Thursday, February 11, 1999
Privilege of higher learning not open to underachievers
INTELLECT: College education designed to broaden horizons, not
just to help people get jobs
If you ask most people at UCLA why they are going here – as
opposed to asking around California State University, Northridge
(CSUN) – most will answer that this is a better school. Some may
say that they go here because they want a job, or because they want
to learn something, or because they already finished high school.
It is obvious that the quality of education and the job prospects
coming out of this school are infinitely better than those at CSUN
or many other universities. The reason is simple: this is an
elitist institution.
Outsiders know that only the best and brightest are able to
attend, which gives that lovely piece of paper called a diploma a
greater value.
If higher education were open to all, there would be no point. A
high school diploma is completely worthless, and the same will
happen to a college diploma if more are allowed to obtain one.
Despite this reality, the belief is still out there that
education is a right and that all people should be able to
attend.
Education is not a right. Where in the constitution does it say
you have the right to go to college at someone else’s expense? If
the university is opened to all, then someone is going to have to
pay for it. So, I guess the logic is that working people should pay
more in taxes so that some spoiled brats can ride their skateboards
around campus.
These same people also believe that increasing financial aid is
somehow going to make higher education available to more. This is
another wrong idea. First of all, financial aid actually increases
the cost of a tuition. If students always have this guaranteed
source of funding, then schools have no reason to lower their
costs, and have every incentive to raise them.
Costs go up, borrowing increases, with the student having to
incur increasing amounts of debt to finance his or her education. A
better paying job might be on the horizon for this student, but
then this additional income will be lost since it will have to go
to taxes to pay for other students getting money from the
government.
Opening a university to all defeats the purpose of its
existence.
Universities were intended to be institutions open only to the
few that have achieved and who wish to better themselves
intellectually. A college education is supposed to cover a variety
of fields that develop a student’s analytical abilities. Employers
prefer people with college degrees, because these people have shown
the ability to achieve at the highest level. That is why UCLA
graduates earn more than those from CSUN.
We brilliant college graduates are preferred by employers
because of our intellectual achievements. A proper college
education is supposed to instill in us the ability to think and
write critically. These skills are generally developed by going to
class. I get nauseated by all these people on campus who get this
sick pride about never having gone to class.
These people seem to be proud that they spend their time
sleeping and vomiting rather than doing actual work. What is
disturbing about this is the fact that they are allowed to attend
one of the premier universities in the world, and at taxpayer
expense.
Of course, some of you will respond, "Well, how is anything in
class supposed to help me in the real world … blah, blah, blah
… I don’t like paying attention to anything for more than five
seconds." Well, if you think what you are learning is so useless,
drop out.
There is no reason to be here if you do not want to learn.
Stop wasting tax dollars and the space of people who actually
want to be here and achieve something. Go get a job and continue
your useless life of mediocrity.
College is supposed to be for intellectuals who wish to pursue
an intellectual education. It is supposed to cover a variety of
fields and give us a solid intellectual basis. It is not about job
training.
Being a history major does not pigeonhole me into one specific
track. I get so tired of those who ask, "Oh, what are you going to
do with a history degree?"
The next person who asks me that question is getting punched in
the face. (And no, I am not going to teach.)
So you want to ask me what I am going to do with that. First, I
have a question for you – what is the name of our school? That’s
right, it is the University of California at Los Angeles. Now,
where in that title do you see the term "vocational school"?
Nowhere. Know why? Because we are not going to a vocational
school.
This is a university, a place of learning. History is a major,
not a trade. There are plenty of jobs out there for anyone who can
think and write, regardless of major.
Granted, there are some majors that tailor to specific careers,
e.g. computer science or engineering. The bulk of jobs, however,
are for anyone who possesses the skills gained from an education at
the college level.
If you want a specific job, go to a trade school. If you want to
pursue intellectual exploits, go to a university.
A university’s only purpose should be to educate and promote
intellectual pursuits. Diversity should be encouraged. The point
here is what kind of diversity, and how does it relate to the
purpose of a university?
A person will gain intellectually if surrounded by those who
think differently. Diversity comes from a variety of sources, not
just one’s phenotypic makeup. What good is having the United
Nations at UCLA if everyone thinks the same?
The UCLA catalog says, "One of the university’s highest
priorities is to advance the ethnic diversity of its students,
faculty, staff and administrators." So I guess the logic there is
that a university does not need to educate its students, just to
make sure that the campus resembles a Benneton ad. And we claim to
want diversity, although no concrete definition of that term is
given.
If we are so concerned with this idea, why do we still have this
North and South campus separation? The most basic type of diversity
on a campus is people studying different things. After all, we on
North Campus do need to learn more about Star Wars and applying to
medical school.
Furthermore, why is it that people who protest for ethnic
diversity always vituperate those who do not agree? Are people of
different ideologies not diverse? It makes one wonder if these
protesters are really looking for diversity, or if they just do not
want to go to class. (And if you examine the roots of the words,
you will see that "uni-versity" is the opposite of
"di-versity.")
No one has a right to an education. It should be reserved for
those who have achieved and have shown some inkling of a desire to
learn. Opening a university to all cheapens the value of a college
education, rendering the experience futile.
So if you want to go to a school that is open to all, head on
down to CSUN. They are always willing to accept another ignoramus
who knows how to fill out an application.Matthew Gever
Gever is just bitter because he has to commute. He is moving out
of his house next year, so if you are looking for a roommate, let
him know at [email protected].
Comments, feedback, problems?
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