The_Rambler_1973-03-29

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Volume XXXIV Thursday , March 29 . 1973
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Number 8
Jobs for HorticultureGrads
Dr. Charles W. Laffin.Jr..
President of Stale University
at Farmingdale, today
disclosed thaf'approximately
one-third of the Ornamental
Horticulture graduating
classes each year continue
t h e i r education by
transferring to a four-year
program." He reports that
these graduates have been
widely accepted at colleges all
over the country. These
i n c l u d e California
Polytechnic Institute. Ohio
State University, Michigan
State University , Delaware
Valley College, Texas A&M
college and the University of
Missouri. The transferring
Aggie graduates usually work
toward a Bachelor of Science
degreein Horticulture or a
degree in Landscaping
Architecture.
A c c o r d i n g to Dr.
L a f f i n , " M o s t of our
Ornamental Horticulture
transfers attend Cornell
University, Syracuse and the
University of Georgia." He
adds that "these schools
actively recruit our students.
They have excellent programs
and give Farmingdale
graduates two full years of
transfer credit'
It is interesting to notice,
according to Dr. Laffin, that
the field of Horticulture, in
which Farmingdale has been
deeply involved since the
1930's, continues to expand.
"Each spring," HE SAYS,
" t h e r e are more job
opportunities than there are
graduates from Farmingdale
to fill the needs of this all-important
industry. Among
the positions availble to our
graduates after receiving
their Associate in Applied
Science degrees following two
years at Farmingdale, or
when they finish the four-year
college with a Bachelor's
degree, are Horticulturist,
N u r s e r y and Garden
M a n g e r s , Landscape
D e s i g n e r s and
Consultant, Arboreturm
Superintendent, Golf Course
Superintendent, General Turf
Construction Contractor,
Commercial Sod Growers,
Turf Consultant, Park
Manager, Salesman of Turf
P r o d u c t s , Retail and
Wholesale Florist, Plant
Designer and Commercial
Grower."
FREE TUITION
We have today introduced
legislation to guarantee a free
public education for all State
residents rnrolled in all
undergraduate units of the
State University of New York
i n c l u d i n g community
colleges.
Initially, more than 350,0
full and part time students the
full time equivalent (FTE) of
128,031 SUNY undergraduate
students, 99,900 community
college students outside New
York City and 58,300 New York
City community college
students would benefit from
this legislation.
THE PROPOSAL
Technically, the bill
m a n d a t e s f r e e p u b l ic
education lor each year in
which the Legislature
appropriates funds to the
State Houseing Finance
Agency to pay the Agency's
debt service on bonds issued
under a pledge of revenues
f r om SUNY tuition.
'Appropriation of these funds
by the Legislature removes
the only constitutional
i m p e d i m e n t to re-establishment
of free tuition.
The bill increases state
aid to community colleges by
33 1.3 per cent of approved
operating costs. This increase
represents that poilion of
operating costs which are
presently defrayed by
students tuition.
The bill also appropriates
the necessary funds for this
proposal.
JUSTIFICATION
Our proposal is based
upon the philosophy that
public support of education
should ref lect the actual needs
of Society.
Higher education is no
more a luxury in the second
half of the 20th Century than
was secoundary education
when it was first initiated
more than a hundred years
ago.
Higher education today
provides preparation and
training for ser\'ices essential
to the well-being of the
community. And while
Society's general benefits are
clear, increased taxes on the
individuals enhanced earning
p o w e r more than
compensates the State for the
cost of his higher education.
Economic and cultural
benefits aside, Society's
responsibility to make higher
education available is clear:
Higher education is
essential to the survival and
progress of a democratic
society.
The most efficient and
effective means of assisting
students who wish to take
advantage of public higher
education is to remove the
tuition barrier.
It is ironic that with the
rising public demand for
higher education, both public
and private colleges and
universities face chronic
fisccal crises. There are some
interesting components of this
problem:
i n c r e a s e s in
instructional costs per student
have been no greater than
increases in the cost of other
goods and services.
- costs per student in
public degree-granting
institutions have actually
declined, and student-faculty
r a t i o s increased as
enrollments grew. (Report by
the Secretary of Health,
Education and Welfare).
