College Is All Business

I have quite effectively lost all faith in the college system. It has become yet another capitalistic enterprise, putting more emphasis on business affairs than education. Aside from the price of tuition, which escalates every year no matter how many more students attend than the previous year, the book store, the coffee shop and the cafeteria at Utica College have all gone to the highest bidder - big corporations.

Personally, the interest of this college in turning profits has caused me much grief. What I am about to say is just about the dumbest thing I've ever had to go through. I have to re-take classes I took at MVCC because I did not obtain an Associates Degree from there. Although I got an A in English 102 at MV, the fact that I didn't get a degree there means I have to take it again here. Why? Because it costs money to take a class, and this is some retarded loophole that was created in order to squeeze another semester's worth of tuition out of transfer students. Now they're telling me that I have to take another math course, because the one I took at MV (pre-calculus) transfers over as an elective. Again, if I had an Associates from MV, this would not be a problem. I only transferred to UC because they told me these credits would all be transferred. I don't think I'm alone on this issue.

Adjunct professors make up about half of the professors at UC. Hiring two part-time employees instead of one full-time employee saves money by paying two people less money than one, and not having to offer benefits. But where does all that saved money go? I thought that Romano Hall was paid for by a donation from Mr. Romano. How about hiring an adjunct president? Surely that would save a bundle. Maybe paying the president and administration less would be a good start to saving even more!

At this point, the only thing keeping me at UC is a relatively cheap trip to Ireland. So what do I have to look forward to when I return? Obtaining a degree seems to me more trouble than it's worth. I feel I've learned what I need, and would rather spend my time reading and learning what I want, not going through English 102 again.

Handing in my application to this decrepit institute is now my biggest regret. Utica National Insurance even looks better than this dump, and that place is the reason why I went back to college. At least insurance companies are transparent about why they exist - for profit. Hiding behind the illusion of education to turn bigger and bigger profits anually is dishonest and disgusting. I've learned more from books - free books, not Barnes & Noble textbooks - than in a year and a half at UC.

It will be interesting to see what happens upon my return from Ireland. Will I quit? Maybe. I think the administration would be pleased with that, so I might stay out of spite. Then again, not paying them tuition would make me feel better. Stay tuned for what happens next, as I'm sure I'll be pissed off - and that always makes my blogs more interesting.