OT: Name some things that drive you fucking nuts

[pixburgher66]

So The University of Arizona recreation center charged a surprise $55 dollar fee to all graduate students' accounts on the 21. No announcement, didn't get it approved by the relevant committees, just charged us the money.

I sent an email to the director who charged us the fee and, conveniently, they took a 10-day vacation starting the day after the fee was assessed.

I do not like being charged extra, unannounced, unapproved fees. Especially for something which is already covered in our current fees. Especially especially when our current fees are 4.5% of our total annual stipends before taxes.

I sent a strongly worded email.

Ohhhhh don't get me started on fees. I had a $10k stipend for 10 months of work, and three semesters (12 months) of fees. Just under $6K in fees, for things like the rec center, the shuttle bus, "academic support" (?), "university service" (??), SAI (???). Things I never used...because I was a GA off campus who had class 3 days a week if I was lucky (because my profs were lazy as hell). So, after taking out the fees I'm down at like $4.3K, then taxes (which happened pre-fees) bring me down to the point that I was getting paid $275 every 2 weeks. And my rent in that town was often more than I made in a month. And because of the current higher education system, I have zero saved because I couldn't hold a job during the school year (pretty thing called clinical hours you rich old farts who have no idea what it's like in a world where a burger/meal out costs $20 not $2, not that I go out to eat often) I had to take loans from the Bank of Parent. It sucks. Oh, and in the summer you're supposed to do internships. Except those don't pay. WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO? Oh, I've digressed obviously. But, GAs are paid like crap and it's stupid. I know that I got a free education (again my profs stunk), but I also know the contract the institution I worked for was for $25K, and I saw under $5K once you take out fees.


Summary: the system stinks. It's very broken.

 

[Darkstone42]

PS - that's ridiculous, Darkstone. When you're already paying $10s of thousands, it's just an insult when they sweat the $55 fee.

My tuition is covered in my stipend, which is nice, and I don't mind the fees because of that. This one's just grating because it was unannounced and was assessed before being approved. If the fee got approved and then assessed, and if there was an actual announcement in advance, I wouldn't like it, but I probably wouldn't be so mad about it. Oh, and the fact that rec center fees are already a part of the fees I get charged, so it's like being double-charged.

I have it pretty good as graduate students go. Most in the sciences do. But there are other full-time graduate students in other disciplines who don't get paid like I do, or who don't get their tuition covered, but still have to pay all these fees, and I feel bad for them.

Ohhhhh don't get me started on fees. I had a $10k stipend for 10 months of work, and three semesters (12 months) of fees. Just under $6K in fees, for things like the rec center, the shuttle bus, "academic support" (?), "university service" (??), SAI (???). Things I never used...because I was a GA off campus who had class 3 days a week if I was lucky (because my profs were lazy as hell). So, after taking out the fees I'm down at like $4.3K, then taxes (which happened pre-fees) bring me down to the point that I was getting paid $275 every 2 weeks. And my rent in that town was often more than I made in a month. And because of the current higher education system, I have zero saved because I couldn't hold a job during the school year (pretty thing called clinical hours you rich old farts who have no idea what it's like in a world where a burger/meal out costs $20 not $2, not that I go out to eat often) I had to take loans from the Bank of Parent. It sucks. Oh, and in the summer you're supposed to do internships. Except those don't pay. WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO? Oh, I've digressed obviously. But, GAs are paid like crap and it's stupid. I know that I got a free education (again my profs stunk), but I also know the contract the institution I worked for was for $25K, and I saw under $5K once you take out fees.


Summary: the system stinks. It's very broken.

Yeah, that's terrible. My fees are at least somewhat reasonable, only about $1000/year. Those are ridiculous. And I get paid about twice in my program what you get paid in yours. And, while I live comfortably, it's not by much, and mostly because my expenses are just bills and food, no car payment, no insurance of any kind (I'm still covered by my parents, with a secondary of school insurance, which will be my primary next year), and all but one of my student loans are deferred.

I'd barely be able to afford the bike repairs necessary to live as far away from campus as it would be necessary to live just to pay for my rent on what you make. But at least it's only temporary, I guess.

 

[pixburgher66]

Yeah, that's terrible. My fees are at least somewhat reasonable, only about $1000/year. Those are ridiculous. And I get paid about twice in my program what you get paid in yours. And, while I live comfortably, it's not by much, and mostly because my expenses are just bills and food, no car payment, no insurance of any kind (I'm still covered by my parents, with a secondary of school insurance, which will be my primary next year), and all but one of my student loans are deferred.

