability to gain an education. No one is asking the Board of Regents to play politician, the student body is asking them help solve a humanitarian crisis, which they have benefited from. As far as the election not being valid, no one questions the validity of the results when our local officials win on turnouts of less than 10%. This is no different. Every student had an opportunity to vote, if they didn't accept that opportunity that doesn't steal legitimacy from the result. The resolution passed with nearly 2/3 of the vote in favor. That's crazy. The student, who the board of regents have been selected to serve, have spoken. It's time we see results.
I thought more of the Badger Herald. I didn't see you as being a newspaper who would ignore the voice of your audience. Apparently I was wrong, you've lost my loyalty.
Anonymous (April 10, 2008 @ 12:28am):
I don't think they cared, hippy.
Anonymous (April 13, 2008 @ 8:46pm):
Agreed. If the students didn't want this, they should have voted no for it, and that would have been that - no tuition increase. We can't say the passing was invalid just because 96% of the student body didn't care enough to have their voice heard, or get a voice.
Anonymous (April 14, 2008 @ 4:17pm):
"And even if the entire student body is willing to contribute another dollar to tuition, it is ultimately the Board of Regents, not the students, who should decide how tuition dollars are spent."
I'm pretty sure you've written editorials in the past shaming the university and Board of Regents for such high tuition rates. But, yes, some random, corporate appointees should definitely decide tuition- not the students, faculty and staff who live this campus day to day, pay tuition day to day and work to make this university what it is day to day.
you're right. duh.
Anonymous (April 18, 2008 @ 1:41pm):
Pretty sure that I may conform to picketing if my tuition goes up a dollar for some terrorist Iraqis to make our campus have an even greater feeling of insecurity. I don't this I should have to be looking out for IED's when I'm going to class
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