Our View

By:

Shandra Jordan

Colleen Buhrer

Although students can breathe a sigh of relief that the Joint

Budget Committee has not recommended raising tuition 40 percent,

the loss of yet another campus office serves as a harsh reminder

that all is still not well in higher education in Colorado.

One of the three CSU Continuing Education Centers will be

closing June 30 because of decreased use and thus reduced revenue.

It is always sad to lose a valuable part of CSU, especially

something that brings a community connection to the campus.

The center primarily offered continuing professional development

and noncredit courses to the community.

However, in light of the circumstances, this was probably the

best place to start taking cuts. This won’t directly affect

tuition-paying students and there is still Continuing Education

access in Fort Collins.

In a better fiscal time the university might have been able to

continue funding an office that has little business and brings in

little money because of the value it provides to those utilizing

it. But for now, the university is being reasonable in looking at

the performance and usefulness of an office no matter what the

current financial situation is.

Perhaps letting the community be directly affected by the kind

of cuts all of CSU has been feeling over the past year will further

encourage citizens to support higher education by supporting an

amendment to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and/or Amendment 23 in

November.