I'd barely be able to afford the bike repairs necessary to live as far away from campus as it would be necessary to live just to pay for my rent on what you make. But at least it's only temporary, I guess.

I live fine honestly, but that's because of my parents. I truly wonder how people without secure family finances do it. I'm still under my parents insurance, no car payment or insurance payment, heck they pay my phone bill too. But I'm also $30k in the whole with undergrad loans. I do okay, even when I complain (well, I'll be doing GREAT when I get that job), but it's getting worse. There's no way the current college system lasts to when I have kids that age. Just no way. The inflation rate and the rate of increase in cost of college is ridiculous. I got my Master's because it was "free", but my parents had to help. I just have no idea how others do it. None. I guess take out more loans. My roommate from last year is going to be over $100k in the whole with a degree in youth ministry and masters of screenwriting (I tried to persuade her elsewhere). I can't even imagine that.

 

[Darkstone42]

I live fine honestly, but that's because of my parents. I truly wonder how people without secure family finances do it. I'm still under my parents insurance, no car payment or insurance payment, heck they pay my phone bill too. But I'm also $30k in the whole with undergrad loans. I do okay, even when I complain (well, I'll be doing GREAT when I get that job), but it's getting worse. There's no way the current college system lasts to when I have kids that age. Just no way. The inflation rate and the rate of increase in cost of college is ridiculous. I got my Master's because it was "free", but my parents had to help. I just have no idea how others do it. None. I guess take out more loans. My roommate from last year is going to be over $100k in the whole with a degree in youth ministry and masters of screenwriting (I tried to persuade her elsewhere). I can't even imagine that.

I'm going to have a small personal party when my student debt gets to where yours is.

But I'll be in a good spot once I finish this degree and get a reasonable job. And that's what this is all about anyway, getting a good job in the field I love, just like the case for you.

 

[elocomotive]

I'm going to have a small personal party when my student debt gets to where yours is.

But I'll be in a good spot once I finish this degree and get a reasonable job. And that's what this is all about anyway, getting a good job in the field I love, just like the case for you.

Same here. And if it makes you guys feel better, I'd love to have only $100K of school debt.

 

[puckhead]

Same here. And if it makes you guys feel better, I'd love to have only $100K of school debt.

My kid is in grade 4 and we've already flushed 80k on her education.
No pressure, kid.

 

[elocomotive]

My kid is in grade 4 and we've already flushed 80k on her education.
No pressure, kid.

LOL!

 

[Darkstone42]

Same here. And if it makes you guys feel better, I'd love to have only $100K of school debt.

Lawyers...

Okay, probably more appropriate:

Law school...

 

[dash]

I live fine honestly, but that's because of my parents. I truly wonder how people without secure family finances do it. I'm still under my parents insurance, no car payment or insurance payment, heck they pay my phone bill too. But I'm also $30k in the whole with undergrad loans. I do okay, even when I complain (well, I'll be doing GREAT when I get that job), but it's getting worse. There's no way the current college system lasts to when I have kids that age. Just no way. The inflation rate and the rate of increase in cost of college is ridiculous. I got my Master's because it was "free", but my parents had to help. I just have no idea how others do it. None. I guess take out more loans. My roommate from last year is going to be over $100k in the whole with a degree in youth ministry and masters of screenwriting (I tried to persuade her elsewhere). I can't even imagine that.

I feel for you pix, I really do. I've managed to put away some cash via RESP (Registered Education Savings Plans) for my two daughters, so they're in pretty good shape as far as that is concerned (Ivy League schools are out of contention), but I think I'm going to have to keep working well into my late 60's to try to help them out as much as I can.

 

[Comeds]

I feel for you pix, I really do. I've managed to put away some cash via RESP (Registered Education Savings Plans) for my two daughters, so they're in pretty good shape as far as that is concerned (Ivy League schools are out of contention), but I think I'm going to have to keep working well into my late 60's to try to help them out as much as I can.

I thought you were already well into your 70s?!?

