Students must make sacrifices during economic hard times

Column by Zachary Kiser

Webster’s defines the word déjà vu as, “something overly or unpleasantly familiar.” This is the exact phrase I would use to describe what I saw in the pages of the Kernel yesterday. Apparently, university administration is considering reducing library hours at Willy T in an effort to cut costs in these hard economic times. If this is your first semester at UK, then you will not remember the “Library Hours Crisis” which plagued our campus during the Fall 2008 semester, a crisis that was averted thanks to our fearless SG president. All sarcasm aside, many students took issue with the university taking the library from 24/5, to where the library would close somewhere around 2 a.m. every morning, and the student body and SG mobilized to have their voices heard and their demands met. However, those of us who actually understood the value and concept of money knew that this was only a short term fix, and in hard economic times statewide and globally, the problem was sure to rear its head  once more.

This takes me back to Tuesday, when I read they were again considering cutting hours. I know that it is inevitable that soon another SG pud will take up the library hours cause, and once again try to buck common sense in pursuit of 24/5 library. However, before everyone picks up their pitchforks and torches and marches en masse to Maxwell to have their voices heard, I would like for you to step back and look at the big picture.

It is obvious that most public institutions are in the midst of an extremely large budget crisis, and with any sort of economic crisis, sacrifices must be made to preserve and maintain most of the critical functions of that public institution. Most of us, even myself at times, have the illusion that the university is this giant beast that has no care or respect for us as students and is only concerned with gobbling up as much of our money as possible. Recent tuition, living, and housing expense increases are not pleasant, but they were needed to maintain the overall function of research and education at the university. Yes, the university could do more to cut the needless spending on the administration side, such as reducing frivolous gifts given out by various departments, or cutting administration wages to something a tad more modest. But the fact remains that at some point in time, we, as students, must be willing to sacrifice a little so that we may maintain the university that is giving us a quality education.

Why do we as students think that we should be immune from these sacrifices and cuts? All around campus, departments are being forced to slash their budgets significantly so as to cope with these hard economic times. All around Lexington people are being forced to decide whether they should eat tonight or buy their medicine, whether they have enough money to pay their child’s health insurance, or whether they will be able to send their children to places like UK, U of L or any other state school. However, in the midst of all these hardworking men and women’s sacrifices, we as UK students complain when we have to make a minor sacrifice. Are we that spoiled? Why should we be immune from the cuts, and why should we not have to give anything up while so much is lost for so many? We, as students, always complain that the university doesn’t treat us like adults, if that is so, then maybe it is time for us to start acting like adults and realize that keeping the library 24/5 isn’t as important as we think it is.

So, in the coming months when they will surely cut the library hours back, instead of getting angry, realize that we don’t always get what we want, and this economic crisis will soon pass. But when it does pass, maybe we will take away a sense of fiscal responsibility and understanding so as to avoid as best we can, another economic downturn.