Con U Gripes
by Matthew Brett
Concordia is in shambles, and it’s high time everyone come forward and share their Concordia gripes.
Take the ECON 201 microeconomics midterm this February, for example. There were not enough seats to hold the entire class and the exam started late because the professor did not show up on time.
Ten students had to find a table, carry it into the classroom and squeeze it to one side of the door while the exam was taking place. Every time a student left the room, a guy had to get up and move, in the middle of the test, because he was in the way of the exit. Everyone was watching this gong-show instead of writing their exam.
You’re supposed to enter an exam focused and ready, not distracted and irritated because of overcrowding.
We’ve also heard the stories of students sitting in classroom aisles because of overcrowding.
Concordians may be lucky compared to other large Canadian universities, but classrooms are still bursting with students.
This is partially a result of the financial crisis. Concordia has emerged from an expected deficit of $4.2 million to reach a $1.7 million surplus. The surplus is largely due to increased enrolment, but it has come at the cost of major strain on academic infrastructure.
The library and hallways are zoos at the best of times and many simply avoid the downtown campus altogether because of of the lack of public space.
Escalators do not work, and yet new buildings are being constructed. It’s completely irrational.
Teachers are overworked and underpaid, and teaching assistants are currently facing a 30 per cent pay cut. International students face complete tuition deregulation, and education minister Michelle Courchesne promises more tuition hikes
are on the way. Enough is enough.
Stories like those of the microeconomics exam are common and we want to hear them. Please send us all of your Concordia gripes and we will make sure the dire state of higher education becomes a national issue. We’ll publish all we can.
The Link Volume 31 Issue 01