Students Speak Out to Defend Research at UT [Politics]
Last week Carisa Nietsche, the president of the Senate of College Councils, wrote an opinion piece in the The Daily Texan that called upon students to protect UT's position among research institutions, with the message that a focus on research is what produces "students with the zeal to engage in inquiry-based learning." Student Letter to Board of Regents.pdf
On Monday Nietsche joined with the presidents of the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly, as well as the leaders of the Fine Arts Council and the Communication Council, to send a letter to the UT System Board of Regents supporting research at Texas universities and UT-Austin in particular. The student leaders urge the Board to preserve the core values of the University, "especially learning and discovery" and to "consider student opinion." The authors agree that affordability is a valid concern, but their main concern is protecting the value of their institution, which they argue is built largely on the quality of its faculty, and making sure that student voices are heard.
The letter also affirms the students' support for both technical and "soft" forms of research, and echoes the earlier opinion piece in stating that a failure to remain a leader in all areas of research would make UT fall behind as other institutions continue to advance. The student leaders argue that all forms of research are essential for a UT-caliber education.
You can read the letter in its entirety here.
