Does anyone else think that the cost of parking at the University is insane? Seriously, $1.25 for a half hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is ridiculous. Needless to say, I am parked at an obscure meter without paying, right now.
In other news, the UofA has a new President! Congratulations Dr. Indira Samarasekera, I will now spend the duration of your term as President learning to pronounce your name. If you’re in Arts, her appointment probably does not mean good things will come for you. Samarasekera is an Engineering lady, so look for more funding and support for that area. As if Engineering needed another cheerleader.
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but on a more serious note, let’s face it, I don’t exactly agree with how things are happening, but arts isn’t exactly what the U of A is known for, it’s known for med, bus, and engg, and though I still view arts as important, it’s not up to me to decide how the money is distributed…
but I would like to point out that engg research gets a lot of dough from NSERC and NRC, funding is tight, even if engg was favoured…now health on the other hand?
Inge, I’d like to remind you that if it were not for people with liberal arts educations, you would have virtually NO communication skills. (that goes for everyone who’s reading this) I think it’s unfortunate that people place such little importance on an arts education. Just because I’m getting an Arts degree shouldn’t devalue my education in comparison to anyone else’s. I’ve given up on expecting a bunch of funding, because it’s obviously never going to happen. And I’d like to point out that the department of History and Classics is world renowned, as are the departments of music and anthropology. But they get by with minimal funding, a seriuos lack of availability of technology and a lack of private sponsorship. Maybe it’s time for faculties like engineering to do the same.
and besides, perhaps with an increase in funding, arts WOULD be something the U of A would be known for.
"Maybe it’s time for faculties like engineering to do the same."
so now you’re blaming engineers for having it the way it is? We all made our choices, and got the cards we were dealt
"Just because I’m getting an Arts degree shouldn’t devalue my education in comparison to anyone else’s"
Society puts the importance on degrees, and thus universities and people then place more importance on certain degrees, vicious cycle
"Inge, I’d like to remind you that if it were not for people with liberal arts educations, you would have virtually NO communication skills"
why would you bring up something that wasn’t even mentioned? I even said that arts is important, although I didn’t specify why it’s important, which is as you said, communication skills, I don’t see the reason for the reminder
I don’t think society necessarily puts importance on degrees. Certainly doctors are in high demand, for example, but I think post secondary (and to some extent secondary) institutions have a huge effect on what students study simply by what they emphasize. If the UofA put more resources behind visual arts, perhaps it would have a larger student base.
Inge, maybe we did make choices and get the cards we were dealt. However, that doesn’t mean that I should have to settle for second best because I chose a path of study where the funding simply isn’t there. I am playing the cards I was dealt, and i wouldn’t trade the experience I’m gaining for anything, but I think you’re missing the point when I talk about funding imbalances. I used engineering as an example because it
(and medicine) obviously get the most funding. Have you actually been inside the humanities building? The damn thing looks like a penis. Or the Tory building? The classrooms are small, there’s bugs everywhere, and it’s gross dark and dated. ETLC, on the other hand, is one of thie nicest buildings I’ve seen on a campus (and I’ve been to a few). Why then, are the Arts, Science, Ed, and other students forced to sit in crowded classrooms with grad students ad instructors, when engineers have 4 of their very own goddamn buildings, PLUS a staff of professors, NOT PhD Candidates.
Our society DOES place importance on degrees. But no one has said that we have to buy into that, although it’s quite obvious that some people have.
I didn’t miss the fact that you claim to still value arts, but the qualifying statement came AFTER you made an excuse for arts not getting funding "but arts isn’t exactly what the U of A is known for, it’s known for med, bus, and engg." I know you’re not personally responsible for distributing the money, but if you view the arts as so important, why don’t you do something about it? Start a petition. Meet with University Admnistration to protest the imbalance of funding among the faculties. Wait, you probably wont, because you’re LOVING the fact that you get nice new buildings, SMART classrooms, wicked design labs and a relatively specialized faculty staff, where people actually teach in their exact area of specialty. Before you get angry, think about how far you’re willing to go to change things. My money is on not very far at all.
Actually, most of the new enginering buildings are largely funded by the industries and the alumni. So it’s not soley the University that paid for these new buildings. If the arts students want to have a new building, I guess they should get their industries to donate money for the cause.
Jeanie, they’re arts, they don’t exactly have industries that pull in as much cash and a strong alumni like engineering.
Come on, you’re in Alberta where oil sells big and they want more engineers, arts on the other hand, who’re they going to get money from? Even if they did, it wouldn’t compare to the amount of money that natural resource companies give, they differ by orders of magnitude is my guess, so realize that we are where we are because of our privileged status in society…
And Jeanie when you find a so-called "Arts" industry, let me know. I still haven’t discovered one. Or an association that represents the interests of Arts grads (unlike APEGGA). So how about getting off of your self-righteous platform and looking at what’s really going on.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS!
I don’t believe that hahahaha! The building looks like a penis!
it’s true. not going to lie