I don't have kids (due to a childhood pogo stick accident) but the cost of college education depresses me. I am not saying it should be free, but I do think it should be far more affordable.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

everything about public education needs to be changed imo ... the way we/kids learn today shouldnt be slotted into a system that was created in the 1950's (which is so capital funding intensive) where zero of todays technology existed

Just looking at it from a local perspective ... one thing that has always bothered me ... these huge tracts of land committed to elementary schools ... why are they zoned single use? why not go up (build upwards) and have some sort of subsidized housing on top of these schools ... the redevelopment of these school properties could unlock so much value for school boards around BC ... i know there are massive security and safety issues but Im sure their are solutions for them

there are so many sprawling (land use wise) rancher type built-in-the-60's elementary schools in my city that have classrooms that sit empty because the demographics have changed in the area

if they can get value in the form of the real estate ... maybe they need less funding from the provincial govt ...and maybe that funding can be redistributed to the post secondary institutions and tuition can be reduced ... I know I know ... wishful thinking the govt would do that the teachers unions would probably stand in the way of something like this in the first place anyways

 

[Comeds]

everything about public education needs to be changed imo ... the way we/kids learn today shouldnt be slotted into a system that was created in the 1950's (which is so capital funding intensive) where zero of todays technology existed

Just looking at it from a local perspective ... one thing that has always bothered me ... these huge tracts of land committed to elementary schools ... why are they zoned single use? why not go up (build upwards) and have some sort of subsidized housing on top of these schools ... the redevelopment of these school properties could unlock so much value for school boards around BC ... i know there are massive security and safety issues but Im sure their are solutions for them

there are so many sprawling (land use wise) rancher type built-in-the-60's elementary schools in my city that have classrooms that sit empty because the demographics have changed in the area

if they can get value in the form of the real estate ... maybe they need less funding from the provincial govt ...and maybe that funding can be redistributed to the post secondary institutions and tuition can be reduced ... I know I know ... wishful thinking the govt would do that the teachers unions would probably stand in the way of something like this in the first place anyways

In my area they have started doing a few things differently. They needed two new high schools so they built them next to each other and will share facilities like the auditorium, cafeteria, and sports fields. Doing that they were able to save a good deal of money. Of course I also wonder they didn't build one great big school instead of this way.

Two schools one location meant that one high school was suddenly 5 miles away from where the old one was so it creates some problems, but overall I think its a good idea.

The school nearest me is so overcrowded that it has trailers, I mean mobile classrooms all over the property.

 

[dash]

I thought you were already well into your 70s?!?

This past weekend, I went to pick up my youngest daughter at her friend's birthday party. I overheard one of my daughter's friends ask her "Hey, is that your granddad?"

 

[jstewismybastardson]

The school nearest me is so overcrowded that it has trailers, I mean mobile classrooms all over the property.

In a neighbouring city near me where enrollment is way up, theyve been known to build new schools and, upon opening for the school year, they need to bring in the portables

great planning!

 

[jstewismybastardson]

This past weekend, I went to pick up my youngest daughter at her friend's birthday party. I overheard one of my daughter's friends ask her "Hey, is that your granddad?"

better hit the grecian formula dash

 

[jstewismybastardson]

btw ... how about that referees shirt the rocket is wearing ???

Id like to see the refs wear them for game 6 v the rags

 

[dash]

btw ... how about that referees shirt the rocket is wearing ???

Id like to see the refs wear them for game 6 v the rags

lol - What was the penalty count last game at MSG? 9 penalties against the Rangers, 3 penalties against the Habs if I recall.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Arrogant fans of sports

bump


/

 

[Comeds]

People who steal co-workers lunches out of company refrigerators.

 

[forty_three]

everything about public education needs to be changed imo ... the way we/kids learn today shouldnt be slotted into a system that was created in the 1950's (which is so capital funding intensive) where zero of todays technology existed

This is a great point. Kids today don't usually have GRANDPARENTS who learned that way. They have so much access to information and technology that it makes no sense to teach them rote memorization.

Teach them how to think and how to feed off of and process the information around them. Cognitive ability is so much more important than fact remembering.

In a neighbouring city near me where enrollment is way up, theyve been known to build new schools and, upon opening for the school year, they need to bring in the portables

great planning!

This was one of the final straws for us to leave Maryland. In the suburb we lived in, there were three high schools, all extremely overcrowded. After six years of fighting tea party nuts over taxes, they finally got approval to build a fourth. The plan was to take the "leftover" students that were over-crowding the other three, put them in the new one and relieve all overcrowding.

By the time it was beginning to be built, it was deemed overcrowded and would need portables. And the other three still needed portables. The new school had almost 40% of their students in portable classrooms when it opened. They never once thought, "huh, we haven't built it yet. Maybe we can make it bigger."

Didn't want to put 43.5, 43.33 and 43.25 through that.


It's been made worse by New Jersey (like everything). We left before the "wave" came. The local military base was getting 300,000 new families transferred from bases in NJ that closed. I can't imagine how terrible it is now.

Was good for us. Our house sold in days above asking price.