I wasn’t kidding; I’m taking a hiatus from my responsibilities as a Technician Viewpoint columnist. No more writing for at least three weeks.
I feel like I deserve a break. If you wrote for nine years straight, you too would deserve some time off. There’s just so much one can write about it till it all starts sounding the same and gets boring. So this column is more unusual than most. Literary critics might say, “The style is different.” Enjoy.
Not only do I write for Technician, but I also write for a living. As a result, I’m constantly churning out prose. And that’s the reason for my furlough; I need to take some time to focus on my job. After all, it’s what pays the bills, especially with the rising costs of my higher education and the unrelenting burden of my student loan debt.
I’m not sure why, but I find it rather ironic and somewhat funny that I have never mentioned what I do in the “real world” in one of my columns. At the very least, I wouldn’t call my career typical. To be honest, I’m hesitant to share with you details about my occupation. If you are like most, you won’t believe me.
I know most of you think I just sit around campus and ogle at all the women, but that’s just not the case. I promise, before the end of the school year I will talk more about my company and profession. After all, Chancellor James Oblinger has encouraged everyone at N.C. State to tell their story. If you’re overly curious and can’t wait to know more — not sure why you would want to do that — log onto YouTube and search “The Rut.” That will give you a glimpse down the rabbit hole that I call the rest of my life.
Anyway, since I wrote last, a few things have happened with respect to tuition and fee increases. Good news, tuition will not increase dramatically this year. Expect the chancellor to make an announcement soon.
Not only has UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser already proclaimed a hold on tuition at our sister institution down the road, but UNC System President Erskine Bowles basically said he expects the same thing from all UNC chancellors at the last Board of Governors meeting.
The logic: the UNC System fared well during this year’s legislative budget battle and it would be slap in the face to the citizens of the state to ask them to pay even more.
Bravo Erskine Bowles!
Unfortunately fees will go up — but not really that much. But don’t expect the fee package to remain unchanged as it heads to the Board of Trustees for approval. The Athletics Department has a funny way of getting a larger increase than what was recommended by the Fee Review Committee. Athletics has powerful allies on the trustee board. Expect the trustees to make up the difference by cutting back the recommendations for Recreational Sports and the Student Centers. Hopefully, Bowles will take the same hard line stance against fee increases.
It’s time for me to get back to work.
Talk to you in a couple of weeks.
What do you think of Andrew’s hiatus? E-mail your comments to viewpoint@technicianonline.com.
