Readers
In downturn, open up school of hard knocks
Proposition 300 makes it illegal for undocumented citizens to receive financial aid for higher education in Arizona.
Unfortunately, this is not the case throughout our country. Illegal immigrants can still gain financial aid from the federal and state governments in many other states.
With our struggling economy, our government is likely not focusing on sparing our last hopes on illegal immigrants’ education; more than 11 million undocumented people are residing in America, which makes the financial impact of this issue difficult to avoid.
Our country prides itself as “a land of opportunity,” but one should only have this opportunity as a true dedicated citizen.
As an out-of-state student at the University of Arizona, I see my family pay a substantial amount annually to the college so I can have a proper education.
I find it unethical to give illegal immigrants opportunities that even legal citizens struggle to obtain.
In light of the recent budget cuts at universities nationally, why do illegal immigrants expect empathy toward their situation?
The undocumented citizens (mostly from Mexico) initially took jobs away from many deserving Americans, by working for substandard wages.
They have successfully weakened the strongest nation in the world by increasing our unemployment rate and depleting our whole middle class.
Now is it time to hinder our higher education system?
AMANDA DAVIS
Low-income class finds higher ed out of reach
As a student at the University of Arizona, money has always been an issue. Then again, when is money not an issue when you’re a college student?
One has to worry about food, transportation, rent, tuition, classes and health.
UA has created financial programs such as Arizona Assurance but should always find more ways to make college more affordable and draw students in.
One of the most common solutions to pay for college is loans. To many students, they are a necessity.
Fifty percent of U.S. students use loans, says a study by the national Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
The study also states that 20 percent drop out of school without a degree and a stable job to repay their debt.
Loans were created to serve as an investment for a student’s future. They turn into a burden to many, however.
A possible solution could be keeping interest rates to a minimum. Yes, lenders need profit, but they also need to remind themselves that they are aiding students, not putting them down.
Yale and other universities have already turned to no-loan policies. This shows that change is occurring for low-income students.
Colleges cannot do everything. Students should always research their options, especially when it comes to loans.
The recent budget cuts will only create more issues. This is only a glimpse of the problems a low-income student must face, but if colleges continue to offer more financial aid, many of these problems can someday vanish.
ROSSE GONZALES
Student shoots down letting guns on campus
As an Arizonan and student at the University of Arizona, I find the controversy over gun control on college campuses an important issue.
Arizona senators, as well as those in 17 other states, have been voting on bills that would override universities’ weapon policies and allow students and faculty members to carry guns on public school property.
Luckily, the bills have not yet passed in the state legislatures.
Supporters of the bills argue that the allowance of guns on campus would deter mass shootings, like at Virginia Tech in 2007, but this seems highly unlikely.
If most students and faculty members carried guns on campus, the number of violence crimes would increase. Think about it.
More available weapons mean more opportunity for stressed-out students to take out their anger in violent crimes against others on campuses.
These bills would not only pose the risk of more crimes on campus, but also the untrained students and faculty are likely to miss a criminal target and further injure innocent bystanders during a shooting.
Is this what Tucsonans want for their family and friends at UA? College campuses are not the place for firearms.
The risks that could come from allowing students and faculty to carry firearms is much greater than the possibility of a school shooting to occur, with them banned from college campuses. We should make use of democracy. The choice is ours.
MariaElena WILLIAMS
Motorcyclist thanks all who got show on road
The April 27 article about the motorcyclists who help the deaf and the blind schools was very nice (“Motorcycle run raises money for Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind”). All of the other members of the Old Pueblo Riders who were not mentioned have also done an outstanding job.
A total of about 16 of us work very hard for many months to make the fundraiser a success. So I would like to thank all the ones who helped this year and in past years along with the many donors.
It takes every one of us to make it work.
Ronald Johnson
president, Old Pueblo Riders