Recession proof (adj.) : see nonexistent

Brandon Carter

Recession, it’s a dirty word that no one likes to hear. No one wants to hear the taboo word because it entails difficult times and hardship for almost everyone. You would think some sectors of the economy would be safe from these troubling times, but sadly it isn’t so.

The effects of the recent recession can be seen everywhere, even in the higher education system. The idea that the higher education sector was once an almost recession proof area is being shown to be completely false. According to an article by the Chronicle of Higher Education, the state of California already has plans “to slash faculty and staff salaries, sharply cut enrollment, and raise tuition in the expectation of the largest cut in state support in several decades.” This plan will amount to pay cuts of 4% to 10% pay cuts for state funded university employees and an overall cut of 3 billion to the state university budget.

You may be wondering, “How will this affect students?” Well consider this; would you attempt to complete a task as efficiently if you were getting paid less to do the same thing? Because of the cuts, the plan also forces some universities to cut the number of classes offered and students accepted. For example, the University of California is planning to raise tuition by as much as 20% and cut back on the number of students enrolled by up 40,000. Many students at universities in California are protesting the cuts and have even videotaped their complaints during the "vent at the tent" week. Surely there are some things that could be cut before resorting to cutting areas that affect the quality of education students receive. Higher education is a vital part of America’s current and future generations. Can we really afford to skimp on bettering our future? Sadly some see it that way and are proving the notion of higher education being recession proof to be utterly false.

California budget cut protest

The Life Debt

Jamie Signorile

As we all know, our Nation has struggled recently as we dip lower and lower into recession. This has cost many people their jobs, homes, and hopes for an economic peace of mind. Even though it has been clear over the past years that we are trending downward, colleges insist to raise tuition costs. There are many reasons why, yet the most pressing question is: How are we going to pay for it? Many families simply cannot afford the rising tuition costs. At this point it is up to the student to take out a loan to pay for college. Every year it becomes harder and harder for students to pay their loans. It is difficult to deal with these loans right after college, even worse now that students might not get their dream job during such bad economic times. With this noted the average debt of a student has raised. According to the Project on Student Debt, the average debts of students graduating with loans rose from $18,796 in 2006 to $20,098 in 2007.

Despite all of the terrible thoughts of debt, there is hope. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, has made it easier for students to pay off their debts over time. This act came into affect only a month ago. This act insures that students will only have to pay a maximum of 10% of their annual income for 25 years, to pay their debt. Another program called Public Service Loan Forgiveness is similar and was produced from the act. If the borrower is employed in public service for every one of the 120 monthly payments, they could be resolved of their debt in only 10 years. Hopefully the college education that is so essential for success in this country can become more affordable in the future.

The Quality of Education at a Good School versus a Bad School

By: David Diaz

For decades it has been a common belief that a college with a great reputation provides one with a better education than that of a college with a lesser reputation. Perhaps this theory held true at one time, but that is no longer the case. The only difference between a school with a good reputation and a school with a lesser reputation are the opportunities that the school offers.

A school with a better reputation generally has more money and better qualified faculty. Although the classes that the students are in may not be any different between schools, the opportunities presented by a school with a better reputation will be better and more in number. One must remember that college isn't so much a place of learning anymore as it is a stepping stone for a specialized career. For that reason, a school with a better reputation attracts better companies and more companies than a school with a lesser reputation does. These companies can provide the students with a co-op or an internship using the most cutting edge technology available. This creates an experience that is priceless for the student, and will serve to benefit them for the rest of their lives. A school without a great reputation may not offer its students that opportunity.

In an attempt to illustrate this idea, I'd like to create a hypothetical situation. First, let's use two colleges: Georgia Tech, and UGA. Georgia Tech is a well known school of engineering with resources and oppurtunities unrivaled by any except perhaps MIT. UGA is a large state college that does have an engineering program, although it isn't well known, and probably not commonly acknowledged. Say that Georgia Tech, with it's phenomenal Aerospace program, uses its resources to put an advanced spacecraft into an alien planet as part of a class lab, as seen in the image below. Meanwhile, UGA students are taking the exact same class, receive the same knowledge, the same homework, and take the same lab. However, since they don't have the resources that Tech has acquired by means of a good reputation, they aren't able to build an advanced spacecraft, they can only build a strange hot dog like contraption that is falling apart, as seen below. Even though the students have taken the same course and are likely equally as intelligent and equally as capable, the school with the better reputation provides more for it's students by means of its resources.

