Scantron forms

Today I bought my first scantron cards for school. You may wonder what they are and why it matters that I had to buy them. They are the forms that one uses to "bubble in" the answers to our multiple choice questions on tests at school, then the professor can run them through a machine that grades them. Why does it matter that I had to buy them? Why am I upset that I had pay a mere 40 cents for them and it upsets me so much? We can also only buy them three at a time because they are in such limited supply in the school bookstore.

Scantron forms are only a symptom of the changes that are happening in the halls of higher learning this year. Yes we know that the economy tanked. Yes we know that the state of Georgia is having a crises in receiving tax revenue because of the economy. We also know that tuition went up. There is also a fee that each student in the state must pay. Last year it was $25.00, this year it went up to $50.00.

On Friday our professors and staff at colleges all across Georgia will be taking a furlough day. There is not enough money in the state coffers to pay our teachers for all the work they do. Many of our professors will not be taking the day off. They will be working in their offices or at home doing the things they do everyday. They are one dedicated lot of people. They just won't be paid for it.

Our scantron forms are not that expensive. It's not like they cost anywhere in the neighborhood of our textbooks, but; if our tuition goes up and our student fees go up could someone in charge have thought that if we buy enough scantron forms for the whole University System of Georgia, the students will not have to pay for them! They certainly would not cost the state anywhere near 40 cents apiece!

We are nearly one week into the school year and the book store at school has not had them but at the first day of school. There was a run on the scantron forms when professors announced in class that we would have to buy them. Some students bought 15-30 according to the book store assistant manager. Today, a week later I was able to buy three. Since I have three classes I should have what I need for my first test in each class. One of my advisers on the Six Mile Post said that now she had to try to schedule her tests for WHEN the book store had scantron forms in stock. I think that borders on the ridiculous.

According to various news outlets like the Rome News-Tribune and all the television local news broadcast, ABC, and CNN when the economy gets bad people go back to school. Attendance is at record levels since the recession began. If our parking lot is any indication, this must be a true statement at GHC! There are at least a third more cars in the lot on Mondays and Wednesdays when I am there. My logic tells me that if attendance is at an all time high in Georgia then tuition and fees should cover small things like scantron forms. My logic also tells me that our professors should not be having to take furlough days because there is not enough money to pay them. I feel yet another letter to our governor, Sonny Perdue coming on. Join my in the cause, write letters to your state representative, the governor, and our lieutenant governor, Casey Cagle. Let them know that this small issue is important.