Issues

Maybe it’s my attitude the last couple of days, but I had no problem finding problems in the UNK and Kearney communities. Here are a few issues I would be interested in writing about for our third editorial:

1. Student fees at UNK are something that has interested me since I enrolled three years ago. I like to know what I am getting when I pay for something. It came to no surprise to me when I would go over my tuition bills with a fine tooth comb to see exactly what I was paying for and why. I came across numerous fees that I found a little outrageous and ridiculous. For example, I am taking 12 credit hours this semester and I paid $468.25 in fees alone. I’m sorry; I don’t have almost $500 a semester to give to the weight room or to campus events. When I took 19 credit hours one semester my fees were through the roof! I couldn’t believe my weight room fee was almost $40 that semester because I was taking so many credit hours. Again, I’m sorry; if I’m taking 19 credit hours do you honestly think I spent time in the weight room? No. A complete list of fees can be found here. Something needs to be done to combat these high fees. I really don’t think the fees should increase with the amount of credit hours you take. They should be a set amount.

2. If you’ve picked up a Kearney Hub in the last, oh month, you’ve heard about the battle with the FirsTier Event Center. The city of Kearney is willing to offer $2-$3 million for the arena with a 1 percent restaurant tax increase. Many are fighting this, but many are supporting the city in this possible purchase. The lead sentence of a story printed in the Kearney Hub on Feb. 20 reads, ‘Kearney’s spending priorities should not be leisure and recreation.’ I totally disagree with this statement in this economy. Yes, some of us may be economically disadvantaged. However, we need a place to escape and have fun and let loose. The city of Kearney can’t afford to lose the FirsTier Event Center.

3. Surprise surprise…I would like to write about the layoffs at Baldwin Filters and other companies in Kearney. I think everyone understands the severity of the current economy (or at least I hope they do). Therefore, I think people would rather have their hours or pay cut before their job is cut. Did Baldwin and Eaton really exhume all available resources to avoid lay offs?