Artist Statement

While being a college student, everyone takes a stand on education. Many students feel compelled to have their feelings and beliefs heard throughout the university population. Forums, facebook statuses, text messages, and everyday assignments can convey certain ways students feel about the university and the education system.

A main concern of today's students is money. How do they pay for things, what is a source for income, and lastly where is money actually going? As we examined our college experience we thought about money. Finances are a major burden and we looked deeper to see what other students, as well as ourselves really valued about education.

When we look at the value of our education and our contributions in order to receive a higher education we begin to see holes in everything we thought was sacred. Saving up for something at the store takes self-control and patience, but wouldn’t school tuition just shy of $7,000 fit into that category? It seems as if we have better things to do with our time instead of taking full advantage of the classes that we generously pay for.

Even with all the money students are forking over through scholarships, loans, and the tips earned over the summer busing tables, it doesn’t seem as if we are receiving an equal share in resources back to us. Have the days of getting a college degree and being prepared to conquer the world passed us by? It is beginning to feel that way and now we wonder what the next step after college will be.

We took the steps to get a higher education, so why not explore more? Starting with the administration building and a student studying while focusing on Arizona pride we moved to a classroom to see if our classmates and peers actually cared. Instead of students being engaged in a discussion or a heated debate, we saw the infamous blue background, of facebook. After spending thousands of dollars a year will we be scouring the classified ads? And ultimately why do we care? It’s the quality of education and it’s our college experience, but in the end it’s all about the green.

We look at the value of education and it coincides with personal responsibility and self control. It’s our time now. We can explore, challenge ideas, and make a change. Maybe we students can be the change to the university. After all… it is our money.

Express Yourself

With the cost of college tuition increasing, how are University of Arizona students taking a stand? Some write articles for the UA's student newspaper, The Daily Wildcat, while others attend protests. Yet some students do not seem to understand the monumental cost of their education. An investigation of the campus provided insight into how students value their education. Daily Wildcat writers are paid very little for their hard work, and yet the apparent respect they receive from their peers is displayed above.

The blue background

$6,856 is the average amount spent on tuition per year, yet some of us seem to think that facebook privileges come with that payment

The Steps to Higher Education

The price of a college education continues to climb. How many loans did this woman, photographed on the steps of the Administration Building, take out to pursue her degree? All Hail, Arizona.

Job security

After paying thousands of dollars to attend the University of Arizona where will we be after graduation? Still looking at classifieds in the newspaper, it's always a possibility.

A right to vote

Four years ago, new UA students paid $85 in mandatory fees. If the latest round of fees is approved, new students will be forced to hand over $893—over ten times more.

UA students used to vote on new fees for non-acdemic spending in fair elections. Now, UA administrators pass them based on biased marketing surveys.

Four years ago, new fees were a necessary evil, used to fund specific programs for a limited time. Today, new fees stuff multiple programs into one massive "fund" for undisclosed purposes and often result in unnecessary expenditure.

UA students are rallying against this unfair fee passing process for unessicary expenses. "No student in the state of Arizona should be denied access to public education because he cannot afford to pay for a gym membership, organic fruit in the student union, or plasma-screen televisions in the library" says Connor Mendenhall, a UA senior.

This photo was taken at the Tuition Hearing on March 1, 2010.
Photo by: Whitney Reed

Hands On

In an elementary math classroom we are provided with the supplies necessary to teach students. But in the future after graduation, will we even get jobs to use what we learned?