Arts reorganization demands attention

Now is an important time for Laurier, as we are in the midst of dealing with budget cuts that totaled $8.9 million this past year.

Significant cuts are being made across the board; the faculty of arts, for instance, has been asked to cut $500,000 for the 2010-11 academic year.

With an increasing deficit, cuts are unavoidable, so it is important to decide where they can be afforded and where they will be damaging to our university as an educational institute.
Professors have taken the first step in sticking up for students, as was demonstrated at the faculty of arts council meeting last Friday when they expressed concerns about the proposed honours bachelor of arts degree.

They raised many valid concerns, including the ethics behind allowing students with a 5.0 GPA to graduate with an honours degree, as well as whether these students will be able to get into classes that are already filled with students in specified majors.

Following the professors’ displays of genuine concern for the student body should be the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union, who must now step up as student leaders and fulfill the advocacy role that a students’ union should offer.

Many students have expressed concerns over this proposed degree, and the students’ union needs to help students understand what is going on and propose alternative solutions.

While it is encouraging to see professors and student groups, such as the Laurier Arts Advance Program, advocating on the behalf of students, WLUSU should be at the forefront of this discussion as the official representative voice of undergraduate students.