New dorms 'too little, too late'

When I went to pick up my Arizona Daily Wildcat on the morning of April 10, I noticed the headline, "Planned dorm to house 770."

Further reading revealed that Residence Life hopes that this new facility will "stop the housing shortage." Call me skeptical, but I doubt that it will do anything to alleviate the housing shortage. If current trends continue, there will still be students denied housing because of the growing number of applicants.

It seems to me that the university should have taken steps to prevent this housing shortage before it started.

I highly doubt that the housing shortage appeared out of nowhere. These kinds of things do not happen spontaneously.

They are part of a process. The university had to notice an increase in applicants each year which, in turn, would lead to an increase in the number of students seeking on-campus housing, yet they did nothing about it. As a result, hundreds of students, including myself, started their college careers living in a hotel or study lounge.

Why didn't the university foresee such an event taking place and take steps to prevent it from happening altogether? Even if the number of freshmen seeking on-campus housing suddenly decreased, there would be that much more housing for current students, many of whom are being told to find housing elsewhere next year to compensate for the university's lack of preparation.

I think it is great that the university is finally trying to house all of the incoming students who wish to live on-campus.

But I also believe that the planned new dorm is too little, too late.

And, as a result, many incoming freshmen are going to be sorely disappointed when they find out that the university cannot house them.

Jennifer Reik
pre-elementary education freshman

Give up that dollar

I don't believe panhandlers beg for money to piss us college kids off, or to be a**holes. These people need the money, and what the hell would it hurt someone to give up a buck? Like Mr. Wendel, "Two dollars means a snack to me but it means a big deal to you." Am I supposed to feel in power or superior by denying money to a person who probably earns less in a year than I earn in a week? It's time to stop being greedy, folks.

Not every homeless person is out to buy drugs. That's like saying every Mexican is out "banging and claiming the raza" or "every black person has criminal intentions." Don't stereotype folks; these people have long lost their pride. That's why they're coming to the college kids.

Heck, how many of you kids are from out of state having your dorm and tuition paid for by your mommies and daddies?

Guess you guys aren't as poor as you'd like to let on. To all of us: One dollar is chump change; give it up.

Erik Salcido
business sophomore

Feminism is hypocrisy

This is in response to the April 10 letter by Melinda Mills. I am a woman. And I am not a feminist. The truth is every feminist I have come into contact with has left a bad taste in my mouth. They claim that they are only asking to be treated as equals but beg for special laws because they have breasts.

Also, though they fight not to be seen as sexual objects in the eyes of men, they send bras and thongs to congressmen, only sexualizing themselves more. Plus, they ask for abortion rights because "It's a woman's right to chose," but are the first to protest if a woman is put on death row. Isn't killing killing? All this to me, Melinda Mills, is hypocrisy.

Brianne Pekar
media arts freshman

Demand accountability with higher tuition

On Tuesday night's episode of "Arizona Illustrated," UA President Peter Likins defended his request to the Board of Regents to hike tuition for in- and out-of-state students by roughly 10 percent. He says a tuition hike is necessary to put tuition at our three state universities on par with the national average of those of other states. Arizona is allegedly ranked 49th in terms of tuition burden on its students, according to President Likins.

A few weeks ago on the same show, UA provost George Davis amplified a similar message: Teaching faculty members continue to flee for higher-paying jobs at other universities. The UA administration's arguments are persuasive, it may yet win in its bid to make students pay more next year.

Paying more may make sense if the money were to be paid into a dedicated fund for higher salaries of qualified teaching faculty and improved classrooms.

But how can one avoid thinking that this potential windfall of millions of dollars in higher tuition revenue won't wind up in the pockets of contractors instead?

In President Likins' four-year tenure at UA, we've yet to see much of anything else.

Or is the UA lagging behind the national average for campus construction spending, too?

Stuart Williams
non-degree seeking graduate student

Speaking PC - 'We're all red, white and blue'

I concur with Shane Dale in his April 9 commentary that PC issues are covering the nation like a rash with all sides becoming irritated every time a racial issue comes up for debate. In the case of the firemen statue, the black and Hispanic communities did not demand the diverse statue. The diversity of the statue was based on the artistic view of the person who was funding the project (he's Jewish) and was followed up the NYFD administration. There wasn't a minority rally or demonstration backing any minority speaker that favored the diverse statue instead of the three Caucasian firemen. In fact, malls across America carry memorabilia that depict the three firemen as they stood on 9/11, and minorities, who were just as horrified by the events, purchase emblems with pride and not with the notion to distort history by putting their face on it.

As for immigration, Mr. Dale should concentrate his efforts on lobbying legislation that will heavily fine greedy corporations who would rather pad their pockets from money saved on cheap immigration labor instead of paying a decent wage or health benefits to U.S. citizens. Lobby for life sentences without parole for convicted coyotes (immigrant smugglers) that promise a wage to a desperate parent but neglect to tell them that at the first sign of trouble he will let them die. A parent trying to provide for his or her child doesn't stop at a border. Try keeping abreast with the INS reformation and immigration new screening procedures. These are steps to secure our borders, save lives by eliminating the greed factor and encourage legal immigration.

Especially now with the terrorist attacks and the Middle Eastern conflicts, Mr. Dale just seems to complain about the world interfering with his privileged life. Right now, it doesn't matter if you're brown, white or black because, to the rest of the world, we're all red, white and blue.

Leticia Villasenor
classics junior

Replacing Microsoft good idea, not practical

Matthew Leigh wrote a well-thought-out letter on April 10 explaining why the university should stop using Microsoft products. All his arguments were logical and clearly point out the enormous savings that could be made by using free software rather than expensive Microsoft software. However, the one drawback to his argument is he forgot to consider human nature, specifically that people like to take the easiest path.

I use a computer lab where there are five computers. Four are Microsoft and the other one is Linux. NOBODY (including me) uses the Linux one because they are unfamiliar with the software.

It's frustrating to see all four computers being used (with lines of people behind them) while the Linux computer sits unused.

Perhaps those people have previously tried to access u.arizona.edu e-mail from a Mac computer ... you can't do it! I've tried clicking on the "Mac users click here," but it never works. Microsoft always seems to come through for me.

Don't get me wrong - Matt has the right idea. Right now we (as a society) could be using solar power (costs about $6,000 to install in a home), which most homeowners could fit into their mortgage.

We could be using rechargeable batteries instead of filling landfills with lead and acid ones. Our cars could run on natural gas instead of gasoline. The problem is these things take effort and when the day is over people like to complain, but seldom do they actually put their money and time where their mouth is.

I use rechargeable batteries and someday hope to have solar power on my future home. Linux on the other hand ... hmm, that's going to be a hard one for me!

Creighton Anderson
material science and engineering graduate student