Throughout this semester, Columbia has announced many restructuring changes, greatly impacting students all over campus. Some of these changes include a 5% full-time tuition increase and across-the-board budget cuts. On top of these changes, this semester also marked the first since moving the in-person health clinic to online and since merging certain departments into schools.
We talked to students on campus about which of these moves have resonated with them most and how these changes have personally impacted them.
TRANSCRIPT
0:00: A lot has happened this semester at Columbia from program reviews to the health center being moved online to budget cuts and tuition increases.
0:08: We asked students how they’re feeling about an eventful few months.
0:11: It takes away some of what is special about the school, and like the things that drew me to this school in the first place.
0:19: I think it’s kind of crazy, you know, that- that they close the health center and make it all virtual and stuff like that,
0:24: you know, people need access to doctors.
0:26: So, I know we’re cutting out a lot of like film classes specifically and I feel like I’m not getting a lot of practice on film and that’s the main thing that I want to get into.
0:36: This was the first semester at Columbia with programs being separated into schools instead of departments.
0:42: This change included the combination of actors and dancers into the school of theater and dance as well as majors like music and sound design being combined into the school of audio and music.
0:51: They like combined the music in the audio departments, which is cool for me because before they did that, I was already a double major in both of them.
0:58: But now people can’t do that.
0:59: I feel like I didn’t get advanced notice that this was happening and then all of a sudden it just on my email being like, oh yeah, by the way, you’re like school of theater and dance.
1:08: And I’m like, I don’t take dance while there were concerns across the board for what’s next for the college.
1:13: The biggest concern we heard from students today had to do with full time tuition being increased by 5% increasing the price before financial aid by a little over $1600.
1:22: I feel that a lot of students are already struggling to make ends meet for the schooling.
1:28: And now the fact that we have to pay more is it’s getting a little out of hand, unfortunately.
1:34: Well, obviously tuition is going to increase regardless.
1:39: But I’m pretty sure like the increase of tuition was quite a big number.
1:46: It’s, it’s, it seems like it’s been a trend since I’ve been here.
1:49: So I guess I don’t wanna say it was expected, but it was of course a little bit disheartening.
1:55: , probably that tuition going up,, that,, kind of screw with me because it’s like, you know, that, that means a little bit more than I gotta pay for it.
2:04: You know, like next semester these next years.
2:07: And, it’s kind of hard to come across that money, although some students are feeling down students like Jorge Molina are trying to find the best in an ever changing environment.
2:16: I love Columbia and I think that,, you know, there’s, there’s definitely things that go on within,, the higher ups for sure.
2:27: But I think the teachers and administration definitely try their hardest to give it their all for what they like with what they got.
2:35: Ali Brennaman, Chronicle TV News.
Copy edited by Patience Hurston
