I’m having a little trouble understanding how the increase in student fees to fund Cy-Ride can provide students with “free” bus rides, as was stated in Tuesday’s Daily. Last I heard, “free” meant just that – free. Requiring students to pay up front each and every semester kind of discards the notion of bus rides being free.

To ask all students to contribute to this sham is a joke. Seeing as how I live two blocks west of campus, and all of my classes are on that same side of campus, there’s not really much reason for me to ride a bus (no routes even come near my apartment).

And to cover all bases, I have my own car to drive to the mall, grocery store, or anywhere else I might need to go, so off-campus bus routes mean nothing to me either.

Each semester, I pay for computer labs that I don’t use, health facilities I’ve fortunately never had to use, special fees for nearly all of my classes since I got here three-plus years ago, and who knows what else. I’d be willing to bet there are plenty of other students who are in the same boat.

I think it’s great that the University keeps coming up with more new ways for us to spend money that we end up borrowing from Uncle Sam (yes, I’m being sarcastic).

Especially when if we, the students of this University, had any say in the matter, wouldn’t pay for the services in the first place if we never use them. I, for one, am tired of bending over and taking it up the tailpipe from this school. Get off our backs, damnit!

Alex Pollitt

Senior

Visual studies