CSUN Fees Land Hard

As a full-time Cal State Northridge student who, like many other students here, is not financially well-situated, I am far from apathetic about the recent 20% fee increase. If fees increase again, I may have to leave school, and there is no economical alternative to the CSU system. However, as I hold two jobs and have to commute an hour each way to school from my home, I must be selective about my political activities and spend time only on things likely to make a difference.

I fail to see how a condescending civics lesson from a few publicity-minded politicians trying to promote their conservative economic agenda would have any real effect on current or future fee hikes. Hunt Braly’s suggestion that students research the state budget to find examples of wasteful spending and come up with better ways for “how all of government should be funded” shows a pathetic ignorance of the economic situations of many students at CSUN. If we had the time and ability to do our elected officials’ jobs for them, we wouldn’t need CSUN in the first place.

Most of us are not like the spoiled-sounding young man quoted in the article who hadn’t noticed the fee increases because his father had paid them. I actually consider myself among the luckier CSUN students, because, unlike many here, I do not have children and am not completely self-supporting. The reason there was not a better turnout for the meeting was not because CSUN students are apathetic about the fee increases; it was probably because most of them were out working to pay for them.

RIKKA FOUNTAIN

Glendale