Last week, Housing Director William Zeller and interim Resident Hall Dining Services Director William Durell presented the Michigan Student Assembly with plans to construct a new dining hall - Hill Area Dining Center - that would replace the four existing Hill area dining halls. The proposed facility - a 50,000-square-foot hall built between the Alice Lloyd and Mosher Jordan residence halls - would cost nearly $1.5 million and take three years to build. The facility would be a sort of food court, including restaurants similar to the Michigan Union in addition to the cafeteria. The existing dining halls would be transformed into classrooms and academic advising offices. This proposed plan by University Housing could have many implications for student life at the University. Because many of the details, such as the method for funding the project and the logistics of the plan are still unclear, MSA should oppose to the proposed construction of the Hill Area Dining Center.
One of the important decisions that students choosing to live on campus make every year is what residence hall to live in. Part of this decision process is associated with the accessibility of dining halls - especially during the Michigan winter, when snow makes travel quite challenging for students. The existing dining halls provide most students with meal services in their building - an asset demonstrated last month when nearly two feet of snow covered the ground and wind chills dipped below zero.
The Hill Area also currently hosts four living and learning communities: the 21st Century Program, Lloyd Hall Scholars Program, Women in Science and Engineering and the Undergraduate Research and Opportunity Program. Part of these communities' attraction for students is the ability to bond through the constant interaction that occurs in the living quarters. The dining halls play a large part in the social sphere of these programs. Introducing the Hill Area Dining Center would take away an important aspect of these living-learning communities - and perhaps take away some of the appeal of these programs.
According to this proposed plan, if the University renovates the existing four dining halls, at a cost roughly the same as building the new center, the room and board rates would increase. But the proposal maintains that the new dining center would allow the rates to remain the same. This assumes the center will earn profits to cover the expenses of construction - an assumption that is not guaranteed. Even if rates did not increase due to the new dining center, one has to question who will pay the costs of converting the existing dining halls to classrooms and advising offices.
Health issues are also involved. The University dining halls, while not always popular, attempt to provide nutritious food that students may not find as easily at the proposed food court, which likely will feature fast food chains. The dining halls also accomodate students with specific concerns, such as providing vegetarian dishes. It is unclear whether this plan would require cash at some sites and a M-Card at another. Also, one all encompassing dining hall could seriously congest the Hill campus. Since the plan has many holes and details are currently sketchy, MSA should not endorse such a plan.
In choosing a career, students usually weigh a couple of factors: The amount of personal enjoyment a career will offer and the financial benefits it will provide. For a long time, students have been deterred from pursuing a career in education because they find teaching to be either personally or financially unrewarding. The result is a shortage of good teachers. But a new bill introduced in the state Senate could help change the incentive for students to pursue a degree in education.
The new bill promises up to $12,000 in loans distributed over four years to college students pursing degrees in education at state universities. In return, the students must agree to teach at an "at risk" school for at least four years. The bill will not only reward these specific schools with better teachers, but it will reward the teachers with better careers as well.
Most importantly, the new bill will attract more students to teaching. Teaching is one of the most important professions, yet potential teachers are reluctant to pursue a degree in education due to the lack of financial incentives. With the $12,000 in loans, the bill will help to encourage potential teachers to pursue a degree in education.
Furthermore, by requiring that students who receive the loans teach at "at risk" schools, the bill will increase educational opportunities for students across the state.
The State School Aid Act of 1979 identifies "at risk" schools based on a number of criteria including the availability of free breakfast and lunch programs and the school's average scores on standardized tests. These "at risk" schools with lower standardized test scores are often in poorer districts, where new teachers are unlikely to go.
Still, these schools need new and enthusiastic teachers the most. Placing teachers in "at risk" schools may also help educational inequalities that exist in the public school system. Many poorer schools fail to attract the best teachers, who might find resources more plentiful in wealthier districts.
With college admissions becoming more competitive and financial aid for college being handed out based on standardized test scores, these new teachers are greatly needed in the "at risk" schools. The new bill will help to put more teachers in these schools and increase the opportunities available for the students.
Finally, not only will the new bill reward the students in "at risk" schools, it will reward the teachers as well. Working in "at risk" schools, teachers will be able to see the benefits of their hard work - a reward that is even better than the financial incentives offered by the bill.
A good education is priceless in preparing students for the future. And to provide a good education, good teachers are needed. The new bill will help by providing more teachers. The financial incentives can attract those students who already considered education, and even those who never considering it for financial reasons. Once good teachers are committed, the bill helps by putting those teachers in the schools where they are needed the most.
02-17-99
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