EDIT:
Fee Raise from POV of UCLA Law ProfSo I just submitted my UC App around 2, I go over to the next class I'm doing professor evaluations for, and somehow, I end up talking to a Communications department chair also doing evaluations for the same class. She's just telling me how the same fee raises and budget cuts happened during the 1980s when she was in college at SDSU. Interesting to hear the perspective of someone who has been through it before and is one of the ones dealing with the budget cuts.
That's not the problem. The issue is the idiot sitting in the front row who jumped into the conversation and accused me of not supporting the "student movement" by walking out. Firstly, why is He in class. Secondly, saying that degrees are just "worthless pieces of paper" is a bit hypocritical when you're sitting in a college class to get your degree. Maybe your degree in Communications is worthless, but generalizing by saying that a BS in BioE or CSE is useless too is dumb. A lot of things out that you can't just learn by reading a book.
He suggested that not going to college in favor of moving to another country for free education is a solution. It's quite a bit harder than just waltzing into France and demanding an education. At this point, I determined that he was totally lost, especially considering the patronizing morally-righteous tone he was taking with me. He just needs to grow the hell up and get his head out of his ass. Not everyone can take years off between high school and college to travel the world and enjoy the diversity of culture it has to offer.
I don't like the fee increase either, but at least be realistic about it. Suggesting that EVERYONE in the school walk out is a totally unreasonable expectation. The department chair noted that no one gets paid during a walkout here at UCSD if a certain amount of teachers in the department don't show up, because the operation of the department is considered compromised.
Yes, we need better management of the administration and better oversight on spending, but right now, we also need to make up huge budget gaps. You can't teach a dog new tricks when its starving to death.
And for the record, I didn't argue with the guy at all as I was on the clock. I just said its a personal decision to attend college, and that for me, it was worthwhile. Besides, I'm a bit sick of being grouped with the "dumbass Regents" just because I don't think the walkout is all that effective. I mean hell... your department head thinks its just a nice gesture, but ultimately pointless.
I'm thankful my CAPEs next week don't involve anymore COMT classes. I even prefer CSE classes... at least they don't say stupid shit.
Thanks to Sam for making it a lot easier for me to get my thoughts together on the matter before this happened. Sorry for typing too much.