Where's my money?

How about a little math for a change?
In state undergraduate tuition for a four credit class is: $1,104.00 per semester
Out of state undergraduate tuition is $3,068.00 per semester.
Let's assume (and we can if we take a look at the ratios in the factbook) that 1/3 of this four credit class is out of state students.
The total income would be: $52,760.00

Now subtract the paltry GAT .25 salary for the class: about $3,855.00
and the health insurance: $661.00
You're left with about $48,244.00 that the university has taken in.
Just for fun, let's pretend that all of the students are in-state. The university would still be left with an income of $28,604.00

http://oirps.arizona.edu/files/Fact_Book/Factbook07_08.pdf

http://www.bursar.arizona.edu/students/fees/index.asp?term=084&feetype=undergrad&feerate=all

Keep in mind that the university also takes in (perhaps too few, but still significant) tax dollars from the state. Also remember that these tuition numbers are from this year, before the tuition hike and also do not include the student fees that are tacked on for things like 'technology' and KAMP radio.

It's understandable that the university needs some extra money to pay librarians, cleaning crews, landscapers, technology assistants, administrators, electricity, maintenance and other expenses, but $28,604.00 per class should be more than enough to cover all of that. Also, this is a relatively mild example. Some classes have hundreds of students being taught by a single professor and a few GATs.

If you consider that it would cost about $22/month to insure each graduate student for individual dental care (Blue Cross, Blue Shield), it seems absolutely ridiculous that the university doesn't do this. The U of A could even ask for a group discount.

http://www.azblue.com/pdfs/Forms-Resources/DentalPlusIndivApp.pdf

Where is this money going? Every time I see fresh flowers being planted on campus I wonder how many GATs' spouses and children could have been provided with health insurance instead. Every time a window rattles in a leaky classroom or I walk in and find that the temperature has been set at 55 degrees all day and it feels like a refrigerator, I wonder how much money we've waisted.

Shelton's right about one thing: It's time to get our priorities straight. Now is the time to ask him why we are excluded from services we deserve and where all of our students' tuition dollars are being spent.