On a final note, a school may provide the opportunity, but it is up to the individual to take advantage of it. I would like to close with a quote from my Connect With Tech host Will who said, "You get out of Tech exactly what you put into it." Truer words have never been spoken, a school with a better reputation most likely has more resources, but it is entirely up to the student to partake in those resources and reap the benefit of receiving a "better education."

Is this the real life - is this just fantasy?

Hunter Hammond

It seems Queen posed a very legitimate question in their hit song Bohemian Rhapsody; more specifically, these lyrics (is this the real life - is this just fantasy?) hit close to home for many college students. Is the college experience an accurate representation of the real world, or are all college students merely floating in a protective bubble that shields them from the harsh realities of the world?

Historically, many people would have responded by saying, "college is the stepping stone for students into the job market and professional world." Once a student graduated, it was expected that they would have the tools necessary to succeed in an actual, REAL, job. On the other side of the spectrum, there are those who feel that college life is merely an intricately woven visage designed to make students feel like they are becoming prepared for what is next.

In 2005, Mel Levine (a professor at UNC Medical School) wrote a critical review on college life and the students who attend college. In his critique Dr. Levine explained that the stigmas associated with college life, as well as the "sugar coating" method of teaching, are breeding students who are not prepared for a steady job and the demanding environment which accompanies it. You can read up further on Dr. Levine's position by clicking here.

On top of the fears associated with the "lax college system," even more impasses have arisen due to the economic state of the country. It seems that as the economy slumps, so does the opportunities for college students. This fall, graduating seniors from college found that an abundance of job opportunities was a thing of the past. Even students who seem to have an impressive resume are finding problems in their job search. These stories can be viewed by reading this write up from CNN and a collection of stories from VOA news.

So what is the answer; is this the real world, or is this just fantasy? Leave your thoughts and comments. Even if college is just fantasy, the experience is truly what you make of it!

The effects of stress on a college student

Shawn Roberts

The stresses a college student faces can lead to many mental and physical changes. It is a well known fact that college is stressful and that the build of the stress leads many students to drop out but there are also many other effects of the stress.

Everyone has heard of the infamous "freshman 15", referring to the 15 pounds that the average college student gains in only their freshman year of college. Most, however, do not know what actually causes this is the stress on students in college. The amount of stress that a student endures can lead them to snacking on foods constantly as a way to deal with the stress. That is not the only effect of stress on a student, nor the worst. On the opposite end of the spectrum some students also develop eating disorders which become a struggle and yet another stressor they must deal with. On top of these, one can also develop anxiety, become depressed, or turn to drugs as a way to temporarily relieve themselves.

What are the stressors that continue to torture the college students of today? The list is endless, but some of the more prominent ones include; homesickness, heavy workload, social stress, time management stress, and for some the stresses of extracurricular activities. All in all it very hard for on college student. Sure college is widely considered to be the best years of one's life, but that doesn't make them easy years. Along with the fun of making new friends, going out to parties, and really just exploring the world; come classes, finding a way to feed oneself, and missing old friends and family members.

http://stress.about.com/od/studentstress/a/stress_college.htm

Recession and public universities

Richard Zhang

The recent recession has hit the public colleges such as Georgia Institute of Technology very hard. According to US news, many state institutions have cut back on the amount of class and lectures available. These state institutions, in an attempt to cut back costs, drove more and more people in signing up for overcrowded classrooms. Some students, due to the lack of classes, will lose their financial aid because of their empty schedules. Even top universities cannot escape the recession. Many of these top universities rely heavily upon donations and endowments; however, recently their endowment and donation have dropped significantly. Many professions such as law are hit the hardest. Law students take out ridiculous amount of loans because they expect to receive fat paychecks at giant law firms. But during times of recession these big law firms are in the red, they cannot afford to hire more inexperienced law school fledglings. Interviews and opening positions fell as hard as 50%. (NY Times) There are certain steps students like us can deal with recession. Due to the increase demand in higher education, President Obama has set aside a decent amount of student loans in his bail out plan of 2009. Another way to combat the recession is to actively searching for various organizations. Most of these organizations offer contests in which students compete for a small scholarship ranging anywhere from a hundred to a few thousand. This will lessen the financial pressure. The first role of the student is to study. In order for a student to study and learn well, they will require financial stability. The famous writer, Virginia Woolf argued in her essay “A Room of One’s Own” that in order for women to write fiction they would need money and a room of one’s own. Therefore money is essential to the success of any education.