- in the past decade, there
has been a greater percentage
increase in student tuition
than in the cost of living.
We do not believe a high
level of tuition at public
universities, which serves as a
protective tariff, will solve the
fiscal problems of private
institutions of higher learning
in our state can provide an
important public service and
t h e r e f o r e merit public
support. To accomplish this
purpose several practical
legislation introduced at this
session.
Furthermore,
reestablishment of free tuition
will obviate the need for the
present complex student aid
system based on his family's'
financial circumstances, and
the substantial administrative
costs which it requires.
Like it or not, tuition
payments have provided a
barrier to highereducation for
tens of thousands of young
New Torkers over the past
decade. Proof of this is the fact
that 80 per cent of New York
City high school graduates
continue their education as
contrasted with 67 per cent
else where in the state.
The differences is not in
the ability of the students, nor
in the quality of the schools.
The difference is that the
youngsters in the five
boroughs of the city are served
by units of the tuitiofree City
University while high school
graduates in the rest of the
state must overcome the
barrier of tuition payments at
the State University.
We submit that the
answer is not to cut back
college attendance in the city
by imposing tuition, but to
increase attendance in the
rest of the state by eliminating
tuition for undergraduates at
State University.
We believe that" this
approach is far more sensible
than the vague and highly
complicated system of student
aid proposed by the Keppel
C o m m i s s i o n , and the
approach is more logical than
what has been advanced by
the Regents, who on one hand,
accept Society's collective
responsibility and on the
other, advocate tuition based
on ability to pay.
In simple terms, the
seceund Regents argument
states:
"Those who can afford to
pay tuition should be made to
pay."
Ignored is the fact that
those who can afford tuition,
also contribute the most in
taxes which support the
University, as well as other
functions of state government.
In summary, if we really
believe that the maximum
development of all of our
young people is a high priority
and that tnje democracy
cannot exist without an
educated citizenry, we will
suit our action to our words.
The public will support
this cause.
A great Governor.
H e r b e r t H. Lehman,
expressed our position many
years ago:
"If we solve all the
problems facing Society, but
fail to solve the problems of
education, our ignorant
children will destroy what we
bequeath them".
"However, if we solve only
the problems of education, our
educated children will solve
the problems we have left."
Re-establishment of free
tuition at all units of the State
U n i v e r s i t y , including
community colleges, will cost
the State $157 million in the
1973-74 academic year
1973-74 costs are projected
as follows:
Revenue lost by not
impemn tuition charges on
undergraduate students at
SUNY institutions. $90.2
millions
Less; Scholar incentive
aid and Regents scholar
grants above the statutory
minimum. $25 million. Total
$65.2 million
Revenue lost by not
imposing tuition charges at
Community Colleges
sponsored by the Board of
Higher Education of the City
of New York )This cost is
presently absorbed by New
York City). $48 million
Revenue lost by not
imposing tuition charges at
other Community Colleges.
$53 million
I^ss: Scholar incentive
aid and Regents scholarship
grants above the statutory
minimum.$9 million and $44
million. Total $157.2 Million
Dollars.
Possesion
Possesion
In Texas convicted murders
are considered less dangerous
than marijuana users.
Recently in Belton, a
murderer was given a two-year
sentence, and another,
suspected of two killings, was
tried for one and given five
years probation.
In Dallas, however, an
underground newspaper
editor was sentenced to ten
years and a day for possessing
one tenth of an ounce of
marijuana to an undercover
agent.
PHOTO 3Y JACK HOSi
Knapp Fire
At 5:15 PM on Tuesday,
March 27, engines from both
the Farmingdale and Melville
Fire Departments arrived at
Knapp Hall to extinguish a
grease fire in the kitchen. The
fire was put out and veiy little
damage occured, but the
cafeteria remained closed the
rem:iinder of the evening to
put things back in order. Mr.
Slinclair, the Crotty Bros,
representative on campus,
said. "If the smoke had
reached the ventilation ducts,
the snack bar would have l)een
closed for the rest of the
year."