Rose Bowl Press Box and Budget Cuts at Colleges

I’m writing in response to the article “It’s a Suite Deal--If You Have $20,000 or More” (Times, April 19).

The article reported that UCLA is planning to spend $11 million on a new press box at the Rose Bowl. Most of the suites in the press box will be offered for $25,000.

It boggles the mind how colleges can spend so much money constructing and reconstructing football stadiums, while letting their educational programs suffer.

I assume UCLA is receiving their funding from the lottery and personal donations. These two sources seem to be increasing while educational funding is decreasing.

Colleges are being forced to cancel classes, let go part-time instructors and raise registration fees because of the lack of funding.

I have personally felt the crunch of not having enough funding for an educational program. Sign language interpreter programs are few in Southern California.

Mt. San Antonio College and Cal State Northridge are the only two colleges that offer this as a major.

This fall semester, Mt. San Antonio College was forced to cancel all of the elective classes that accompany the program. The final interpreters class has also been cut from the program this fall.

That is one whole semester of learning being cut from my education.

Considering that we are in a recession, I think it would be wiser to spend money (no matter what the source) on education that would help us in the future rather than on some newer seats that would make someone’s buns feel a little more comfortable.

Le’YVONNE M. PATLANBaldwin Park