Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin                             Tony Hernandez 
                Jim Parsons             Dusti Rhodes           Richard Whitrock

Inadequacy abroad

The Student Government Association considered another fee increase Wednesday -- but this time, the issue isn't hundreds or thousands of dollars. It's just $3.

Most students don't know anything about the International Education Fund, except that each UH student is charged $1 toward the fund every semester. A growing number of students, however, are becoming familiar with the IEF and the benefits it brings the University.

The fund was started to help students who wanted to study abroad but couldn't quite afford it. The original scholarships were each in the thousands of dollars, an amount necessary to any student studying overseas.

Over the years, however, more and more students have decided to take advantage of the program -- but it still only has the $1 per student per semester to draw from. As a result, the scholarship awards have in some cases dipped as low as $100.

Studying abroad with a $100 budget is laughable, and some students doubtless are unable to take their trips because of such small scholarship awards. Many of the most interesting study-abroad programs offer negligible financial aid, if any, so help from the University is quite valuable.

The SGA is planning to put together a student referendum on raising the IEF fee. We hope they're able to do so and that the measure has the support of the students. We understand that students often find it difficult to support increases in fees, but if they have a direct, tangible benefit, they're worthwhile. Although it's true that not every student will draw from the IEF, those who do will appreciate having adequate funding.

Per student, $3 isn't much -- about the price of a fast-food hamburger -- but it will have a dramatically positive effect on the University and its students. We encourage students to open their wallets, broaden their horizons and help make UH a more interesting, vibrant learning atmosphere.