Bad medicine
Re: The doctor’s first check-up, Sept. 28
I am disappointed that despite all of Mr. Naylor’s efforts to connect with students he still refuses to acknowledge that the key issue facing students is high tuition fees. Naylor supports deregulation of tuition fees, a position that reflects a failure to understand the “student experience” of being saddled with huge amounts of debt upon graduation. Since deregulation, the government of Ontario has already dramatically increased tuition, with some students paying eight per cent more this year alone. If Naylor truly wants to make life better for students at this institution, he should at the very least call for a tuition freeze. Naylor’s extensive ‘classroom visit’ and handshaking campaign did not lead him to the correct diagnosis for what ails students at this university.
Emily Shelton
A weedy issue
Re: The woman who knew too much?, Sept. 14
At present, the west plot of the SAC “Food for All” garden is wasted on ornamental plants that are inedible, with the exception of a few species. Only some vegetables are growing in the northwest plot; the south plots were weed-covered during the summer and currently the south and north plots are bare. When Caroline Xia was managing the garden, all the plots were abundant with vegetables. Since SAC hired staff to replace Caroline, the garden is producing nowhere near as much as it did before.
Caroline sacrificed almost eight years, with no personal gain, to ensure that the garden’s ideals would be realized. The work she did requires the kind of knowledge, time, and effort that should receive financial compensation. Caroline made it known repeatedly that she was not in an economic or academic situation to volunteer. The fair thing for SAC to do is to give her an honorarium and due respect for her many years of dedication, especially since SAC hired staff briefly in the winter of 2005.
The current situation is evidence that SAC does not care enough about poverty to ensure that the garden’s “Food for All” ideals will continue. After Caroline, who will pick up the torch?
Sheg Tseng
